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NEWPORT – Newport was neck and neck for most of Friday’s game against Liberty last Friday night but came up short when the Lancers scored two touchdowns to take the lead in the last five minutes. Liberty won 35-24.
Newport recovered a fumble on their own 13 yard line, and went on a 15-play, 8:15 minute scoring drive.
They led 6-0 at the end of the first quarter.
Liberty answered with a couple big plays and went up 7-6 early in the 2nd quarter, according to coach Mark Duxbury.
“We had a nice drive with Preston Wacenske scoring on a 12 yard run,” Duxbury said.
Both teams had a possession without scoring. Then Liberty scored with 34 seconds left in the first half.
Liberty went up 14-6, but Wacenske caught the kickoff at the 8 yard line and followed his blockers right up the middle for a 92 yard TD return. Newport ended the half up 18-14.
“We didn’t play well offensively for most of the third quarter,” Duxbury said. “Penalties, mishandled exchange, blown assignments and a couple injuries hampered our progress on offense.”
Late in the third quarter Newport put a good drive together. A 15 yard screen pass from Driver to Gavin Estrada kept the drive alive. The drive continued into the 4th quarter when Driver found Dylan Aubrey crossing the formation for a 17 yard TD pass.
Newport was up 24-21.
Liberty took the lead at 28-24 with 4:34 left to play.
The ball got away from Driver and he overthrew a receiver for an interception.
“The Lancers went down and scored pretty much putting an end to our chances,” Duxbury said.
Liberty had 22 rushes for 106 yards and was 22 of 31 for 206 yards passing. Newport rushed for 184 yards on 26 carries and were six of 16 passing for 77 yards.
Kutter Driver had 16 carries for 128 yards and one touchdown. Preston Wacenske had five carries for 35 yards and a TD, plus the 92 yard kickoff return TD.
Gavin Estrada had five carries for 21 yards. As QB, Driver was five of 14 for one TD and an interception. Des Opland came in at QB when Driver had to leave the game for a couple plays after getting banged up. Opland was one of two for four yards.
Aubrey had two receptions for 30 yards and a TD. Estrada had two for 28 yards and Tyson Nunley had one carry for 15 yards.
Wacenske had one carry for 4 yards. “We continue to make mental mistakes, commit costly penalties on both sides of the ball, and fail to play well in the 2nd half most of this season,” Duxbury said. “You have to play four quarters to beat the good teams and that’s on me as the coach.
“We’ve been hampered with injuries this season, but that is football. As a team we have to find a way to overcome it,” the coach said.
Newport does some really good things each week but fails to put it all together for four quarters. “The good thing is there is still football to play this season, and we will figure it out,” Duxbury said.
Northwest Christian is clearly sitting at first place. There is a group of teams sitting at 4-2 in league play, including Newport. “We just need to put ourselves in the best position for the week 10 play-in game,” Duxbury said.
Newport hosts Freeman Friday, Oct. 23 at 7 p.m.
