Liberty Hill holds off Burnet 14-7 in big district match
Burnet High School quarterback Derek Kiser (7) rolls out looking for a downfield receiver during the Oct. 25 game against Liberty Hill. The Panthers won 14-7, setting themselves up as the clear District 8-3A frontrunner. The Bulldogs dropped to 1-2 in district play. Burnet hosts Llano on Nov. 1 at 7:30 p.m. at Bulldog Stadium. Staff photo by Daniel Clifton
DANIEL CLIFTON • PICAYUNE EDITOR
LIBERTY HILL — Burnet’s game hung on a fourth-and-five situation on Liberty Hill’s 10-yard line with less than a minute left in the District 8-3A matchup at Panther Stadium on Oct. 25.
Bulldogs quarterback Derek Kiser took the snap, rolled to his right and got off a pass. The ball wobbled down field after it appeared to be tipped, but, instead of dropping into a Burnet player’s hand, Liberty Hill’s Jason Reeves stepped up and caught it. The interception salvaged the Panthers’ 14-7 as they remain undefeated in district at 3-0 while Burnet drops to 1-2.
The Panthers had a 14-0 lead after their second score of the night with 8:12 left in the game. On the ensuing kickoff, Liberty Hill called, and executed, an onside kick and recovered the ball.
But the Burnet defense did what it had done most of the night: kept Liberty Hill’s explosive misdirection offense in check. The Panthers worked their way down to the Bulldogs’ 29-yard line but, on a fourth-and-seven situation, came up six yards short.
Down 14 points, Burnet took over.
Kiser wasted no time. He hooked up with Brock Foster for a 68-yard pass play that put Burnet first and goal on Liberty Hills’ nine-yard line. On the next play, Kiser hit Blayne Parisher for a touchdown reception at the 4:15 mark, putting the Bulldogs right back in the game.
“I’m really proud of our kids for hanging in there and never giving up,” Burnet head coach Kurt Jones said. “Our defense did a great job keeping us in the game and giving us a chance.”
The Bulldogs defense did it again on the next drive, forcing the Panthers to go three and out and setting up Kiser and company on their own 34-yard line.
This time, Kiser and Parisher connected with a 35-yard reception, putting Bulldogs on the Panthers’ 39-yard line. Then, Kiser hit running back Trenton Hafley for a 14-yard reception, and the Bulldogs found themselves on Liberty Hill’s 15-yard line, and with hope.
But four plays later, Reeves ended that hope.
“When you play Burnet, you have to be fighting the entire game,” Liberty Hill coach Jerry Vance said. “They are a great team and well coached. The way they pass the ball, they’re never out of it. And they showed that tonight.”
Burnet is the first team to hold Liberty Hill to 14 points this year.
Despite the loss, Burnet still controls its playoff hopes. The Bulldogs host Llano on Nov. 1 at 7:30 p.m.
“We just have to shake this one off and get ready for the Llano Yellow Jackets,” Jones said.
daniel@thepicayune.com