'A business trip': Liberty can make big statement in showdown against California powerhouse
Not too hyped, Peoria Liberty knows this week’s California trip won’t make or break its football season. It has something much more important to prove. That it can get over the Open state semifinal hump.
But a strong performance at Corona Centennial (2-2) will go a long way in carrying confidence into the second half of the season when the Lions face a tough stretch that includes Pinnacle, Salpointe Catholic, Saguaro, Chaparral and Centennial.
So far, in its first four games, Liberty (4-0 and No. 1 in The Arizona Republic's Super 10) hasn’t had a contest without the running clock rule in place due to leading by more than 35 points. Quarterback Navi Bruzon hasn’t had to work into the fourth quarter. That includes games against Chandler Hamilton and Phoenix Sandra Day O'Connor and a Queen Creek team that just put up 71 points in a game.
But it all changes this Friday. Corona Centennial (2-2) has had an extra week to prepare for Liberty and the toughness gained in the 28-14 loss to Santa Ana (California) Mater Dei and 56-28 loss at Las Vegas Bishop Gorman should be beneficial. Mater Dei and Bishop Gorman are ranked 1 and 2 in the nation by MaxPreps.
Liberty is ranked 16th nationally with Corona Centennial at 22.
“It’s just a business trip,” linebacker Keaton Stam said. “Just go 1-0.”
Liberty was all business in its out-of-state trip last year, when it went into Colorado to quickly take down Valor Christian 50-7. Valor Christian ended up finishing 11-3, losing to Cherry Creek in the Colorado state final.
Liberty, which got into the national rankings but lost its only game 43-42 to Saguaro in the Open Division semifinal playoffs last year, was expected to be really good again this year. But not this good.
The Lions aren't feeling a false sense of security, despite the run of blowouts to open this season.
“In these four games, we’ve played some great teams, but we still have that chip because we really haven’t done anything,” linebacker Zane Tallman said. “The last four years, we haven’t won a state championship. We haven’t won anything yet. We want to be able to prove ourselves on the nation level, play some great competition to get us ready for the rest of the season.”
The Lions have been able to withstand graduations of some star players on defense with Stam and Tallman doing stellar work on that side of the ball. Tallman has 30 tackles and Stam 23. Sophomore linebacker Hudson Dunn has a team-leading five sacks.
"We always stay neutral in every game, just go 1-0 and dominate," Stam said. "Obiously, (Corona Centennial) has been a very dominant program."
This is Bruzon’s team. He has thrown 10 TD passes with no interceptions through four games, completing 71.4% of his passes for 851 yards.
But he may need his top target, Braylon Gardner, back for this game. He’s missed the last two with an injury after catching 12 passes for 256 yards and two TDs.
Coach Colin Thomas, the architect of this offense, couldn’t say whether Gardner will be back for this game. He knows other receivers have stepped up to make plays.
Senior Chris McKivitz has been Bruzon’s new favorite target with 15 catches for 321 yards and five TDs. And offensive lineman-turned-tight end Ryan Wolfer has been a big target with 15 catches for 245 yards and two TDs.
“The word for this week is ‘attack,’ “ Bruzon said. “We’re an elite team and they’re an elite team. We just want to show why we belong.
“Obviously, they’re a top team in the nation. They’re a good, all-around team. We’ve got to play our brand of football.”
Centennial’s offense is much like Liberty’s, sprinting to the ball for each down, go, go, go.
“Our defense has only had to play like six possessions (in a game so far),” Tallman said. “We’re going to have to play probably 10 to 16 possessions this game. We have to be good on conditioning and get ready for this game.”
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This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: No.1 Liberty football travels to California for showdown with national power
