Liberty beats Paloma Valley in final regular-season game

Liberty's Trent Hallis breaks a tackle during a touchdown run. (Photo by Action Captures Media Group)

By Paige Mendez, Correspondent

Liberty High School’s football team won its face-off Friday night at Paloma, 35-20, in the final league game of the season for both Menifee teams.

After Paloma was forced to punt on their first drive, the Bison put up a touchdown just beyond the five-minute mark in the first quarter but did not complete the extra point.

The Wildcats answered with a touchdown on their next drive thanks to tight end Brayden Munger, and the kick did find its way between the posts, so Paloma had the 7-6 lead early on in the second quarter.

Liberty ran the next kickoff nearly into the red zone and put up another touchdown within five minutes. Then the Bison forced a Wildcat fumble two plays later, looking to extend their lead.

But Paloma’s London Jones-Marshall made an interception three plays later and started a run that would end in the end zone for the Wildcats, only to be called back on a holding penalty after the clock had already run out.

The holding call was the third for the Wildcats in the first half. Head coach Juan Merida said that ended up being a momentum killer for the team, which wouldn’t see the lead return to their favor for the rest of the game.

“It’s kind of been the story of our season, to have those inopportune moments for penalties and it’s just killing ourselves with dumb stuff,” said Merida, referencing both the called back touchdown and a near-forced turnover from his defense that was nullified due to a roughing the passer penalty.

While the Wildcat side was struggling with penalties and little mishaps, the Bison side of the field was experiencing what their head coach, Adam Contreras, called their “best game yet.”

Having two junior running backs who each tallied over 100 on the night and all five of the team’s touchdowns helps to contribute to that type of game. Parris Peacock totaled 144 ds yarwith three of the runs to the end zone, while Trent Hallis ran for just over 100 and got the other two.

“Our guys were able to play our best game tonight and it was fun to watch,” Contreras said. “Parris putting in so much work off the field really showed tonight, but he’s been doing this all season. It’s just tonight that it all came together for us.”

Peacock said his performance is due to the help from his strength coach.

“I have to give him credit, coach Mike, he got me where I am,” he said. “I started as an offensive lineman and I’m here now because of how he has helped me.”

The second half continued to go well for Peacock and the rest of the Bison, with a touchdown just four minutes into the second half on their first drive, making it a two-possession game.

But the Wildcats had an answer in a touchdown caught by Munger in the red zone, followed by their second 2-point PAT of the night, making it 14-21 with just under six minutes left in the third quarter.

Munger was one of a handful of players mentioned by Merida for having kept their cool and performing well in spite of being rattled. Orlando Gonzalez, their starting quarterback, is another one of those key players.

However, the performances from those standout players didn’t make up the difference in the end, and Liberty scored two more touchdowns before the game’s end.

“I wish we would have just held our side of it and seen what it ended up as,” Merida said. “I think the score got away from us a little bit and we didn’t help ourselves with penalties and turnovers, which is the story for our season, but we’ll get it fixed.”

Meanwhile, Liberty is celebrating their second league win of the season and Contreras is happy to see his team push through their toughest season -- in terms of number of losses -- to date.

“They could have just folded and said ‘It is what it is’, but our guys didn’t do that,” he said of his team this season. “They kept working and getting better and they played their best game tonight.”

Liberty finished the regular season with a 2-3 league record, 4-6 overall, while Paloma is 1-4 in league, 5-5 overall. Both teams will wait to hear on Sunday whether their season will continue in the playoffs.

Paloma's London Jones-Marshall makes a diving interception. (Photo by Action Captures Media Group)

 Parris Peacock eludes a tackler on a big run for Liberty. (Photo by Action Captures Media Group)

Wildcats quarterback Orlando Gonzalez drops back to pass. (Photo by Action Captures Media Group)