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Liberty High was solid on the defensive side of the ball on Thursday night against Davenport Assumption.

In all honesty the Lightning may have been even better than just solid in holding the Knights to 59 rushing yards, 175 total yards and 11 first downs.

The problem for Liberty on Thursday was that the Davenport Assumption defense was a nothing short of excellent.

Assumption picked off five passes, three by senior Adam Metivier including one that went for a 50-yard touchdown return, in a 27-0 shutout off Liberty High at Brady Street Stadium in Davenport.

It was the second shutout of the season for Davenport Assumption which kept its slim postseason hopes alive by improving to 4-4 on the season and 3-1 in Class 3A District 5.

The loss was the fourth straight for Liberty High (2-6) which dropped to 0-4 in District 5 play.

Liberty High held a 125-59 edge in rushing yards, a 14-11 advantage in first downs and outgained the Knights by 35 total yards.

The five interceptions proved too much to overcome as Assumption turned two interceptions into points in a 21-point second quarter.

Assumption avoided potential game-changing turnovers on each of its first two touchdown drives after fumbles inside the Lightning 1-yard line.

Jack McGuire jumped on a fumble in the end zone for a touchdown on the first play of the second quarter to cap a 13-play drive that put Assumption up 7-0/

The Knight avoided disaster again near the goal line when Nathan Schlichting corralled a loose ball in the end zone to put Assumption up 13-0.

That touchdown was set up by a Simon Weitz interception that gave the Knights the ball at the Liberty High 30 yard line.

On the ensuing Liberty High possession Metivier stepped in front of a Drake Woody pass for an interception and returned it 50 yards for a touchdown to put Assumption up 21-0.

Four of the five interceptions for the Lightning came in the opening half as Assumption took a 21-0 lead into the locker room at halftime.

Liberty High moved the ball throughout the game, mostly on the ground as Max Tafolla led the way with 80 yards on 18 carries.

The Lightning couldn’t turn the yards into points in their second consecutive shutout.

Assumption capped the scoring in the fourth quarterback when senior quarterback Brandon Schlichting caught a 17-yard touchdown pass on a throw back from receiver Nick Gotilla.

Schlichting threw for 99 yards for the Knights while Gotilla had four receptions for 49 yards ands Metivier had three grabs for 46 yards.

Liberty High closes out the first varsity season in program history next Friday at Clinton.

                                   ICL                 DA

First downs                14                    11

Rushes-yards           44-125             27-59

Comp-Att-Int             10-22-5            13-25-0

Passing yards            85                    116

Total yards                  210                  175

Fumbles-lost              2-0                   3-1

Penalties-yards         4-34                 5-25

Liberty High                             0     0   0   0  –   0

Davenport Assumption         0   21  0   6  –  27

DA – Jack McGuire fumble recovery in end zone (Franz Sirna kick)

DA – Nathan Schlichting fumble recovery in end zone (Kick failed)

DA – Adam Metivier 50 interception return (Seth Adrian pass from Brandon Schlichting)

DA – Brandon Schlichting 17 pass from Nick Gottilla (Kick failed)

Individual Statistics

RUSHING – ICL: Max Tafolla 18-80, Jack Ankenbauer 8-29, Ben Kruger 4-14, Dawson Zimmerman 1-4, Harold Warr 1-1, Drake Woody 12-(-3). DA: Brandon Schlichting 14-10, Johnny Hua 6-10, Tyler Kulhanek 1-2, Nathan Schlichting 6-37,

PASSING – ICL: Drake Woody 10-22-5 85. DA: Brandon Schlichting 12-24-0 99, Nick Gottilla 1-1-0 17

RECEIVING – ICL: Kelby Telander 4-50, Ben Houselog 3-24, Dawson Zimmerman 3-11. DA: Nick Gotilla 5-49, Tyler Kulhanek 1-7, Seth Adrian 1-3, Adam Metivier 3-46, Nathan Schlichting 1-8, Logan Ehrecke 1-10, Brandon Schlichting 1-17.

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