Ryan Murken

Your Prep Sports

NORTH LIBERTY – From the moment Liberty High began playing varsity football three seasons ago the program has been built around defense.

Senior Darius Willis-Newell was one of the original building blocks of that defensive foundation.

A three-year starter at linebacker, Willis-Newell has racked up 81.5 career tackles while ranking third on the team in stops each of the past two seasons.

As Liberty High attempts to bounce back from a two-win season a year ago Willis-Newell knows exactly where the work needs to start.

“For us it starts on defense,” Willis-Newell said. “We have a bunch of studs on defense, guys like Griffin (Kraft) and Luke (Meyers), we have a state qualifying wrestler on the defensive line and we have kids ready to hit so defense I don’t think is going to be a problem for us this year.”

Defense was a focus in the early years of the Liberty High program and helped the Lightning go from 3-6 in its varsity debut season in 2018 to 7-3 and the 3A playoffs in 2019.

Liberty High struggled at times defensive during a 2-3 season a year ago, allowing 28.8 points and 361 total yards per game and 6.7 yards per play.

The Lightning will look to get back to its defensive roots this season under first-year head coach James Harris, a former defensive coordinator and head coach at Washington.

“I feel like we can be really good defensively,” Libety High senior Luke Meyers said. “We have some new coverages and new concepts and like what we are doing a lot. I think we are really going to be able to have a strong defense again.”

Liberty High returns seven starters on defense including its top four tacklers from a year ago.

Leading the way is a strong linebacking corps led by senior Griffin Kraft (6-3, 197) who led the Lightning with 50.5 tackles a year ago.

Jacob Adam (5-7, 175) ranked second on the team with 41.5 stops and Willis-Newell (5-8, 170) was third with 33 last season and both return at linebacker along with senior Gage Gingerich (5-9, 180)

“I learned being aggressive early,” Willis-Newell said. “Now when it’s time to hit I’m ready for it.”

Senior Caden Yoerger (6-1, 185) and junior Anthony Peoples return on the defensive line and Meyers is back at corner back to lead the secondary after making 27 tackles, recovering a fumble and picking off a pass last season.

“We are going to come out the first game and for most of these guys it’s not going to be their first varsity game,” Meyers said. “They are going to have some games from last year under their belts and that experience should help.”
Offensively the Lightning will turn to junior Tye Hughes (6-1, 175) at quarterback after he took over the starting job midway through last season.

Hughes threw for 188 yards and rushed for 43 yards and two touchdowns in limited action and will have a reliable top receiver in senior James McKinney (6-1, 186) who started last season at quarterback.

“When I was younger that was my main position was wide receivers so I am kind of used to it,” McKinney said. “I switched over the years but coming back to receiver feels good.”

An excellent athlete, McKinney rushed for 130 yards and a touchdown, caught four passes for 42 yards and also saw time at defensive back a year ago.
The senior expects to be the leader of an improved Liberty High group of pass catchers.

“I’m just trying to be ready all the time to help the team any way that I can,” McKinney said. “I’m an athletic person so I can play all over the field so where ever coach needs me I can play there.”

Willis-Newell returns in the back field where he rushed for a team-high 234 yards and two touchdowns

After having only 11 seniors on the roster last season Liberty High has benefitted from a strong group of senior leaders so far in 2021.

Our leadership has been great,” Meyers said. “A lot of guys are stepping up. Since we have more seniors this year and we have experience from last year we have more leaders that are setting good examples for others.”

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