Ryan Murken

Your Prep Sports

In a game that drew that attention of football fans around the state due to its venue it was the performance of Liberty High that stole the show.

Liberty High played party crasher in the ‘Clash at Kinnick’ on Friday controlling the game from the opening drive while stunning 2021 state semifinalist City High.

The Liberty High win was a surprise to most outside the Lightning locker room and so too was the star of the 36-19 Liberty High victory.

Junior quarterback Graham Beckman was brilliant in his first career start accounting for 282 yards of total offense and four touchdowns.

The best part about the breakthrough performance by Beckman?

No one from Liberty High was surprised.

“Nope,” Liberty High senior standout Christian Barney said when asked if he was surprised by Beckman’s varsity debut. “Not surprised at all. I see him every day in practice.”

Beckman was the biggest story from the biggest game in the state Friday.

To everyone in purple and white it was just Graham being Graham.

“I’m not surprised because I see him show up at the weight room at 6 in the morning, I see him front squat 315 pounds four times, I see him work every day,” Liberty High coach James Harris said. “We knew what he could do.”

After interviewing Harris for a preseason story earlier this month I asked about the quarterback situation.

Harris smiled.

He talked glowingly of Beckman that day earlier this month raving about his work ethic and character before talking about his athleticism or throwing.

On Friday a crowd of more than 10,000 at Kinnick Stadium and all the viewers that watched a live television broadcast of the first prep game at the home of the Hawkeyes in more than 40 years saw from Beckman what Liberty High players and coaches at have seen for a year.

“I haven’t coached forever but you can see when a guy has got some ‘it’ factor in him,” Harris said. “That is Graham. He’s a workhorse.”
Beckman made his first career start against a defending state semifinalist with one of the most aggressive defenses in the state led by one of the best players in the state in linebacker Ben Kueter.

Oh and it came in a 72,000-seat stadium against an arch rival that beat you 41-0 last season on your home turf.

Beckman responded by completing 16-of-24 passes for 234 yards with three touchdowns and no interceptions to go with 48 rushing yards and a score.

“I was pretty nervous,” Beckman said. “I was honestly nervous all week but when game time came it kind of all washed away.”

I’ll say.

Beckman led an 11-play, 81-yard touchdown drive on the opening possession of the game.

The 6-foot-1, 193-pound Beckman was 4-of-7 on the opening drive converting a pair of third downs with completions of 12 and nine yards and capped the drive with the first of three touchdown passes, a 40-yarder to Garrett Gregoire.

Beckman also flipped a 4-yard touchdown to Barney and a 1-yarder to tight end Ethan Neels.

He added a 10-yard touchdown run.

“We could see it coming,” Barney said of the Beckman breakthrough. “I love that man. He’s so good. He’s so good.”

Beckman was brilliant but wouldn’t take credit.

He raved about his receivers and thanked his offensive line. The quarterback heaped praise on everyone from the defense to coaching staff.

“I think everybody contributed,” Beckman said. “Especially our line, our line moved their guys. The big guys up front really helped us get going. If we can run the ball we can pass the ball.”

As the final horn sounded chaos ensued on the Liberty High.

Players celebrated with students in the stands, coaches embraced, other players screamed in excitement.

Amongst the madness Beckman sat all alone in the north endzone at Kinnick Stadium seemingly soaking it all in.

“That’s just him,” Barney said. “He is so calm. Just calm under pressure.”

An event to remember for football in Iowa City turned into an all-time memory for Beckman.

“It’s totally a dream,” Beckman said. “Growing up in North Liberty, being 20 minutes from here and coming to Iowa Hawkeye games and seeing other players on this field it just means a whole lot to be out here.”

It was certainly a dream debut but you get the feeling the breakthrough for Beckman is just the beginning.

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