Football Capsules: Taking A Quick Look at Liberty High
Ryan Murken
Your Prep Sports
Liberty High
Head coach: James Harris (3rd season)
Assistant coaches: Scott Chandler, Charles Benda, Mitchell Wieland, Keenan Davis, Nathan Oswald, Evan Hartman, Ryan Reighard, Evan Downes, Matthew Eckhardt, Isiah Stevens, Garrett Rettig, Sean Merrick, Roger Suchomel, Jayden Scott
Last season: 9-2 (Class 4A second round)
Returning starters: Graham Beckman, Sr., QB; Dantrell Skinner, Sr., DL; Cameron Hamers, Sr., DL; Will Quast-Villafana, Sr., OL; Cody Nichols, Sr., DB; Devin Anderson, Sr., LB; Gavin Benton, Sr., LB; Lyncoln Andersen, Sr., OL; Jake Montover, Sr., OL
Other returning letterwinners: Brayden Bell, Sr., DB; Gabe Clark, Sr., DL; Carter Meyers, SR., DB; Kaden Zesch, Sr., DB; James Eckhardt, Sr., LB; Chase Eisenbach, Sr., WR; Connor Stanfield, Jr., OL; Caleb Burnett, Jr., OL; Kaden Zesch, Jr., DB; Dallas Miller, Jr., WR; Owen Drapeaux, Jr., RB; Ethan Barber, Jr., DL; Sutton Koller, Jr., RB; Reece Rettig, Soph., QB
Playoff history: 3 appearances (2019, 2020, 2022)
Circle the date: August 25 at West High. The Class 5A debut for Liberty High will come against cross-town rival West High in a highly-anticipated season opener for both teams. West High won the only other meeting between the two teams 27-0 in 2020.
Headliner: Senior quarterback Graham Beckman emerged as one of the best quarterbacks in the state while earning Class 4A all-state honors in his first season as the full-time starter last fall. The 6-foot-1, 194-pound Beckman completed 63 percent of his passes while throwing for 2,580 yards and 31 touchdowns with just four interceptions and rushed for 320 yards and four touchdowns.
Ready for a breakthrough: Junior tailback Owen Drapeaux showed flashes of what he could do last season averaging 5.6 yards per carry while rushing for 337 yards and two touchdowns in a back up role. Drapeaux is up to 6-1, 196-pounds this season and will look to shoulder the load as the lead back for the Lightning.
Unsung hero: Senior defensive lineman Cameron Hamers. Linemen are always somewhat unsung but Hamers has produced on both sides of the ball throughout his career. An all-district pick as an offensive lineman last season the 6-foot-4, 211-pound Hamers has moved to defensive tackle this season where he should be a major force.
Keep an eye on: Senior defensive end Dantrell Skinner. The 6-foot, 210-pound Skinner was excellent last season ranking fifth on the team with 39 tackles and tying for the team lead with nine tackles for loss. Expect the explosive Skinner to be even better this season with another year of experience under his belt.
Remember the name: Dallas Miller. The junior receiver saw some action last season catching four passes for 82 yards but should be in for a huge jump in production as a reliable option out of the slot for Beckman.
Biggest strength: Confidence. It can be hard to gain confidence throughout a program but the Lightning did that last season with a 9-2 record that included a pair of wins over 5A programs City High and Linn-Mar. The Lightning believe they belong at the highest level and that is an important piece of having success.
Biggest question: How will Liberty High fare in Class 5A. The Lightning showed last season they could compete with the best, downing 5A playoff qualifier City High in the opener, on its way to a 9-2 season that included a win in the 4A playoffs. This season Liberty High jumps to the largest class and will be tested immediately with four of its first five games coming against 5A playoff qualifiers from last season.
Quotable: “We are keeping that underdog mentality and that chip on our shoulder this season,” Liberty High senior Dantrell Skinner said. “We are a small 5A school facing a lot of big 5A teams and I think just keeping that chip on our shoulder and staying focused together is going to be a big thing for us.”
2023 Schedule
Date/Opponent/Record in 2022
August 25: at West High (4-5)
September 1: City High (6-4)
September 8: Pleasant Valley (9-1)
September 15: at Cedar Falls (8-3)
September 22: at CR Prairie (7-4)
September 29: Cedar Rapids Washington (5-5)
October 6: at Ankeny (9-2)
October 13: Waterloo West (3-6)
October 20: Cedar Rapids Jefferson (0-9)
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