Douglas Miles

Your Prep Sports

NORTH LIBERTY – Before the game, Scott Chandler directed his team to play ‘a perfect game.’

The Liberty High football coach knew his team was facing an overmatched opponent in one-win Davenport Central, so he guarded against any temptation for the Class 5A fifth-ranked Lightning to play down to that level.

Liberty listened to its coach in a near-flawless performance.

“We talk about being able to execute,” Chandler said after Liberty High routed Davenport Central, 54-7, Friday night at Liberty High School. “Really, from the second half of last game (a 44-31 Liberty win at Iowa City West) carried into this one, we did a good job of that.”

Liberty High (5-1) piled up 428 yards of offense without punting or turning the ball over.

Senior quarterback Reece Rettig threw for 244 yards and totaled four touchdowns as the Lightning built a 38-0 halftime lead.

“We have got to put the foot on the gas and that is what we did,” Rettig said. “We haven’t done that in the past, so that was the goal going into this week. Play up to our level and not down to the opponent, so that was the goal. Nothing against them, but we just had to execute and we executed. We showed that we’re a really good team.”

Two of Rettig’s touchdown tosses went to senior receiver Jordan Schroeder, who collected scoring receptions of 25 and 45 yards in the first half.

“(Coach) Chandler gave a good speech before the game,” Schroeder said. “He was like, ‘Play a perfect game.’ Not mistakes-wise, but we all come out here and play our 100 percent. Look to everyone around you and they all do the same. After that speech, we all just came out here and did our best. Got the win.”

On defense, Liberty High (5-1) posted five sacks, recorded a safety and limited davenport central to 90 total yards. Junior defensive back Logan Laubenthal intercepted two passes, returning one 23 yards for a touchdown.

“Our coaches put a good scheme together,” Laubenthal said. “We were just blitzing a lot. We just had to execute and do our jobs.”

Brody Beaver, Adrian Clerry and Cale Baldwin also scored touchdowns for Liberty, which visits perennial power Pleasant valley and its vaunted rushing attack next week.

“We have struggled against PV,” Rettig said. “Obviously, another good week of practice, stack the days and then come out and play confident, as we have. We have struggled against them in the past (Liberty losses of 42-28 last season and 56-39 in 2023), so just don’t look at that. Look at the team we have this year and be confident in that.”

                                    DC                   ICL

First Downs                  4                      12

Rushes-yards               20-14               21-103

Comp-Att-Int               8-16-2              16-19-0

Passing yards               76                    325

Total yards                   90                    428

Punts-avg.                    3-36.7              0-0.0

Fumbles-lost                0-0                   2-0

Penalties-yards            4-20                 5-45

Davenport Central    0    0  0  7  –  7

Liberty High              28 10  9  7 –  54

ICL – Reece Rettig 12 run (Collin Weis kick)

ICL – Jordan Schroeder 25 pass from Rettig (Weis kick)

ICL – Brody Beaver 2 run (Weis kick)

ICL – Logan Laubenthal 23 interception return (Weis kick)

ICL – Schroeder 45 pass from Rettig (Weis kick)

ICL – Weis 33 Field Goal

ICL – Safety, punter tackled in end zone

ICL – Adrian Clerry 50 pass from Rettig (Weis kick)

ICL – Cale Baldwin 49 pass from Emerson Berner (Weis kick)

DC – Isaac Leyba 14 run (Landon Hurst kick)

Individual Statistics

RUSHING – Davenport Central: TK Morrison 1-(-2), Isaac Leyba 3-14, Jaleel Toney Walker 12-(-13), Beckhim Hutchison 2-(-3), Sayden Wiliams 1-7, Isaac Hendrix 1-11. Liberty High: Reece Rettig 6-32, Brody Beaver 5-45, Logan Laubenthal 2-12, Carter Lester 2-8, Leo Rozz 2-12, Adrian Clerry 1-6, Emerson Berner 1-(-6), Asher Eisenbach 2-(-6).

PASSING – Davenport Central: Jaleel Toney Walker 8-16-2 76. Liberty High: Reece Rettig 12-14-0 244, Emerson Berner 4-5-0 81.

RECEIVING – Davenport Central: Giovanni Hayslett 2-4, Sayden Williams 1-(-1), Messiah Johnson 2-46, TK Morrison 1-14, Beckhim Hutchison 1-4, Isaac Leyba 1-9. Liberty High: Pryor Reiners 2-64, Logan Laubenthal 1-6, Leo Rozz 2-10, Jordan Schroeder 2-70, Adrian Clerry 1-50, Cale Baldwin 1-49, Landon Bell 2-32, Brody Beaver 2-12, Tate Rettig 1-18, Jacob Karstens 1-11, Pierce Beckman 1-3.

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