Ryan Murken

Your Prep Sports

NORTH LIBERTY – Over the past two seasons Liberty High senior Dallas Miller has been among the most productive pass catchers in the state.

Miller has back-to-back 800-yard receiving seasons while accumulating 117 receptions for more than 1,600 yards and 20 touchdowns.

In Friday’s quarterfinal rematch with Ankeny Miller had an uncharacteristically quiet receiving night with one reception for four yards.

Miller still managed to make the biggest play of his career and it came on defense.

“He’s just a playmaker,” Liberty High senior Sutton Koller said of Miller. “It doesn’t matter if it’s offense or defense or whatever. He’s going to make a play.”
Miller returned an interception 49 yards for a touchdown to all but clinch a 21-13 win over Ankeny and send Liberty High to the Class 5A semifinals for the first time in program history.

“It was definitely a surreal moment,” Miller said. “It was slow motion, it felt like a movie but it felt great to win it for us.”

With Liberty High clinging to a 14-7 lead and Ankeny driving on its own 41 yard line Miller picked off a pass and raced 49 yards down the sideline for a touchdown.

The first defensive touchdown of Miller’s career gave Liberty High a 21-7 lead with 1:58 remaining.

“When Dallas picked the ball off I just put my hands on my head and said, ‘that’s history right there’,” Koller said. “Talk about a great play by him.”

The interception was the third of the season for Miller and was part of a strong defensive effort from the 5-foot-11, 170-pound two-way standout on Friday.
Miller added 4.5 tackles in the win as Liberty High held a second consecutive playoff opponent to 14 points or less.

“A lot of these teams they don’t have anybody playing both ways and we realized we have to put our best players on both sides of the ball,” Miller said. “That’s what we’ve been doing and it’s been working.”

Miller has demonstrated an ability to make plays all over the field this season.

He leads the Lightning with 57 receptions for 833 yards and has eight touchdown receptions.

Miller has also rushed for 114 yards and completed three passes for 92 yards and a touchdown.

On defense Miller has 24.5 tackles to go with his three interceptions from his defensive back spot and he has also been a threat on special teams averaging 25 yards per kick off return and 17.6 yards per punt return.

“Whatever I can do to help us win, if its on offense or defense that’s what I’m going to do,” Miller said. “It’s just trying to make plays to help us win.”

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