Liberty Outlast East Carolina 35-24 , After Hours Of Weather Delays (9-21-24)
By: Ty Tracy
All Photo Credit: Jada Nicholas & Maliyah Allen-LMS Network
A long night at Williams Stadium as the Chadwell and the Liberty Flames face against East Carolina Pirates. The game was delayed for 4 1/2 hours due to severe weather storms, but they still managed to finish the game Saturday night.
The Pirates came off a hot start at the beginning of the game jumping a 17 to 7 ball game in the first half, giving the QB Kaidon Salter and the Flames offense a hard time throughout the first half, but the Flames started to find their swagger back after QB Kaidon hitting Junior Wide Receiver Reese Smith on two back to back passing TD drives giving the Flames the lead by four points until one of the Liberty Flames’ defender committed a PI (Pass Interference) on a Pirates’ Receiver enforcing the ball placing half the distance from the goal line setting up a two yard rushing TD by RB Rahjai Harris putting the pirates back up by three points. After the Rahjai Harris touchdown, everything started to collapse for the Pirates and the Flames just took over the midway throughout the game. The Flames defense was able to make the pirates see the endzone one time in the entire second half of the game.
The Flames managed to score right back when Kaidon Salter found Reese Smith for the third time after 16 plays, a 75-yard drive holding the ball for 7:31 then forcing a fumble and interception on the Pirates’ last two final drives in the game. Kaidon Salter and the offense were efficient in the second half, especially on third-down and red-zone chances that were a huge difference maker in the game. The Flame were 13 for 17 in third down conversions but was 9 for 9 in the second half then four for four in red zone chances as well. Kaidon Salter finished the game with 223 passing yards completing 59% of his passes and 4 Touchdown passes hitting Reese Smith three times in the endzone. Liberty star RB Quinton Cooley made a surprising performance Saturday night after Head Coach Chadwell made a comment stating “We are not planning on using Quinton Cooley like that tonight” he was still dealing with a minor injury, but his injury did not stop him from rushing for 109 yards for 19 carries scoring on the final drive for the flames that iced the game with two minutes left making the final score 35 to 24.
The Flame improve to four and zero winning 16 consecutive games in the regular season. They will travel down to Boone, NC facing another tough opponent as they go against Appalachian St Mountaineers next Saturday, September 28th at 3:30 pm EST.
