CANTON — No. 1 Perry (16-0) fended off No. 2 Liberty Center’s (15-1) late comeback attempt to win the Division V state championship game, 21-14, on Saturday afternoon at Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium.
Liberty Center controlled the time of possession (29:40) in the game and had the same number of possessions as the Pirates (10).
However, Perry outgained the Tigers, 437-275. The game saw three lead changes and two ties.
The Pirates struck first when junior quarterback Walter Moses tossed a 42-yard touchdown pass to junior receiver Luke Sivon, giving Perry a 7-0 lead at the 4:51 mark in the first quarter.
In response, Liberty Center’s senior fullback Trenton Kruse scored a 33-yard touchdown run capping off a drive that went 13 plays and 80 yards in eight minutes and 17 seconds to tie the game at seven with just over two minutes left in the first half.
The teams went into the halftime break still tied at seven.
Liberty Center took their first lead of the game on their first possession of the second half when senior quarterback Landon Amstutz threw a four-yard touchdown pass to senior halfback Colton Kruse at the 7:54 mark in the third quarter.
The Tigers only held onto their 14-7 lead for 1:51 when Perry responded with senior Brayden Richards’ 37-yard touchdown pass to Sivon to tie the game at 14 with 6:03 left in the third quarter.
The Perry defense forced a quick three-and-out on the ensuing Liberty Center possession.
The Pirates only needed 16 seconds to score again when Richards rushed for a 60-yard touchdown to regain the lead for Perry, 21-14, with 4:07 remaining in the third quarter.
The teams traded four possessions throughout the rest of the third quarter and midway through the fourth quarter.
With 5:49 left in the game, Liberty Center sophomore punter Max Walker booted a 59-yard punt that was downed at the Perry one-yard line.
The Pirates moved the ball inside the Liberty Center 30-yard line but stalled, turning the ball over on downs with 3:23 remaining in the fourth quarter.
The Tigers took over and orchestrated a 14-play drive on the ensuing possession.
However, the Tigers’ comeback effort fell short, when Liberty Center turned the ball over on the Perry 17-yard line with 17 seconds left in the game. Perry took a knee to run out the rest of the clock to end the game.
Richards totaled 231 yards of offense for Perry (124 rushing, 61 passing and 46 receiving) and accounted for two of the Pirates’ touchdowns (one rushing and passing). Moses went 9-for-14 with 219 yards passing and threw a touchdown while Sivon finished with seven catches 139 yards receiving and two touchdowns.
Amstutz went 5-for-17 with 37 yards passing and threw one touchdown. Colton Kruse caught the only receiving touchdown while his brother, Trenton Kruse, led the Tigers in rushing with 25 carries, 164 yards and a touchdown.
This marks Perry’s first state championship in school history.
Total attendance for the Division V state championship game was 5,439.