UPPER GLADE -- Running back Scott Sears rushed for 125 yards and four touchdowns to lead Webster County to a 56-20 victory over Liberty.
Sears scored on runs of 7, 12, 9 and 5 yards and added 6 of 7 point-after kicks and two-point conversion run to finish with 32 points as the Highlanders improved to 2-1.
"They were just too big and strong and too quick for us," LIberty coach Chris Colombo said. "They are a senior-dominated team and it showed."
After fumbling on its first possession, Webster County came back with four straight touchdowns. Sears, a 6-foot-3, 215-pound senior, scored the first three TDs. Spencer Vanderhorn added the fourth score on a 15-yard run to give the Highlanders a 28-0 lead with 5:10 remaining in the first half.
Liberty finally answered with sophomore quarterback Marcus Broadwater, who scored on a 1-yard sneak, cutting the lead to 28-7 with 46 seconds left in the second quarter.
Two pass interference penalties against Webster County, a 21-yard run by Keith Frazier on a fake punt and Broadwater's 8-yard pass to A.J. Harman were key in setting up the score.
But any momentum gained was immediately lost on the ensuing kickoff.
Webster's Andy Ray returned the kickoff 70 yards for a touchdown. Sears two-point conversion run gave the Highlanders a 36-7 lead.
The bad luck didn't stop there for the Mountaineers. After the kickoff, a fumbled handoff was recovered by Webster at the Liberty 11. In addition, Broadwater was injured on the play and did not return to the game.
Rich Roberts scored for Webster to give the Highlanders a 43-7 lead at halftime.
Sears added a score in the second half, while Ray, who rushed for 109 yards on nine carries, had a 5-yard touchdown run.
Liberty scored on Harman's 2-yard pass from Rusty Roberts and Frazier's 1-yard run.
Rusty Roberts passed for 95 yards in the second half with Harman finished with six catches for 42 yards.\
Sports writer Greg Talkington can be reached at 626-1444 or by e-mail at gtalkington@exponent-telegram.com
