Liberty defeats Murray, KY

[ReitzFan]

It was an awsome night at Liberty tonight as they took on one of Kentucky's top teams. Murray was rated #2 in the state in their class with their only loss coming into tonights game against the number one team in Kentucky. After Liberty spotted Murray a 14-0 first quarter lead, Liberty exploded for 40 unanswered points to defeat a very talented Murray ball club by the score of 40-14. Liberty scored 21 points in the second quarter to lead at the half 21-14. Liberty added 19 second half points for the final score of 40-14.

 

Murray featured a lineman by the name of Cory Zirbel. This cat is as big as a house. He is 6'8" and goes 305. He is the 12 rated player at his position in the country. He is being heavily reqruited by Michigan and Oklahoma. I am told he will go to Michigan. Liberty did a good job in making him a real non factor in this game.

 

This was an extremely hard hitting game by both teams. Several players from both teams had to be assisted off the field because of some vicious hitting that was taking place.

 

This was, by far, the biggest win in the short 2 year history of Liberty High School. If they improve as much next year as they did this year, Liberty will be a real force to be reckoned with come 2005.

 

Congratulations to Liberty! It was a joy to watch you men play football this season.

[NWTennSports]

Ok, I'm not trying to burst your bubble b/c Liberty should be very proud of its big win tonight. .... but, a couple of facts: Murray was ranked No. 2 in their own district with its only loss coming to that district champion. Murray's only loss was to Mayfield, a traditional Ky. power but just 2-5 when they played each other. ... I was at that game. Believe me, Murray wasn't too impressive. .... Tonight, I went to see Paducah Tilghman vs. Hopkinsville, and niether team was very impressive even though both are supposed to be strong 4A programs ..... Ky. football, for the most part, does not compare with Tn. football ..... But, again, I'm not trying to take anything away from Liberty. It was a big win, and Liberty people should be very proud.

[ReitzFan]

I do stand corrected on a couple of matters. NWTENNSPORTS is correct in saying Murray was #2 in the district and not the state. Murray was ranked 9th in the latest Kentucky AP poll. The previous week they were ranked 4th. They came into the game with Liberty sporting a 7-1 record. Yes, Murray was second in their district to Mayfield. Mayfield plays an absolutely brutal non district schedule.

 

Still, Liberty beat a very good Murray football team from Kentucky. This was the same team that just absolutely destroyed Liberty last year. I suspect that Murray will go a few rounds deep into their playoffs. They have some outstanding athletes. Their tailback was one of the best I have seen this year. The place kicker had range from almost 60 yards. His kickoffs went completely out of the endzone.

[CoachD33]

Congratulations and best of luck to Obion Central alum Jeff Robertson.

[Purple & Gold Standard]

I do stand corrected on a couple of matters.  NWTENNSPORTS is correct in saying Murray was #2 in the district and not the state.  Murray was ranked 9th in the latest Kentucky AP poll.  The previous week they were ranked 4th.  They came into the game with Liberty sporting a 7-1 record.  Yes, Murray was second in their district to Mayfield.  Mayfield plays an absolutely brutal non district schedule. 

 

Still, Liberty beat a very good Murray football team from Kentucky.  This was the same team that just absolutely destroyed Liberty last year.  I suspect that Murray will go a few rounds deep into their playoffs.  They have some outstanding athletes.  Their tailback was one of the best I have seen this year. The place kicker had range from almost 60 yards.  His kickoffs went completely out of the endzone.

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Murray High is a single A school in a very,very weak district in Western Ky....They were ranked but,traditionally when you get past say a Mayfield or Danville in Ky you have seen the best Single A ball in Ky has to offer....Congrats to Liberty on their win,but realistically it would have been an upset for that team, Murray,to have come to Jackson and beat Liberty....Keep it in perspective.Murray would not win any single A region in West Tn....And you guys are 3A,you were suppose to win....And if those guys were some of the best players you have seen ,then you haven't seen many good teams....

[ReitzFan]

occhsfanviachattanooga,

 

Last season, Murray stomped a mud hole in Liberty. To say that Murray had no talent is a silly statement on your part. Their tailback, Rashad Troup, is one of the finest running backs that I have seen this season. And yes, I have seen plenty of talented running backs this year. Murray had an OG/NT that was 6'8" and 305 pounds who is the 12th rated prospect at his position in the country. He his being heavily reqruited by Michigan and Oklahoma, but, he will sign with Michigan. The kicker for Murray was the best I have seen in a long time. His kickoffs not only made it to the end zone, they went 25 yards past the end of the end zone. The hang time on his kicks was unreal. Overall, Murray was a much bigger team than Liberty. Based on Murray's ranking and based on how they beat down Liberty last season, any reasonable person would of have to have considered Murray a heavy favorite coming into the game last Friday.

 

To say that Murray would not win a single A region in West Tennessee is rather silly too. I have seen all the good class A teams in West Tennessee this season in both regions. The tailback Murray had was better than ANY Class A back I have seen this year in West Tennessee. Their kicker will be kicking on Saturday afternoons at a major school. Murray would have no problem competing with the 1A teams in West Tennessee. Size wise, the only A team in West Tennessee that is even close to the size Murray had was West Carroll.

 

By the way, besides Liberty, here is a list of some of the good teams that I have seen this season. USJ, JCS, JCM, Southside, Lexington, West Carroll, Crockett County, Lake County, and Haywood County. So, I do believe that I have seen some pretty fair football talent this season. When I compliment a couple of Murray's players like I did, consider the great talent that I have seen when I made that statement.

 

And on a final thought, just because Liberty is 3A and Murray is 1A, to say that we should of beaten them cause we are in a higher class is silly too. I give you what USJ did to the higher class teams that they faced this season.

 

Congratulations to Liberty on your win Friday night. Despite what some are claiming, you guys beat a good ball club convincingly!!!!

[Purple & Gold Standard]

Silly to someone who has not seen the teams Murray High plays against.....

 

And if you are comparing Murray High to any of those teams you mentioned then you are silly.....I'm not taking anything away from Liberty's win considering how young the program is...But Liberty plays teams better than Murray every week..Last years game with Murray is irrevalent...Murray plays..Fulton City,Fulton Co.,Ballard Mem.,and Mayfield..The only semblance of a team in that Ky.Dist.1A is Mayfield and although they have a murderous schedule,has only been a shell of their past years....The only decent teams they played this year,they lost...They can't help but go a couple rounds in the playoffs because football is so weak in West ky....As far as winning a region in West Tn...Do you think they would beat USJ or JCS??..Do you think they would beat West Carroll or even Lake Co.???..I personally don't think so....Liberty is a team on the rise.I am looking forward to it to because they have an OCCHS grad as their head coach..Alot of teams have individual "great" players that might someday play on Saturday afternoons...Those players you mentioned off Murray's team would also be much better if they played for teams that actually had competiton to go against every week...Put them in Reg.7-1A or 7-2A or the region Liberty plays in and they would be much better....When you play a weak schedule and you are a decent team you will have a good record,thus the 8-1 record heading into the Liberty game....I have seen Paducah Tighlman,Graves Co. and Mayfield play and they are all BETTER than Murray High...I have also seen Westview,Huntingdon,Humboldt,Milan,Covington,JCM,JCS,USJ and others and they are better than Murray high.....Tennessee football is just better than Western Ky. football......

[ReitzFan]

Not gonna argue with you on the fact that 1A football in West Tennessee may be better than 1A ball in Western Kentucky. I do think that Murray would be able to compete with the 1A teams in West Tennessee. Could they win either region 7 or 8? I have no idea. I do know that they would be no worse than a 3 seed in either region. They probably would have a decent shot at a 1 or 2 seed in region 8 in my opinion.

 

Also, I was really comparing a few individuals off of Murray's team against the best that I have seen from some of the teams that I have mentioned. The young men that I have mentioned would be starters on ANY team in West Tennessee, regardless of class! Of course, that is just my opinion.

[Purple & Gold Standard]

Not gonna argue with you on the fact that 1A football in West Tennessee may be better than 1A ball in Western Kentucky.  I do think that Murray would be able to compete with the 1A teams in West Tennessee.  Could they win either region 7 or 8?  I have no idea.  I do know that they would be no worse than a 3 seed in either region.  They probably would have a decent shot at a 1 or 2 seed in region 8 in my opinion. 

 

Also, I was really comparing a few individuals off of Murray's team against the best that I have seen from some of the teams that I have mentioned.  The young men that I have mentioned would be starters on ANY team in West Tennessee, regardless of class!  Of course, that is just my opinion.

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I agree they would start for any team in West Tn.....You made my point as to where they stand as far as where they would end up in a West Tn region..Probably a 3 seed in Reg.8...And they wouldn't get that if the regions were like they are going to be next year....

 

But like I said,I'm looking forward to Liberty moving up in talent and respectabilty because of their coach...Maybe when the schedules are announced OC and Liberty can start a series since both are 3A teams on the rise....

[sportsradiotn]

1A Mayfield came to Jackson and defeated 4A Jackson North Side a couple of years ago...most football folks did not consider it an upset.

Yes, Murray's district schedule is weak, but that is not their fault. The Tigers did play 3A Hopkins County Central and 4A Marshall County. Granted, Marshall Co. is not a highly regarded team any longer, but HCC has recently been one of the tougher 3A teams in western KY.

Liberty has to play several tough teams each season and they have done quite well this season. Congratulations to Coach Robertson and the Crusaders on a fine second year of football.

BTW, Murray was 8-1 going into last Friday night's game. Rick Fisher's club has always had to play second fiddle to the Mayfield Cardinals in District 1-1A. They thought this was their year to beat Mayfield...they didn't (19-7 WK 8). But, more than likely, the two teams will play again in the playoffs.

[Purple & Gold Standard]

And get beat again.....

 

Robin...Mayfield....5-5

Lone Oak...6-4

Russelville..4-6

Liberty....4-6

Ful.City.....3-6

Ballard......1-9

FultonCo....2-8

Hopk Cent..3-7

Marsh Co...2-8

I don't know what Massac Co.ILL. record was but,me,you,my brother and 8 others could go 8-2 against that schedule....

Mayfield is whole 'nother animal....They could definately play 2A and probably 3A ball in Ky....They have beaten Milan,Jax N-S and Union City in recent years..

 

 

Murray will have to get through Hancock Co...(9-1) and Mayfield will have to get by Crittenden Co(8-2) if they do play each other in the third round.....

Edited November 3, 2004 by occhsfanviachattanooga

[sportsradiotn]

And get beat again.....

 

Robin...Mayfield....5-5         

          Lone Oak...6-4

          Russelville..4-6

          Liberty....4-6

          Ful.City.....3-6

          Ballard......1-9

          FultonCo....2-8

          Hopk Cent..3-7

          Marsh Co...2-8

I don't know what Massac Co.ILL. record was but,me,you,my brother and 8 others could go 8-2 against that schedule....

Mayfield is whole 'nother animal....They could definately play 2A and probably 3A ball in Ky....They have beaten Milan,Jax N-S and Union City in recent years..

Murray will have to get through Hancock Co...(9-1) and Mayfield will have to get by Crittenden Co(8-2) if they do play each other in the third round.....

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Mayfield is the best 5-5 team in the state of Kentucky.