By Don Ketchum

So, how do you like them now?

Peoria Liberty's football team was unbeaten before Thursday night, but some people around the state were less than impressed because of what they said was a weak schedule.

Well, Cottonwood Mingus' program certainly isn't weak. It is a state championship contender every year.

Liberty stunned Mingus by returning the opening kickoff 90 yards for a touchdown and went on to a 34-20 victory in a non-region game at Liberty.

Liberty is now 8-0 and carries momentum as the Class 4A Division II playoffs rapidly approach.

"We're trying to hit our stride going into the playoffs,'' said Liberty coach Dan Filleman.

"We executed well early, got some momentum and tried to hold on.''

Manny Noriega stunned Mingus (6-2) with his 90-yard return on the opening kickoff, and quarterback Andre Gattie settled in.

Gattie was cool under pressure for the most part, rushing for 99 yards and a pair of touchdowns and completing 7 of 12 passes for 120 yards and another score.

Mingus spotted Liberty a 13-0 lead, then same back to tie it with 41.4 seconds left in the first half when Erick Quesada returned a pass thrown by Tyler Rogers 42 yards for a touchdown. Rogers worked a series or two at quarterback, with Gattie at running back.

Almost just as stunning was the fact that Liberty came back to score with 10.4 seconds left when Paul Pannaccione made a diving catch of a 24-yard pass by Gattie in the end zone.

Mingus gathered itself at halftime and didn't take long to tie it back up in the third quarter. Logan Couch ripped off a 58-yard run on the second play from scrimmage and scored on a 17-yard run on the next play to make it 20-20.

Liberty went on a nine-play, 66-yard drive that Gattie finished off with a 20-yard TD run with 5:49 left in the third.

The Lions' defense forced a Mingus fumble to set up another score, this one an 8-yard run by Eric Thomas with 7:33 left in the game. Mingus' fading comeback hopes were dashed when Geordan Key intercepted a pass at the Liberty 38 with 4:26 left in the game.

"They have a fine team, but our kids really responded and hung in there after that (opening) kickoff,'' said Mingus coach Bob Young. "Our offense got bogged down in the second half.''

Mingus totaled just 101 yards in each half.

"Our defense definitely kept us in the ballgame,'' Filleman said.