The Liberty Leopards will host the Girard Indians in a key All-American Conference National Division

showdown on Friday !"#"$!% at Leopard &tadi'm"

The Leopards and Indians will not only be playin( for sole-possession of first-place in the conference
standin(s b't also for playoff positionin( makin( this) the %*
th
edition of the +attle of +elmont one of
the bi((est ever played in this storied rivalry between two school,s whose football stadi'ms are
separated by only $"$ miles"
FirST AND TEN: 10 THINGS TO KNOW
1- Home Sweet Home: Liberty is
c'rrently on a $-(ame home win
streak at Leopard &tadi'm" The
Leopards started the win streak
with a season openin( $-#
victory over &alem in $!$) a
victory that also snapped a then
--(ame losin( streak for the
Leopards" The last time Liberty
has s'ffered a home defeat was
back on .ctober $/) $! when
the Leopards were defeated by Girard) $/-$"
2- Liberty looking for third-consecutive playoff appearance: Liberty is lookin( to make the playoffs for
the third-consec'tive season for the second time in school history" The Leopards first of seven playoff
appearances came in $!!! when they 0'alified as an / seed in the .1&AA D"I2 34e(ion 56 playoffs
fallin( to Cleveland 2A&7 5%-/" Liberty has also 0'alified for postseason play the followin( seasons8
$!!%) $!!*) $!!9) $!!-) $!$) and $!5"
3- owden in good company as a sophomore starting at !uarterback for Liberty: Lynn +owden is the
fifth sophomore to start 'nder center for the Leopards in the past twenty years" +owden :oins +rian
+einecke 3--*6) 7'stin &molkovich 3--/6) +rian 7ones 3$!!$6) and Asim ;leas 3$!6" +einecke went
on to play colle(e football at ;itt where he played linebacker from --/-$!!$" ;leas is c'rrently
redshirtin( as a freshman at <o'n(stown &tate =niversity where he is listed as a wide receiver"
"- en #hillips: $ack of %ll &rades: Liberty senior +en ;hillips has been doin( it all for the Leopards this
season" ;hillips has lined 'p at r'nnin( back) wide receiver) and even some 0'arterback for the
Leopards this season while also emer(in( as one of the most dan(ero's ret'rn men in the >ahonin(
2alley" &o far this season ;hillips has ha'led in 5 catches for $*5 yards 3-"* <ards ;er Catch6 with 9
to'chdowns while r'nnin( the ball 5- times for 5! yards 3#"% <ards ;er Carry6 and $ to'chdowns"
;hillips has also completed $ of 5 passin( for 5% yards and leads has ret'rned / p'nts for ** yards
3-"% <ards ;er 4et'rn6 incl'din( a *#-yard to'chdown ret'rn" ;hillips also avera(es a team-hi(h 5$"!
<ards ;er ?ickoff 4et'rn (ainin( -$ yards on 9 ret'rns" Defensively ;hillips has also been impressive
on the defensive side of the ball for Liberty sharin( the team-lead with Lynn +owden in interceptions
with two"
'- Leopard %ir (aid: The Leopards don,t p't the ball in the air often) b't when they do they have been
very efficient and lethal" .n the season) Liberty is avera(in( $$"! yards per pass completion"
&ophomore @+ Lynn +owden has been solid in passin( the football competin( $* of his * attempts
for ** yards and ! to'chdowns while only throwin( 5 interceptions" +owden,s main tar(ets on the
season have been senior +en ;hillips and :'nior 7a&ha'n Ahitman" ;hillips has ha'led in 5 catches
for $*5 yards 3-"* <;C6 and 9 to'chdowns while Ahitman has ha'led in - catches for $/# yards 35"-
<;C6 for 5 to'chdowns" The Leopards as a team are avera(in( //"! yards passin( per (ame"
)- *ylar with early success as Liberty head coach: Liberty head coach ?evin Cylar mi(ht only be in his
second season as a head coach b't that doesnBt mean that the -- Cast 1i(h (rad'ate doesn,t know
how to win football (ames" Cylar is 5-* so far in his stint as the Leopards head coach" Cylar spent
time at =rs'line 1i(h &chool as an assistant coach before becomin( takin( over at Liberty"
+- Leopards in the pros: Liberty c'rrently has three former st'dent-athletes playin( at the
professional level" C'rrently radley ,letcher -*./ 200"1 is playin( in the NFL as a member of the
;hiladelphia Ca(les" 2arcellus owman -*./ 200'1 is c'rrently playin( 'p north in Canada as a
member of the CFL,s 1amilton Ti-Cats and ,it3gerald &oussaint -*./ 20041 is a member of the
+altimore 4avens of the NFL practice s0'ad"
5- &he attle of elmont: This will be the %*
th
meetin( between these two rival schools" Girard has
dominated the series (oin( 5!-%" Liberty is seekin(
their third-strai(ht victory over Girard as the
Leopards won a season a(o %!-5- and in $!$ by a
score of 5*-$" The last time Liberty won three-
consec'tive meetin(s over the Indians was between
$!!5-$!!9" The Leopards also accomplished the feat
between the years -#9-##/"
4- #layoffs6 are you kidding me #layoffs7: It,s be(innin( to become that time of the year when fans
be(in to think abo't their playoff chances" +oth Liberty and Girard are both lookin( to earn a spot in
the .1&AA D"2) 4e(ion * playoffs" The Leopards are c'rrently sittin( in the third spot in the
comp'ter ratin(s and Girard is on the o'tside lookin( in sittin( in the !
th
spot" If the playoffs were to
be(in today Liberty wo'ld host 1anoverton =nited" &he current playoff picture in 89: (egion 1' is as
followed -top 5 !ualify for playoffs18
10- Last meeting between Liberty and ;irard: The Leopards walked o't of Arrowhead &tadi'm with a
%!-5- road victory over the Girard Indians back on .ctober ) $!5" Girard had p'lled within %!-5-
with $5 seconds remainin( b't opted to (o for the two point conversion and the win only to have
0'arterback Nick Cardiero (et st'ffed before reachin( the (oal line by Dontre Adams" Lynn +owden)
then a freshman r'shed for $!# yards on 5$ carries with fo'r to'chdowns to lead the Leopards"
Liberty stAtisticAl LEADERS
Liberty roster
2- $aShaun <hitman -)=3> 1+0 $(1
3- en #hillips -)=3> 200 S(1
"- ?aylon 8avis -'=10> 1'' $(1
'- 8ra (ushton - '=5> 1"0 ,(1
)- Lynn owden -)=0> 140 S/1
+- @saiah 2c?night -'=4> 1"' S(1
5- %leAander *arnathan -'=5> 1+0 S(1
4- *apone Haywood -'=5> 130 ,(1
10- randon Smith -'=+> 1)' $(1
11- %lec *oman -'=5> 1)0 S/1
12- ?urtis &ownsend -'=4> 1+0 S/1
13- ?e=%ndre owers -'=4> 1)' $(1
1"- $ose *arnathan -'=5> 1)' S/1
1'- Buaishon *ampbell -'=4> 130 ,(1
1)- (ay 2inniti -'=+ 120 ,(1
1+- Hyland urton -)=0> 1'0 ,(1
20- randon (ios -)=1> 21' $(1
21- $unior lair -)=0> 250 $(1
22- $on ;riffin -'=10> 150 $(1
23- $ulian ;ibson -'=+> 13' S/1
2"- rian 2addoA -'=+> 1'0 ,(1
2'- ?hyri 8avis -'=10> 1'' $(1
2+- Hori3on <atson -'=+> 1"0 ,(1
33- rent 8imattia -'=)> 1+0 ,(1
3)- rendan ;ilmarti -'=10 150 $(1
3+- &im #isano -'=+> 130 ,(1
"1- *hristopher Cdmonds -'=11> 1+' ,(1
'3."2- %hmed Clkafif -'=4> 1"' S/1
""- $oe ?angas -'=11> 1+' S(1
'1- $ospeh <alker -)=3> 230 $(1
'2- (aymond Shaw -'=10> 23' $(1
'"- $a$uan #owell -'=4> 210 23' S/1
')- #atrick Sturgeon -'=4> 200 S(1
'5- %rwan *lincscale -'=4> 21' $(1
'4- $ohn Spivey -'=5> 200 S/1
)0- 2ohannad Dusuf -'=10> 210 S/1
)3- $aylen <illiams -)=3> 3"0 $(1
)'- 8avontay 8iAon -'=5> 2)' S(1
)+- $ames <elch -)=1> 3"0 S/1
+0- %bdel Dusuf -)=2> 2)' S(1
+2- ;reg 2arsh -)=0> 2)' S(1
+'- $ames Spisak -'=10 14' ,(1
+)- Logan <einreber -'=10> 14' S(1
++- 8erek ;ilcher -)="> 2+' ,(1
+5- &hron &orres -'=10> 200 S(1
+4- Cric ;bur -'=11> 1)' ,(1
51- 8amien *lark - '=10> 14' $(1
53- ryce lauser -'=+> 1'' ,(1
5"- C9$9 Shields -'=+> 120 ,(1
5'- ?evin *ode -'=4> 1"' ,(1
55.5+- ?evin Hawn -'=4> 1"' ,(1
4)- 8evin &reharn -'=4> 1"' S/1
44- $ohn ?loos -'=10> 14' $(1
GirARD ROSTER
1- ($ 8avis -'=5> 1)' S/1
2- $ake (oviscanec -'=10> 1)' S/1
3- ?enny ;riffin -)=1> 140 $(1
"- Shawn ,ellows -)="> 1)0 $(1
'- *hristian ellow -)=1> 14' S(1
)- 8ontae Snyder -'=4> 13' ,(1
+- *ollin *ramer -'=5> 1)0 S(1
5- %nthony ackus -'=11 1'0 ,(1
4- 2ichael elick -'=10> 130 ,(1
10- Eick Hall -'=10> 13' S/1
12- $acob (yser -)=3> 14' $(1
13- 2ichael <olfgang -)=1> 1)' ,(1
1"- 2ichael ?ornegay -'=10> 1"' ,(1
1'- &yler /=8ell -)=0> 13' ,(1
1)- Eate 2ohn -'=5> 1'' S/1
1+- ?enny <alters -'=11> 1'' S/1
15- $acob 2derit3 -)=2> 15' S01
14- %ndrew artlomain -'=10> 1'0 $(1
20- *haston <illiams -'=11> 1'' S(1
21- ?yle Harris -)=0> 1)' S(1
22- Eino 2ayle -)=2> 1)0 ,(1
23- $oey $ones -'=4> 130 S/1
2"- Hayden Stauffer -'=11> 1"' S/1
2'- 2att rink -)=1> 20' $(1
2+- <ayde *owan -'=5> 1'' S/1
33- &reyvon 2ills -)=2> 14' S(1
3"- Seth ?ennedy -'='> 1)0 S1
3'- %$ *lardy -'=4> ,(1
34- *ollin Harden -)=0> 1'' $(1
"1- 8ustin %llen -'=10> 130 ,(1
"2- Shawn Leasure -'=10> 12' ,(1
'0- *ory &wyford -'=10> 2"' S(1
'1- #atrick Ledenko -'=10> 23' ,(1
'2- <ill ?enneally -'=11> 200 $(1
'3- Eate 2arkulin -'=11> 140 ,(1
'"- Fach Hood -)=3> 2+0 S(1
''- 2att <eiss -'=10> 140 S/1
')- *arlos ach -'=4> 14' ,(1
'+- #aul lair -)=0> 150 S(1
'5- rian Spence -)=3> 2"' S(1
'4- 8onald <eber -)=1> 21' $(1
)2- %ndrew 2ohn -'=4> 2"0 ,(1
)3- Eick *ordova -'=4> 14' ,(1
)"- ranson oggia -)=3> 140 S/1
)'- 8akota ?ac3mark -'=10> 22' ,(1
))- &im 8ay -)=0> 200 ,(1
)+- Eoah ;olden -'=10> 220 $(1
)5- Crik #lacer -'=4> 14' S/1
+0- 2att 8ickens -'=11> 22' $(1
+2- en Eorman -)=2> 2"0 $(1
+3- %ndrew Steen -'=10> 20' S/1
+'- Steven 2ay -)=3> 21' $(1
+)- &revor ;rump -)="> 2)0 S/1
++- *olin 2c*lurkin -'=4> 1)0 ,(1
+5- Liam 2athews -)=1> 230 S/1
50- $ohn 2c*lane -)=0> 1+' S/1
51- 2ike *oulter -'=11> 14' S(1
53- #atrick <eber -'=10> 1"0 ,(1
5'- *armen #arillo -'=10> 1"' ,(1
55- 8evin <ilson -'=11> 13' ,(1