The last time Liberty Christian won a state title was in 2012 when they beat Neah Bay 34-28. These two now meet 10 years later in the 1B state semi-finals.
The last time the Patriots made it to a state semi-final game was in 2015 when they lost to ACH. Coach Craig Lukins was on the coaching staff for both those seasons, and now as head coach, leads the Patriots once more deep into the playoffs.
“It’s new to the players and most of the coaches,” said Lukins. “It’s exciting. The biggest learning curve is the parents with us practicing on Thanksgiving week break. They’ve been great about it though.”
However, playoffs look different for 1B. As it gets deeping into the season, the weather gets colder, and the days get shorter. Liberty Christian’s field doesn’t have lights, so they are calling Hanford home for the time being.
“We had to go through all those logistics and raise some money to help offset the costs,” explained Lukins. “Lucky for me, I have a good support system.”
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Kick off between the #3 Patriots and #2 Red Devils is Saturday at 1:00.
Link to watch: NFHS
