Liberty-Eylau Holds Off Brownsboro in Second Half for 49-35 Bi-District Win

LONGVIEW — After building a substantial lead, Liberty-Eylau played defense nearly the entire second half during a 49-35 playoff win over Brownsboro on Thursday night.

The Bears had 80 snaps for 484 yards of offense, but an interception in the end zone by Leopard safety Ken'Trell Chatmon sealed the Liberty-Eylau victory in the Class 4A Division I bi-district game at Pirate Stadium.

Cedric Dickerson rushed for three touchdowns on his only three carries, Decorian Phillips threw for a pair of TDs and ran for two more, and L-E advanced to face Dallas Carter, a 49-21 winner over Mineral Wells, next Friday at Royse City.

Saul Martinez rushed for 215 yards and four scores to pace Brownsboro. Martinez also had five catches for 40 yards.

Kevon Thompson added 21 rushes for 76 yards, and Kenneth Woods bulled in for a TD midway through the third quarter.

Martinez, who had scoring runs of 19 and 17 sandwiched around an on-sides kick in the second quarter, added TD runs of 10 and 44 yards in the fourth quarter.

Cedric Dickerson ran for three first-half touchdowns on his only three touches, and Liberty-Eylau used a trio of big returns to build a 22-point lead before intermission.

Deshun Dickerson's 24-yard return on the opening kickoff game the Leopards possession at the Brownsboro 44, and four plays later Phillips ran 12 yards for the TD.

A stop on fourth-down gave the Leopards the ball again, and Cedric Dickerson had his first TD on a 1-yard plunge to cap an 8-play drive.

Shannon Roy's 33-yard punt return set up Liberty-Eylau at the Bear 45, and on the second play Phillips hit Mahleik Darty for a 26-yard strike, making it 21-0 with 1:04 left in the first quarter.

Brownsboro moved to midfield but a fumble was recovered by the Leopards. It took eight plays for Liberty-Eylau to get back in the end zone, a pass interference call in the end zone setting up Cedric Dickerson's second TD from the 2.

The Bears scored on the seventh play of the ensuing possession, Martinez breaking free for a 19-yard scoring run. Brownsboro successfully recovered an on-sides kick, Chris Simons getting the loose ball at the Leopard 45.

Martinez scored on a 17-yard run to cut the Bear deficit in half with 39 seconds remaining in the first half.

Darty set up one more Leopard score with his 53-yard kickoff return. Phillips ran 12 yards on the first play, and Cedric Dickerson punched in his third TD on a 2-yard rush, sending the Leopards into the locker room with a 35-13 lead.