Liberty’s pocket was picked twice Saturday at home.

It happened in a flash, helping turn a close game into a 63-39 drubbing of the Open defending champ in the Honor Bowl. In less than two minutes in the fourth quarter, California Centennial picked off two passes near the home team’s sideline and returned them for touchdowns.

The first interception, with Liberty trailing 42-32, travelled 88 yards courtesy of Charles Casteel. Liberty had a first and goal at the 4-yard line just before that play. 

The second pick-6 was returned 37 yards by a player with a cast on his left arm, defensive back Cade Peterson.

The clubbing commenced, as Centennial jumped ahead 56-32, icing the game with 6:30 left. Liberty’s fourth quarter turnovers were reminiscent of last year’s miscues against the same team.

In that game, Liberty led by 14 before turning the ball over three times in the final 12 minutes during the 42-35 defeat.

But after that Week 5 loss, coach Colin Thomas’ squad won out, finishing its season with its first Open title.

Centennial went into halftime Saturday with a 28-14 lead and all the momentum after scoring just before the first half ended.

But Liberty battled back, with safety Zeth Thues leading the charge defensively. After a 40-yard field goal to open the third quarter by his team, the safety caught a deflection and raced 57 yards for a touchdown.

Liberty trailed 28-24 at that point. Thues also torpedoed himself into a player to strip the ball from the receiver in the fourth quarter, the fourth Centennial turnover in the game.

But Centennial’s offense, led by Texas A&M quarterback commit Husan Longstreet, also capitalized on its opponent’s mistakes. A Liberty unsportsmanlike penalty, which was followed by a long Centennial kickoff return, helped the visiting team complete a short scoring drive to go ahead 35-24.

Not discouraged, the defending Open champ replied with a 45-yard scoring drive that ended with a 6-yard touchdown run by Esteban Demby-Lamas. Liberty went for two and executed a double hand off that ended with a pass to Liberty quarterback Hayden Fletcher in the end zone.

“All around, it’s a team loss,” Fletcher said. “You can’t really blame one player. Yeah, I had a big mistake a couple of times. But we win as a team and lose as a team. I just want to say that I’m proud of my guys.”

Centennial’s quick-strike offense struck immediately after Fletcher’s two-point conversion.

Cory Butler Jr.’s 41-yard touchdown pass on a go rout upped his team’s lead to 42-32. Centennial’s secondary then helped break the game open.

“I really thought in that third quarter we did some great things and had a chance to seize momentum, but it didn’t happen,” Thomas said. “They (Centennial) are a really great team.”

Centennial (3-2) is considered one of the best public school football programs in Southern California.

Liberty’s Marley Chancey’s only two receptions in the game went for touchdowns and 102 yards. His teammate Braxton Huynh had a team-high seven receptions for 88 yards.

Liberty (3-1) will attempt to start repeating last year’s one-loss, Open championship season when it travels to Chandler in two weeks.

Liberty High hosted Day 2 of the Honor Bowl, which was held in Arizona for the first time. “I love everything about Arizona," said Honor Bowl co-founder Mark Soto. "The schools, school administration, athletes, and student bodies are amazing. Everything about Arizona has been perfect. I hope we can come back next year.” Hamilton’s defense, Denson shine

High school flag football is still in its infancy stage in Arizona, but Hamilton and Campo Verde battled like they knew each other well.

The programs with contender credentials squared off in Saturday’s Honor Bowl flag game at Liberty High. Neither team budged defensively.

It took Hamilton’s special teams, which scored most of the points in its 17-0 shutout, to help put away the defending 5A champ. The longest play of the game came late in the first quarter, when Asia Denson returned a punt 49 yards for a touchdown.

That long distance run helped the junior secure Hamilton Honor Bowl MVP honors.

“I saw my teammate, (who) gave me open space,” Denson said. “I saw my opportunity, and I just took it and I just ran.”

Denson, a junior linebacker, and her defense limited Campo Verde to 113 offensive yards.

Playing in the Honor Bowl was meaningful for Denson for a special reason. Her grandfather, Leroy Franklin, was a veteran.

He passed away just two weeks ago.

“It really meant a lot to me to get this (MVP) award,” she said.

Player of the year candidate Madison Croger garnered the MVP award for her team.

The senior had an interception and tallied five tackles. But with her quarterback constantly under pressure, Coger was unable to really test Hamilton’s secondary.

Another force, Hamilton’s Samaya Taylor-Jenkins, had two interceptions. Hamilton’s Mikayla Allen scored her team’s only offensive touchdown after a 7-yard catch in the second quarter.

In the second half, sophomore Laela Johnson converted her only field goal attempt (21 yards) to add the final scoring touch for her 2-0 team.

Campo Verde is 1-2 but lost its games to top-10 preseason 6A squads.

U.S. Marine Corps First Sgt. Freddy Torres, who was wounded in battle, attended Saturday’s Honor Bowl at Liberty High. The Purple Heart recipient and Gold Star family members honored fallen heroes during Saturday’s impactful pregame ceremonies. (Jose Garcia photo/AZPreps365)