‘Total team win’: Argyle Liberty Christian Warriors dominate Fort Worth Christian

ARGYLE -- After an early-season bye then three consecutive impressive road victories, Argyle Liberty Christian returned to the friendly confines of Warrior Stadium, where it last played on Sept. 1st.

The Warriors rewarded the homecoming crowd with an 85-13 pummeling of Fort Worth Christian in a TAPPS Division II District 1 matchup on Friday.

“It is good to be home,” said Argyle Liberty Christian head coach Jason Witten. “It has been a while since we played here.”

Witten said his team did a good job of staying engaged.

“All three phases of the game were excellent,” Witten said. “Four receivers scored TDs, two running backs scored. And we scored on defense and special teams. ... We took advantage of great field position and the opportunities we had.”

Quarterback Cole Welliver tossed five TD passes, including four in the opening half, and Chase Garnett ran for four TDs -- three in the first quarter -- as the Warriors scored touchdowns on all 10 of its offensive possessions, including nine in the first half. Argyle Liberty Christian exploded for a 65-6 lead at intermission.

A running clock was instituted with 3:06 remaining before halftime and all of the second half.

“Total team win,” said Welliver, a Flower Mound Marcus transfer and a UConn pledge. “Our O-Line did a great job blocking, defense played well, and special teams too.”

After the stout Warrior defense forced a quick three-and-out on the game’s opening series, Garnett, a transfer from Keller Central, scampered 30 yards to begin the scoring barrage.

Following another three-and-out by the Warrior defense, Welliver connected with Quinton Brown for a 44-yard TD strike.

Junior Brady Janusek came up with an interception on the next Cardinals offensive possession, which led to a Garnett 1-yard scoring plunge.

After a shanked Fort Worth Christian punt on its next offensive series, Welliver found Michael Stump on a 17-yard aerial TD.

Taking advantage of excellent field position once again, the Warriors, following an eight-yard Cardinals punt, needed just four plays to drive 24 yards. Garnett scored on a seven-yard ramble, his third TD of the opening period, which left Liberty Christian with a commanding 35-0 lead heading into the second stanza.

Fort Worth Christian managed to get on the board as Timmy Wright hauled in a 59-yard TD pass from Luke Dodd on the first play of the second quarter.

However, the PAT attempt was blocked and scooped up by Janusek who raced all the way for a two-point play.

“Cooper Witten made a great block of the kick,” said Janusek, who is an Oklahoma baseball commit. “I got a good bounce and just ran as fast I I could and was able to make all the way.”

The Warriors needed just three plays to march 68 yards on its next possession, with Janusek taking a shovel pass 22 yards for a TD.

“I got some great blocks, and saw an opening,” said Janusek.

After a three-yard Cardinals punt on another three-and-out for the Warrior defense, Jaylon Hawkins took a short pass from Welliver, spun out of several tackles and raced 32 yards for another score.

“I was able to get out of a few tackles,” said Hawkins. “And then just turned it on and make to the end zone.”

Blake Brisker had a 1-yard TD score with 3:06 left before halftime, after which the running clock had begun.

That did not stop the onslaught. Hawkins recovered a pooched kickoff, that set up a one-yard TD run by Garnett just over a minute before intermission.

“I had asked the coaches about being able to catch the ball on the kickoff,” said Hawkins. “And I was in the right place at the right time.”

That enabled the Warriors to carry a 65-6 lead at halftime.

The Warriors offense was relentless, taking the second half kickoff that ended with a 13-yard TD strike from Welliver to Hawkins. That turned out to be the only offensive series for Liberty Christian in the second half.

“Receivers did a great job again getting open,” said Welliver. “And they make my job a lot easier.”

After Fort Worth Christian QB Dodd hooked up with Andrew Gabriel on a 69-yard TD pass in the third quarter, the Warriors answered with a 99-yard kickoff return for a TD by Ryan Cain.

The lone score of the final period was a 31-yard TD interception return by Liberty Christian’s Nick Blevins, as the Warriors did not run an offensive play in the final quarter.

Standout performances

Welliver finished with 215 passing yards, completing 12 of 14 passes with five TDs and no interceptions. Welliver now has 25 TD passes with just two picks this season and no interceptions in the last four games.

Garnett registered 105 yards rushing on 12 attempts, and the three TDs. The junior RB has now eclipsed the 100-yard rushing plateau in five straight games after totaling 99 yards on the ground in the season-opening win over Prestonwood Christian Academy.

Janusek caught two passes for 34 yards and the one TD while having an interception on defense. He also scored two points on a blocked PAT attempt by Cooper Witten.

Brown had his lone catch, a TD reception, for 44 yards. Hawkins had a game-high 74 yards on three catches and two TDs.

Stump corraled four passes for 46 yards and one TD.

The Argyle Liberty Christian defense held Fort Worth Christian to -17 rushing yards on eight attempts.

“We wanted to establish ourselves on defense,” said junior linebacker Maddox Sekyere.

The Warriors recorded three team sacks.

“We wanted to get after the passer, and we did,” added Sekyere.

Fort Worth Christian senior QB Luke Dodd finished with 232 passing yards and two TDs. Dodd entered the contest having thrown for 1,948 yards with 21 TDs and 6 interceptions.

Andrew Gabriel and Timmy Wright had one catch each that went for TDs, 69 and 59 yards, respectively, for the Cardinals.

Up next

Argyle Liberty Christian (6-0, 1-0) travels next week to Midland Christian (2-4, 0-1) in a TAPPS district matchup with a 7 p.m. CT scheduled kickoff. The Warriors upended the Mustangs 24-14 a year ago and leads the all-time series 7-5.

Fort Worth Christian (4-3, 0-1), following a bye week, hosts Midland Christian on Friday, October 13th with kickoff slated for 7 p.m. CT.