Stout defense, turnovers push Liberty Bell over undefeated Neah Bay for 1B state title

Liberty Bell secured the 1B state championship on Saturday afternoon, silencing run-heavy Neah Bay in a 50-12 blowout victory at Mount Tahoma High School.

Freshman defensive back Remington Paz raced some 90 yards to glory in the third quarter, adding the contest’s deciding points on an interception return that immediately flipped the field and shook the home bleachers.

“We’ve been talking about it all year,” Paz said after the win, officially a state champion. “Guys stepped up. Our second team helped us practice, pushing our first team every day. That helped us a lot, getting to this game and those physical games throughout our schedule.”

Liberty Bell had completed the improbable: a run to its first title in program history with victories over each of the bracket’s top-two seeds. The Mountain Lions routed top-ranked Odessa in last weekend’s state semifinals, 74-50, and stuffed a dominant and undefeated Neah Bay team on the ground for Saturday’s trophy.

Neah Bay fell short of its first 1B state title since 2016 and its sixth in the last dozen seasons (the Red Devils won in 2011, 2013, 2014, and 2016).

Paz’s pick-six immediately flipped the field and helped extend what was then only a slim six-point lead. Neah Bay quarterback Julian Carrick threw what was a desperation heave on fourth down, which Paz ripped away from Red Devil receivers near the end zone.

“About halfway, I saw (Carrick). And then I saw one of my fastest guys running with me,” Paz said. “I thought, ‘I’ve got this block. I’m taking this thing to the house.”

It was one of five Liberty Bell turnovers. Its eight starters had allowed just a dozen points to a Neah Bay team accustomed to scoring well over 60.

Neah Bay mustered only six points in each half; Liberty Bell returned from the locker room following intermission and countered with 44.

“Just staying strong, staying confident. Confidence is what makes them who they are,” said Liberty Bell head coach Jeff Lidey, trophy in hand. “And that’s what they’ve done all year. They’ve stayed strong all four quarters.”

Liberty Bell’s two-way receiver/safety Sawyer Crandall snagged a two-point conversion in the third quarter and fell on fumble recovery in the second half’s opening minute.

Lucien Paz was the recipient of the game’s first points — a two-yard touchdown run on 3rd and Goal that broke a scoreless tie less than six minutes before halftime.

“We finally thought we had it in us,” Crandall said. “We never really had that mentality and that confidence to just go out and stick it to them. This game, after punishing Mossyrock (in the quarterfinals)... we knew we had it.”

Neah Bay answered before intermission, using Carrick’s one-yard keeper to tie the game at six; both programs failed on respective two-point conversion attempts.

Halftime brought an even score, tied at six.

Said Lidey: “I told them, ‘you know who you are. Just be confident. It’s gonna come.’”

Liberty Bell forced two turnovers in three plays — in between an interception of its own — to start the second half and rallied to reclaim the lead on Remington Paz’s three-yard touchdown run. Lidey found Paz’s brother Lucien, for the game’s first two-point conversion. Liberty Bell’s upset bid continued, 14-6.

Paz’s interception return gave Liberty Bell a two-score lead before Neah Bay could respond.

Said Crandall: “(Remington’s) our best player.”

Adan Ellis put the Red Devils back within eight with a 14-yard touchdown run, though the ensuing two-point try was unsuccessful. Merek Johnson put Liberty Bell back in the driver’s seat with an 11-yard touchdown that returned a two-score lead in the fourth.

Liberty Ball quarterback Riley Lidey added two total touchdowns in the fourth, first scampering untouched for a 42-yard touchdown run and later hitting Beau Tanguy for a 17-yard reception over the middle; Liberty Bell led, 42-12, and its cheering section roared once more.

“This means everything… to these boys,” Lidey said. “And without the (fans), they don’t play this way. They feel the love.”

Johnson’s second and final rushing score was the exclamation point – a one-yard dive up the middle that stopped the clock with under a minute remaining. What began as a halftime draw ballooned to a 38-point rout.

“They believed,” Lidey said. “And that’s all it took.”