Football Recap: Rickey Johnson's Big Game Can't Quite Lead Independence over Liberty + How To Watch

Independence lost against Liberty back in September of 2024 and unfortunately they wound up with the same result on Friday. The Falcons fell 17-10 to the Patriots. The Falcons gained 156 more yards on the day, but it was the Patriots that made the best use of them.

Independence lost despite a true team effort on offense. The best among them was Rickey Johnson, who rushed for 36 yards and one score, and also picked up 64 receiving yards. He didn't just play on offense: he also picked up a sack, made five total tackles, and defended one pass. Another player making a difference was Gunter Golla Iii, who rushed for 93 yards.

Don't try to pin the team's loss on the defense: they kept the trenches locked down and allowed a mere 2.2 yards per carry. While two picked up at least five total tackles, Johnson stood above the rest. He rushed for 36 yards and one TD, and also picked up 64 receiving yards. Independence's ground attack was stronger, having averaged 4.9.

Independence's defense didn't let Gavin Parham., get away unscathed either: they got into the backfield for three sacks. The team can thank three different players for their defensive prowess: Johnson, Jackson Fleming, and Jakhai Ervin, who each picked up one sack apiece.

This is the second loss in a row for Independence and nudges their season record down to 4-2. As for Liberty, their victory (their first of the season) made their record 1-5.

Independence and Liberty will both get a bit of extra prep time before their next games. The next time the Falcons see the field they'll take on Ridgeview at 7:30 p.m. on October 10. As for Liberty, their break will end when they face Frontier at 7:30 p.m. on October 10.