Sparrow shoulders two-way load for Minutemen

RUSTBURG — Before Friday night’s game against Rustburg, Liberty coach Chris Watts was reluctant to unleash junior backup fullback Brandon Sparrow in the rushing attack.

The bruising 6-foot-4, 245-pound defensive tackle was too valuable to the Minutemen on defense, as he showed in assaulting the Red Devils’ option game in the first half.

Sparrow got his opportunity to showcase his offensive potential after halftime and made the most of it, carrying 10 times for 141 yards and three touchdowns in Liberty’s 41-26 Seminole District victory.

“We had a lot of momentum going and I got a lot of blocks in the backfield,” said Sparrow, who scored on rushes of 6, 71 and 22 yards to help the Minutemen break open a 14-14 contest. “I saw the openings and I just took them and I found some speed.”

His 71-yarder came on Liberty’s first play from scrimmage in the second half, after Rustburg quarterback Tevin Cobbs fumbled on what would have been the Red Devils’ third first-down carry of their opening drive.

“He’s a pup,” Watts said of Sparrow. “That’s the first time he’s really carried the ball in a ballgame for us. He’s just learning how to play the game. He definitely is an asset to our defense (but) I don’t know if he knows what he can do (on offense).”

Sparrow focused on defense first, helping to hold Rustburg’s triple-option threat of Cobbs, Javon Cambell and Stacey Charlton to 27 yards of offense in the first half.

“I missed three tackles and my coaches got on me about that,” he said.

“He did a good job,” Watts added. “Our whole defense played well.”

“They stacked the box and they’re fast and physical,” Rustburg coach Jon Berlin said. “(On offense, Watts) put them all in the box and ran unbalanced sets.”

Rustburg’s defense was opportunistic in the first half, turning two Liberty fumbles into touchdowns that drew them even after two TDs by Liberty’s Thomas Clark (13 carries, 100 yards).

Campell (17 carries, 100 yards) scored the first of his two 4-yarders after a fumbled exchange between quarterback Tyler Bowyer and fullback Justin Davis at the 4 before Rustburg’s Jake Gage scooped up a fumble by Bowyer on a sack and took the rest of the way.

“The defensive scores off the turnovers were a real positive,” Berlin said.

But Liberty responded with an 11-play, 55-yard scoring drive to end the first half.

“We overcame the mistakes,” Watts said.

That drive was sparked by Bowyer’s four pass completions for 38 yards, two to Anthony Reynolds for 25, which opened up the running game. After Bowyer released a pass as he was hit and got it to J.J. Sparks for an 8-yard gain, he sneaked for a first down at the 10. Sparrow took it in from there on two power runs up the middle after excellent fakes by Bowyer.

“Tonight we took what was there and Brandon was a big part of that,” Watts said. “He ran the ball hard and he opened up the other backs, too, which is what our offense is all about.”

The Red Devils played without one of their top two-way players, E.J. Sparrow, who injured the MCL in his knee in last week’s loss at Jefferson Forest.

Going into Friday’s game, Rustburg was tied with Lord Botetourt for the sixth and final Region III, Division 3, playoff spot. Liberty, seeded third, clinched a playoff berth with the win and hosts JF, rated fourth in Division 4, next Friday night.