Lee gets date with Bees

STAUNTON — Liberty Bedford dared Robert E. Lee to beat them through the air.

The dare was answered.

Dae’ Quan Scott threw for 146 yards and a touchdown leading the air attack against the visiting Minutemen for a 35-7 victory in the Region 3, Division III semifinals Friday night.

With the score 13-7 and 10 seconds left in the second quarter, Liberty loaded the box with eight defenders, appearing to play an imaginary game of chicken with Scott.

Scott bared the brunt of the blitz, finding Terrell Mickens for a 15-yard touchdown pass. Lee wins round one and goes up 21-7 after a Scott scamper for the two-point conversion.

“I did alright,” Scott said. “But I know that I can do better.”

The second half started with a fumbled snap by the Minutemen, one of six in the game.

After a Leemen drive got the ball down to the Minutemen 10, Dustin Burdick’s 27-yard field goal attempt sailed wide off the goal post, giving Liberty the ball with a chance at redemption.

After picking up four first downs, using the three-headed running game of Lavarta Tanner, Thomas Clark and Tyler Bowyer, the Minutemen were able to get the ball down to the Lee 35-yard line with the momentum growing with each first down.

On a 4th-and-1, the Lee defense started up the game of chicken once more, loading the box in a defiant challenge to Liberty.

Liberty handed the ball to the “big fella,” Brandon Sparrow, who, at 250 pounds, resembled a lineman more than a running back.

Sparrow dove over the Lee defensive line, reaching for the sticks.

After an official measurement, Sparrow and the Minutemen came up just short. Round two goes to the Leemen.

“Any time you give up seven points to a team like [Liberty] it’s a feather in your cap,” Lee coach David Tibbs said. “They had a good game plan and an offense we have never seen. They are a good ball team.”

Liberty had no momentum after the demoralizing failed dive of Sparrow, picking up one first down the rest of the way.

Scott, however, managed to score two more rushing touchdowns against a tired Minutemen defense.

On the first play of the fourth quarter, Scott darted outside, sliding past defense, “daring” them to try to bring him down. 34 yards later, Scott was in the end zone.

Lee will take their offensive show on the road next week in the Region 3, Division III final against Brookville.