LYNCHBURG, Va. – After beating Spotswood on Saturday, the Liberty Christian Academy Bulldogs get to add another year to the State Final Four banner that hangs over their gym.
“Look I mean, this group of guys, from day one, they’ve been an extremely connected group,” head coach Paul Redgate said. “I think that’s been a key for us all year.”
The next challenge ahead is a 320-mile round-trip trek to Abingdon, who shut down both Cave Spring and Northside to advance.
“We watch a ton of their film. We scouted them a lot, running their plays, so we will be ready, when the day comes, when we play them,” said senior Jalen Leftwich.
“The key there is just playing selfish, trying to make one more pass,” Redgate said. “My guys do a great job at making the extra pass, and passing up a good shot for a great shot.”
But one of those great shooters is senior Jalen Leftwich, who the Falcons are surely prepared to defend.
“Whatever they’re going to give me I’m going to take,” Leftwich said. “If that’s passing to my teammates I’m going to take that, if it’s scoring I will take that also. Whatever my team needs me to do, I’ll do.”
While a state semifinal game was not easy for the bulldogs, a state title appearance would be the icing on top.
“It’d be truly special, Bulldog Nation is a truly special place. we have a great community here, to be able to be in that position would be great for our school,” Redgate said. “But, we can’t look too far ahead, and we have to make sure all of our focus is on tomorrow night.”
The Bulldogs and Falcons face off at 6 p.m. Wednesday in Abingdon.