FOOTBALL: Liberty quickly puts 0-10 2007 season behind them

It only took 13 seconds for Liberty quarterback Marcus Warren and receiver Wes McKenzie to help their fans forget an 0-10 season in 2007.
The host Lancers struck early and often against Widefield on Saturday with Warren hooking up with McKenzie for an 79-yard touchdown on the first play of the game en route to a 41-14 opening game victory.
"Marcus hit me with a great pass," McKenzie said. "Our offensive coordinator, coach (Jody) Jones set that up. He setup a fake screen and go, so I just faked a block and slipped outside."
The sight of McKenzie streaking down the left sideline soon became familiar for the Gladiators. Following Widefield's first series, McKenzie returned a punt 51 yards to the Gladiator 9, setting up a 5-yard touchdown run by Nelson Guinn for a 13-0 lead.
Paul Browning closed the first quarter with a 6-yard touchdown run for Widefield.
But in the second quarter, Warren connected for two more scores - a 10-yarder to senior Bobby Kindig and a 14-yarder to McKenzie - for a 28-7 halftime lead for Liberty (1-0).
The Lancers defense stifled the Widefield offense and forced six turnovers.
"Coach (Jaron) Cohen has had a top notch defense wherever he's been and I think he definitely brought that here with us," Guinn said.
Kindig's score came after Chris Fenlon fumbled a punt at the Gladiator 16. An interception by Guinn set up McKenzie's second score and a pick by junior Sean Janas in the third led to Isaac Koch's score.
Liberty junior Cole Jackson blocked a punt at the Widefield 2 and recovered it in the end zone for a 41- 7 lead entering the fourth
Widefield senior Devin Hightower scored on a 39-yard run with 8:25 left for the final margin. Hightower finished with 118 yards, but 77 came after the game was decided.
"It couldn't have worked out better," Cohen said. 
It was the opposite for Widefield (0-1)
"The wheels really came off today," Gladiators coach Bill Cooke said. "We had too many self-inflicted wounds. When we lose a game like that it's the head coach's fault. We'll try to regroup and try to put our best foot forward."