On Friday, August 18, 2023, a highly anticipated non-conference clash between St. John Bosco and Liberty took place. The match took place at St. John Bosco’s home ground in Bellflower, California.
Going into the game, St. John Bosco was unquestionably the favorite. MaxPreps gave the Braves the top national ranking and the Liberty the tenth spot. With numerous players standing above 6’5″, St. John Bosco also enjoyed a huge size advantage.
However, despite the Braves’ size, Liberty was unfazed. The Lancers got out to a fast start, scoring on their first two opportunities to build an early 14-0 lead. Eventually, St. John Bosco scored a touchdown in the second quarter, but Liberty answered with another score to take a 21-7 advantage into halftime.
In the second half, St. John Bosco came out strong and scored two touchdowns to trim the deficit to 21-17. Freedom, however, would persist. To complete the 35-17 triumph, the Lancers scored two more touchdowns in the fourth quarter.
The game’s MVP was Liberty quarterback Malachi Nelson, who threw for 275 yards and three touchdowns. Nelson also scored a touchdown while rushing for 85 yards. Kyree Woods, a receiver for Liberty, hauled in seven passes for 125 yards and a score. Raleek Brown, a running back for St. John Bosco, too displayed exceptional speed, amassing 120 yards and a score. One of the top prospects in the nation, Brown is anticipated to have a significant impact on the Braves this year.
The contest featured two of the top high school soccer teams in the nation. St. John Bosco demonstrated that he is still a force to be reckoned with even after Liberty triumphed. This season, both teams will be in the mix for the state championship.