Grosse Pointe Woods

Liggett prevails in shootout with Lutheran Westland, improves to 3-1 with 45-31 victory

By Mike Moore
C & G Sports Writer

» click to enlarge « Photo by Mike Moore Liggett's Kevaughn Jackson returns an interception 50 yards for a score in the fourth quarter. Liggett won the game 45-31. Photo by Mike Moore Liggett's Kevaughn Jackson returns an interception 50 yards for a score in the fourth quarter. Liggett won the game 45-31.

WESTLAND — In a game that saw just about everything, including an interception returned for a touchdown, a 98-yard kickoff returned for a touchdown, and a faked field goal for a first down — all in a span of two minutes — Grosse Pointe Woods University Liggett found a way to hang on, and in doing so, is half way to a playoff berth.

“This was ugly, real ugly, but we’ll take a win,” coach Lou Ray said after the 45-31 victory at Lutheran Westland on a hot and sunny Sept. 15 afternoon. “We’re banged up a bit with injuries. We don’t have a ton of depth, and we didn’t play our best football, but we’ll take it. We have to get better, but we’ll take it.”

Liggett (3-1) got rolling right away, and did so with a familiar weapon.

Senior quarterback Nate Gaggin got the Knights on the board with a 20-yard touchdown run early in the first, then hit Drew Jerome on a 25-yard strike not long after, and then added a 15-yard touchdown run at the end of the opening frame.

Gaggin connected with Kevaughn Jackson on a 65-yard pass in the second quarter, and Liggett led 26-7 at halftime.

Lutheran Westland scored the first two touchdowns of the second half, though, narrowing the lead to 32-23 entering the fourth, but Gaggin went back to work, hitting Jerome on a 15-yard touchdown pass to make it 38-23.

Jackson later returned an interception 50 yards for a score, and the Knights hung on from there.

“We did too many things wrong, and truthfully, this game shouldn’t have been this close,” Ray said. “But Nate played his heart out, and that’s what you get with a senior leader at quarterback.”

Gaggin finished the game 16-of-26 passing for 251 yards and four scores. He added 162 yards rushing on 13 carries and two touchdowns.

Liggett now faces Auburn Hills Oakland Christian (1-3) Sept. 21.

Westland Lutheran (1-3) takes on Southfield Christian (1-3) Sept. 21, as well.

You can reach C & G Sports Writer Mike Moore at mmoore@candgnews.com or at (586)498-1038. Follow Mike on Twitter.