Published: Sunday, 11/9/2014 - Updated: 17 seconds ago

BY SCOTT GERFEN SPECIAL TO THE BLADE

POWELL, Ohio Momentum can create all kinds of trouble on the football field.

Whitmer watched its season fade away in third quarter as Powell Olentangy Liberty scored 28 unanswered points to win a Division I regional first-round game 49-21.

That was the worst weve ever played in the third quarter, said Whitmer coach Jerry Bell, whose team closed the season at 7-4. All of a sudden it just got out of control on us.

Liberty quarterback Alex Lando threw two of his five touchdown passes in the third quarter, while his counterpart Chase Bodeman sat on the sideline injured. He eventually returned late in the third quarter.

During his absence, the Panthers went three-and-out twice.

Libertys defense provided some big hits and even knocked backup Shue Sanders out of the game.

Sanders was hit and lost the ball at the Whitmer 19. Two plays later, Lando dumped a screen pass to Brendon White, who scored from 13 yards, his third touchdown catch of the night, to make it 42-14 with 1:51 left in the third quarter.

Our defense just did a great job of being physical and hitting [Bodeman], especially in the second half, said Liberty coach Steve Hale, whose team improved to 9-2 and earned its first postseason victory since 2005.

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Liberty too much for Whitmer