Shota Sihara Scores Late as Philadelphia Liberty Beat Los Angeles Seabees

Riley Kade — JRSports One

Shota Sihara ran three yards for a touchdown with 1:41 left, sealing Philadelphia Liberty's 31-20 win over Los Angeles Seabees. Philadelphia had held the lead since the second quarter, and the final touchdown gave it a margin of 11 points.

The game turned at 4:23 of the second quarter, when Lane Brinnham found Hunter Jirt for a three-yard touchdown that put Philadelphia ahead 17-14. The Liberty have led in each of the lead changes that followed, and the Seabees never regained the advantage after that.

Takumi Shu opened the scoring with a 40-yard field goal at 8:20 of the first quarter. Carson Jockworth then hit Mason Rird for a seven-yard touchdown at 3:54 to put Los Angeles up 7-3. Sihara's one-yard run at 14:20 of the second quarter made it 10-7 Philadelphia, but Jockworth connected with Rird again, this time for 20 yards at 8:42, to restore the Seabees' lead at 14-10. Jirt's score followed at 4:23.

Tanner Bler kicked a 20-yard field goal at 8:58 of the third quarter to tie the game at 17. Brinnham then threw a three-yard touchdown to Bailey Palham at 2:13, and Philadelphia led 24-17 going into the fourth quarter. Bler added a 42-yard field goal at 13:14 to cut it to 24-20. Sihara's touchdown run at 1:41 finished the scoring.

Brinnham completed 23 of 24 passes for 253 yards with two touchdowns and no interceptions. Sihara carried 18 times for 83 yards and two scores, and he added two catches for 16 yards. Hayden Kooton had six receptions for 120 yards for Philadelphia.

For Los Angeles, Jockworth completed 21 of 28 passes for 182 yards and two touchdowns without an interception. Rird caught 10 passes for 98 yards and both of Jockworth's scoring throws. Jesse Bradsby ran 15 times for 72 yards. Jesse Diswood led all defenders with 10 tackles, and Ethan Paird and Ford Noorlin each recorded two sacks.

Philadelphia piled up 321 yards to 260 for Los Angeles, converted seven of nine third downs and did not turn the ball over. The Seabees were sacked seven times and converted four of nine third downs.

Jace Keam, the Los Angeles safety, left with an MCL sprain and did not return. Tyler Raist, the Philadelphia outside linebacker, and Hayden Dennfield, the Philadelphia cornerback, were both ruled out with injuries. Caleb Whurklin, Dawson Terdman and Andres Mir were listed as questionable and did not return.

The win moved Philadelphia to 3-5 on the season, while Los Angeles fell to 2-6.