Until the final bell rings, you can’t ever count out the champ.

Liberty North, the defending Missouri Class 6 state champion, survived a scare by No. 25 Blue Springs South in the opening weekend of high school football in Missouri on Friday night.

The Eagles, No. 1 in the 810 Varsity Top 25, nudged the Jaguars, 21-20, on last-minute heroics in Liberty.

Trailing 20-12 with just 4:11 left, Liberty North took over with one seemingly last gap to tie at its own 20. After two missed deep shots downfield by senior quarterback Tillman Martin, Martin went deep again on third down and hit junior receiver Trashundon Neal at the Jaguar 40, who was wide open and jaunted into the end zone for a 20-18 deficit. However, Martin slipped on rolling out on the two-point conversion attempt, as well as a holding penalty that was declined, to keep the margin at 20-18.

But following a timeout on third-and-nine, Liberty North's Motie Williams wrapped around Wilhelm trying to scramble and swatted the ball down for a fumble and an Eagle recovery. Suddenly North took over with 2:52 left at the Jags 26. North was able to run the ball inside the 10, then senior kicker Bleu Renfrow knocked through a 234-yard field goal for the game-winner with :04 left.

"We knew we'd get Blue Springs South's best shot. They were young last year but good and we knew it would be a battle. But our kids rose up and were big in all three facets down the stretch. This game will go a long way for our season ahead," said head coach Andy Lierman.

Liberty North (1-0) held a 9-0 halftime lead, but Blue Springs South mounted a comeback on a third-and-three at its own 23 with just :56 into the second half.  Junior quarterback Ayden Wilhelm faked a handoff to Gary Hill, then took a keeper up the middle for 77 yards and an 9-7 deficit.

Following a stop, the Jaguars took over at their 41. On the ensuing play, senior running back Kendrick Hawkins followed Wilhelm's path of success, taking a handoff up the middle and broke loose for a 59-yard score and 14-9 lead with 8:54 left in the third period.

Liberty North countered with a field goal to pull to 14-12 entering the final stanza.

The Jaguars looked to have North in a corner, when in the final minutes of the fourth, South took over at its own 33. Three plays later, the Jags marched to the Eagle 35 before junior tailback Darius Morgan took an inside handoff, stumbled through the line and escaped the box for a wide open scamper and a 20-12 lead. But a muffed extra point kept the game within a score.

Liberty North will take on crosstown rival Liberty (0-1) next Friday, while Blue Springs South faces Park Hill South (1-0).