In the first round of the 4A-II state playoffs, the Coronado Dons lost to Liberty High school 24-7 Friday night.

“Our goal was to play our best football at the end of the season,” Dons coach B.J. Pasquel said. “I’m proud of the kids. Right now it’s ringing hollow with them, I think in a couple of weeks from now they’ll look back and be proud of a great football season.”

Coronado (7-4) was seeded No. 11 going into the night’s game. Liberty high school (11-0) was seeded No. 6.

Both teams have very aggressive ground games and the Dons’ defense had just come off a win against Notre Dame Prep in which it forced eight turnovers.

The two teams are known for their ground pummeling game.

Dons running back Shawn Martin came into the game, averaging 135 yards a game. Martin rushed for 105 yards for the night on 17 carries and scored the Dons’ only touchdown on a 35-yard run by martin

As the first half of the game came to a close, the score 17-7 for the Lions, the Dons still appeared to have plenty of fight left.

The Dons had 124 offensive yards in the first half and the Lions had 172. The Dons had managed to contain Lions  running back Dan Mihelich to only 27 yards in the first half (Mihelich entered the game with an average of 180 yards a game and had scored 26 rushing touchdowns.)

The second half appeared to promise an epic skirmish between the two teams. And although the Lions were up 10 points, Liberty’s second touchdown was set up by a punt snap fumble, which placed it on the 7-yard line.

But that comeback never happened.

The Dons failed to capitalize on a pivotal turnover and a 15-play, 69-yard drive.

“We always tell our kids it comes down to the little things,” said Pasquel. “And we made more mistakes and they made the plays.”

Even with the Dons’ quarterback, Alex Buya, throwing for 102 yards in the second half and completing 9 of 16 passes (125 yards and 12 of 23 for the game), the Dons could not get back in the game.

The Dons never found the end zone again and the Lions managed to stave off the Dons’ attempt for an upset.

The Dons' defensive leader, Sergio Arocha, was injured at the beginning of the second quarter and had to watch from the sideline as his team’s season came to a close.

“He is one of the best defensive linemen in the state,” Pasquel said. “I don’t care what classification you use.”