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Freshman quarterback Charli Taylor passed for five touchdowns as Liberty’s flag football team rolled to its seventh consecutive victory Friday night, defeating host Bishop Gorman 36-24.

The Patriots (10-2, 3-0 Class 5A) shook off a slow start, as the offense came alive in the second half against the Gaels (9-4, 1-2). Taylor was the catalyst for Liberty, finishing 30-for-39 passing for 284 yards and the five scores.

“We had a rough start with a lot of mistakes, but they settled down in the second half and played Liberty football,” Patriots coach Al Tucay said. “I think the girls played well — they responded.”

Liberty is catching fire at the perfect time. After a Dec. 6 loss to Shadow Ridge, the Patriots have outscored opponents 293-56 during the current win streak.

To keep that run going, Liberty had to overcome a powerful Gorman offense, led by elusive senior quarterback Avery Reed.

Reed got the Gaels on the board first, connecting with senior receiver Olivia Cobell on a 53-yard touchdown pass to give Gorman a 6-0 lead. Cobell battled a Liberty defender for a contested catch, bobbling the ball a couple times before securing it and running about 20 yards to the end zone.

On the next drive, sophomore wide receiver Trishelle Tucay caught a pass from Taylor and sprinted for a long touchdown. A two-point conversion gave the Patriots an 8-6 lead.

Gorman responded midway through the second quarter on a 3-yard pass from Reed to freshman wideout Malia Browner to put the Gaels up 12-8. Liberty tried to score once more just seconds before halftime, but Gorman senior defensive back Sienna Gostanian snagged a touchdown-saving interception in the end zone.

From there, the Patriots made adjustments and Taylor got in a groove. She connected with sophomore wideouts Siaosina Leau and Rocsi Bitanga for third quarter scores, putting Liberty ahead 22-12 and giving the Patriots a lead they wouldn’t relinquish.

Gorman scored on the opening play of the fourth quarter, on a 10-yard pass from Reed to senior receiver Preseah Williams to cut the deficit to 22-18. But two more Patriot touchdown passes by Taylor — to Leau and senior WR Aniyah Dela Cruz — put the game out of reach.

The Gaels reached paydirt once more with 39 seconds remaining in the game on another Reed-to-Cobell touchdown. Reed went 18-for-37 passing for 272 yards and four touchdowns, with two interceptions.

Trishelle Tucay hauled in seven catches for a team-high 101 yards and a touchdown for Liberty.

The Nevada State Democratic Party has submitted a proposal to the Democratic National Committee requesting to host the first presidential nominating contest in the 2028 election cycle.

The proposal was sent to the DNC’s Rules and Bylaws Committee, which is responsible for setting the party’s early primary calendar. At this stage, no state has officially been designated to go first, and the committee has not finalized the order of early contests.

Nevada Democrats argue the state’s majority-minority population, large working-class electorate, and status as a competitive battleground make it a strong testing ground for Democratic presidential candidates. Party leaders also point to Nevada’s relatively small size, two major media markets, and expanded voting access as meeting the DNC’s criteria for rigor, fairness, and efficiency.

In a statement, Nevada Democratic Party chair Daniele Monroe-Moreno said placing Nevada first would better reflect the coalition Democrats need to win nationally.

Nevada is not alone in seeking early-state status. Other states, including New Hampshire and Michigan, are also expected to make the case for prominent positions on the 2028 calendar. The DNC is expected to review proposals and announce decisions at a later date.

For now, the question of which state will go first in 2028 remains undecided.