Jackson senior Rhet Liley comes through pressure-packed week 'really well'

Jackson senior tight end Rhet Liley streaks through the Fox defense en route to one of his three touchdowns earlier this season at The Pit in Jackson.

Tom Davis ~ Tdavis@semoball.com

More than likely, last week was the most pressure-packed week of Rhet Liley’s young life and the fact he was competing in the biggest sports moment of his life was only part of the reason for that.

The Jackson senior not only helped the Indians’ football squad demolish Platte County 42-7 in the MSHSAA Class 5 Football State Final on Saturday but 48 hours earlier he also interviewed for the prestigious opportunity to be accepted into the United States Naval Academy in Annapolis, MD.

On Thursday, Liley met with U.S. Representative Jason Smith (Missouri, 8th District) and a board for the nomination and like the outcome of the football game, Liley felt positive about the experience.

“It went really well,” Liley said. “I feel that all of my answers were good. I was very truthful in it and I felt really good talking to him. I was able to just explain a lot about me and all their questions were answered.

Thursday was the only day of that week in which the Jackson football players didn’t have practice, so Liley was able to focus solely on nailing the interview.

Given his time as an athlete, Liley is used to waking up early in the morning, often before the sunrise, to train. He said he communicated to the board that his experience as a Jackson football player had prepared him for a life in the military.

“In fact, almost all of my answers in that last interview were from football,” Liley said. “From all the things that I gained and all of the things that I learned, all of my traits and characteristics were either I learned from, or grew from, football and being in that brotherhood.

“I believe our program builds your character a lot. It really makes you realize that you are not the most important person. You have a leader and you need to follow that leader, and you need to finish your job because it’s 11-man football and everybody’s got to do their part.”

Attending the Naval Academy wasn’t on Liley’s radar until a year ago.

“I wouldn’t necessarily call (Naval aspirations) new, Liley explained, “but I wouldn’t necessarily call it an old dream. I received a letter when I was a junior and it caught my interest pretty well. I’ve been talking to (Navy assistant track coach Chris Campbell) for a while and going through the process.”

Before interviewing for the Naval Academy, Liley was offered a scholarship to throw the javelin for NCAA Division II program Missouri S&T in Rolla. He has also been offered the opportunity to play football at the University of Central Missouri in Warrensburg. If accepted into the Naval Academy, Liley has aspirations of participating both in track AND on the Midshipmen football team.

“The Naval Academy is definitely one of my choices,” Liley said. “It’s a very prestigious school and I’d be very honored to go there. Yes, I also have other options with Missouri S&T and UCM and a few other schools I talked to.”

Jackson's 'great players' dominate All-State FB squads

Tom Davis

In the moments following his team completing a season that was dominating of all opposition faced, Jackson High School football coach Brent Eckley could have accepted the praise that was coming his way -- and with good reason -- he deserved all of it and then some. However, in a brutally honest comment, Eckley, who had just guided the Indians to a...

The Indians went 14-0 this past and won their first-ever MSHSAA state championship. Liley was a critical part of an elite team that MaxPreps.com recently named as the best football team in the state of Missouri.

On Friday, Liley was named by the Missouri Football Coaches Association as a selection to the Class 5 Second Team All-State as a tight end.

Liley made 32 receptions this season for 525 yards and nine touchdowns, as well as had a rushing touchdown. His best game came on Oct. 2, against Fox, where three of his five receptions resulted in scores in a 59-21 win.

“It was an incredible feeling,” Liley said of this season. “It was a dream of mine since I was little. I always heard my family and others talk to me about it and I always wanted to be there myself and really earn that spot. My dad never made it to the playoffs, so it was a really big step and it was really nice to go as far as we could and still win our last game.”

As a senior leader, Liley was the one to hoist the state championship trophy after the game in the middle of the field with his teammates surrounding him. He said the celebration in the locker room was an emotional one, spending one last triumphant moment with people that “you really only see during football season and that you still grind with, you sweat with, you go through pain with.

“It’s good to be with your brothers that you’ve been with since at least January.”

His teammates feel that Liley has the maturity to have a successful career if he is chosen for admission into the Naval Academy.

“He’s always been one of the most mature (people) in our class,” Jackson senior running back Daniel Dickerson said. “He makes me look dumb and I get all A’s. He’s a smart kid and he wants to serve his country.”