LAMAR, Mo. — Lamar jumped out to a commanding lead and never looked back in a 56-6 win over Fair Grove in the Class 2 District 5 title game on Friday.
The Tigers scored three times in the first quarter for a 22-0 lead and added three more scores in the second quarter for a 43-0 lead by the intermission. With the second units in to start the second half, Lamar continued to separate from Fair Grove in the second half before the Eagles got on the scoreboard in the waning minutes of the fourth quarter.
Lamar improves to 10-1 on the season and advances to the Class 2 state quarterfinal round where the Tigers hit the road for a matchup against Holden (8-3). It is the Tigers’ 14th consecutive trip to the quarterfinal round.
Lamar, which rushed for over 500 yards in the win, opened the game with the possession and marched right down the field for a touchdown when Joel Beshore broke loose for a 10-yard score with 8:04 on the clock in the first period for a 7-0 lead.
After Fair Grove punted on its first possession, the Tigers used a 37-yard run from Beshore to set up a 27-yard rushing touchdown by Terrill Davis to push the lead to 14-0 with 5:55 to play in the first quarter.
The Eagles found themselves in Lamar territory nine plays into their ensuing drive when Ian Ngugi picked off a Fair Grove pass for the game’s first turnover.
The Tigers’ offense didn’t need long to make the most of the extra possession when Davis ripped off a 70-yard touchdown before Hunter Lundine rushed in for the following two-point conversion for a 22-0 lead with 1:57 left in the first quarter.
Lamar picked up right where they left off in the second quarter after Beshore scrambled for a 20-yard touchdown to extend the lead to 29-0 with 10:29 left in the first half.
After the third punt of the first half by the Eagles, the Tigers added to their lead when Ty Wilhite capped off a long drive with a 2-yard rushing score to push the margin to 36-0 with 6:01 left in the second period.
Lamar was able to get into the end zone one more time just before halftime when Cooper Haun rushed in from 3 yards out with 18 seconds on the clock before the intermission for a 43-0 lead.
With the second units in to start the second half, Fair Grove turned it over on the first possession of the third quarter when Lamar’s Tate Ansley picked off a pass for a change of possession.
The Tigers turned the turnover into an Aiden Sheat 31-yard rushing touchdown on a jet sweep to balloon the lead to 50-0 with 9:28 left in the third quarter.
The Eagles looked like they might get on the scoreboard on the next possession only for a fumble by Brock Bruner at the end of a long reception to give the ball back to Lamar deep in its own territory.
Lamar pushed the lead to 56-0 when Logan Kish plowed in from a yard out with 11:51 left in regulation.
Fair Grove got on the board with 3:11 left in regulation on a 4-yard reception by Maddux Smith to make the score 56-6.
