HOLDEN, Mo. — Lamar didn’t allow Holden to pick up a first down in the first half on the way to building a commanding 41-0 lead by the intermission before cruising to a 54-0 victory over the Eagles on Saturday in the Class 2 quarterfinal round of the state playoffs.
With the win, the Tigers (11-1) move on to the Class 2 semifinals and will host Seneca (11-1) on Saturday at Thomas M. O’Sullivan Stadium for an all-Big 8 Conference matchup. The Indians, who moved past Liberty 28-14 in the quarterfinal round, defeated Lamar 36-33 earlier in the season.
After forcing Holden (8-4) into a three-and-out, Lamar needed just two plays to get on the scoreboard on its first drive of the game after QB Joel Beshore broke free for a 33-yard rushing touchdown to give the Tigers a 7-0 lead with 9:57 on the clock.
Lamar doubled its cushion on Holden after the defence forced another three-and-out before the offense followed it up with a time-eating drive that ended with Beshore hooking up with RB Austin Wilkerson for a 15-yard touchdown pass with 3:47 left in the first quarter to push the advantage to 14-0.
On the Tigers’ ensuing drive, Beshore went to the air for another touchdown, using play action before rolling out and completing a 9-yard touchdown pass to Cameron Sturgell to push the margin to 21-0 with less than nine minutes to go in the first half.
Lamar’s Alex Wilkerson picked off a Holden pass for the game’s first turnover to set up a 38-yard passing score down the seam from Beshore to Austin Wilkerson for a second time to make the score 28-0 with 7:40 to play in the first half.
Holden, down four scores, turned it over on downs in its own territory with 5:46 left in the first half. Lamar capitalized, using a 27-yard completion from Beshore to WR Ian Ngugi set up a 1-yard touchdown run from WR Terrill Davis for a 34-0 lead with 3:57 left in the second quarter.
Davis followed up his 1-yard score with a 69-yard rushing touchdown with 1:11 left in the first half to give the Tigers a commanding 41-0 advantage.
Starting the second half with possession and a running clock, it didn’t take long for Lamar to find the end zone again as RB Cooper Haun ripped off a 31-yard rushing touchdown with 8:36 left in the third quarter to make the score 48-0.
Lamar’s Trent Torbeck added a 1-yard touchdown as time expired in the third quarter to give the Tigers a 54-0 lead.
Holden picked up its only first down of the game on the final drive while facing a fourth-down and 1 with just over a minute remaining in regulation.
