COLUMBIA, Mo. – The Lamar Tigers finished as the Missouri Class 2 state football runner-up on Friday evening, falling to Blair Oaks 32-27 in the championship game.
Lamar finishes the season with a 12-2 overall record, and finishes as state runner-up for the second straight season.
The Tigers got the scoring started with a 21-yard rushing touchdown from Joel Beshore in the 1st quarter. Lamar held a 7-0 lead going to the 2nd quarter.
Blair Oaks got on the board midway through the 2nd quarter with a 78-yard pass touchdown. Lamar held on to a 7-6 lead after a blocked PAT.
Lamar scored again before the end of the first half with a Joel Beshore 6-yard rushing touchdown with 1:26 left in the 2nd quarter. Blair Oaks responded with another touchdown pass (36 yards) with just 10 seconds left before half, but failed on the two-point conversion to give Lamar a 14-12 lead at halftime.
The Tigers got the ball to start the second half, but turned it over on downs. Blair Oaks took their first lead of the game on the following possession with their first rushing touchdown of the day (49 yards) and the two-point conversion to lead the game 20-14.
Lamar returned the favor with their first passing touchdown of the day, with Beshore finding Ian Ngugi for a 44-yard score. The PAT gave the Tigers a 21-20 lead heading to the 4th quarter.
The Falcons went back in front early in the 4th quarter, scoring on a rushing touchdown on 4th and goal from the two-yard line. The Tigers were able to stop the two-point conversion to keep the Blair Oaks lead to 26-21.
Lamar was forced to punt on the following possession, giving the ball back to Blair Oaks with under 10 minutes to go.
Blair Oaks scored quickly, getting another big passing play and scoring on a 72-yard touchdown. The PAT went off the upright and was no good. The Falcons led the Tigers 32-21 with 8:39 remaining in the 4th quarter.
The Tigers needed a quick touchdown – and that’s what they got. Ian Ngugi caught a 50-yard touchdown on a halfback pass. Lamar was unable to convert the two-point conversion, but still cut the Blair Oaks lead to 32-27 with 7:06 remaining in the 4th quarter.
Lamar forced a Blair Oaks punt on the following drive to get the ball back with a chance to re-take the lead.
The Tigers bled the clock and drove all the way down to the Blair Oaks 25-yard-line. Facing 4th and 21, the Tigers were unable to get the 1st down, giving the ball back to Blair Oaks and ending the game.
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