By Justin Sampson (For OzarksSportsZone.com)
The “Purple Raid” offense has been kind to Camdenton since Jeff Shore implemented it two seasons ago. The Lakers have compiled 23 wins and two district championships in that stretch.
In 2019, they asserted themselves as one of the top teams in Class 4, running through an unblemished regular season before falling to eventual state champion Webb City in the state quarterfinals.
Quarterback Paxton DeLaurent was the driving force behind the change from the ground-heavy attack that Camdenton is traditionally known for. His 54 touchdowns and 4,034 yards through the air in 2019 capped a record-breaking career for the Lakers and earned him the title of Class 4 Offensive Player of the Year. As he now joins Bobby Petrino at Missouri State, he leaves a sizable hole under center.
“The quarterback spot will be a question mark for us,” said Shore. “We have capable guys, but they just have to get reps.”
While the Lakers waved goodbye to 11 All-Ozark Conference players, finding the right guy to direct the offense may be the biggest challenge. Shore plans to stick with the air attack that has made Camdenton go in recent years. Senior Jacob Wormsley served as the backup last year and connected on 21 of 43 passing attempts for 253 yards and three scores. He will compete for the job with sophomore Bear Shore and fellow senior Mason Draper.
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The new signal caller will be fortunate enough to have a bevy of experience around him as six seniors populate the offensive line and skill positions. Cooper Ezard is coming off an all-state campaign at wide receiver that saw him rack up 1,031 yards on 80 catches with 17 scores.
Fellow seniors Eli Griffin and Jadin Faulconer will reprise their roles in the backfield and see some time in the passing game. Faulconer led the Lakers with nine rushing touchdowns to go with seven through the air a season ago, while Griffin found the end zone five total times.
With only three starters back on each side of the ball, Draper also stands as the top returning tackler from a season ago. Along with his work as a skill player, he collected 37 tackles and six sacks at defensive end last fall.
Landon Thomas also expects to contribute in the backfield, while newcomer Javari Stewart will join the receiving corps as a sophomore.
“Thomas has had a nice offseason. He is a versatile player,” said Shore. “Faulconer and Griffin both provide a real offensive threat and have a ton of speed. We are going to count on them a lot on both sides.”
Seniors Dakota Davis, Kaiden Davis, Cesar Chaparro, and Deiven Stamper will anchor an experienced offensive and defensive line. Sophomore Jaden Parkman also expects to see an increased role at defensive end.
Griffin, Faulconer, and Stewart will bring some burst to the secondary, and Shore is eager to see them come together as a unit.
“We have a chance to be fast on defense. We hope to keep improving as we continue to work, and we will see where it goes. Experience will be the key factor to the season.”
With any team having lost so many talented seniors, reps are vital to maintaining success. The Lakers are pleased with who they will have in uniform, and all that remains to be seen is how they will answer the call.
“We have seniors that are good football players and have put in the time and effort, but just don’t have the experience yet. We have been focused on getting as many reps in during game-type situations as we can during the summer.”
Camdenton is scheduled to open the season on Aug. 28 at Kickapoo.
