By Jordan Burton (For OzarksSportsZone.com)
Jared Beshore’s first season at Lamar as a coach ended exactly how his last year as a player did; hoisting the MSHSAA Class 2 State Championship trophy.
Lamar’s thrilling 6-3 comeback win over St. Pius X gave the program its eighth state championship. All of the titles have come since 2011, which was Beshore’s sophomore year.
“It’s tough to put in words what an experience like that means to someone. I was extremely blessed to be a part of the beginning of this program’s successes as a player,” said Beshore. “Last season was special to me because our team got to add another chapter to this storied program’s history.”
Typically, it is safe to assume a state championship team that loses nine starters will need some time to rebuild.
However, Beshore is looking to continue another program tradition – mastering the art of reloading.
Lamar returns 13 full-time starters and five more part-time starters, meaning expectations around Lamar will again be high.
It also never hurts to have seven All-State players back in the mix.
Senior Tucker Torbeck (6-1, 270lbs) will lead the heart of Lamar Football on the always physical offensive line. He was an all-state selection last year and will be joined by fellow returner and classmate Jake Polodna (6-0, 240lbs) who was an All-Big 8 and All-Area pick last year. Both could also see reps on the defensive line.
Like always, there isn’t a shortage of talent in Lamar’s backfield.
Junior Logan Crockett returns after rushing for 862 yards and 16 touchdowns on just 77 carries last year. Senior Trace Willhite and junior Austin Wilkerson were All-State selections at defensive end and defensive back respectively, but Willhite added 416 yards on the ground and Wilkerson tallied 405 with 10 touchdowns.
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Senior receiver Mason Gastel (6-3, 175lbs) returns as the team’s leader in receptions (18), receiving yards (497) and touchdowns (6) in 2020.
Who is the trigger man for Lamar’s offense is still to be decided.
Juniors Joel Beshore and Ty Willhite are in a position battle to see who will fill the position vacated by standout Case Tucker.
“Naturally, it is tough to replace one of the most productive players Lamar has had in recent memory,” said Beshore. “It will be a fun battle to watch during this summer. Last season, Joel was an All-State player for us defensively and played our athlete position on offense, while Ty was our most productive offensive junior varsity weapon and scout team quarterback. Both bring a lot of ability to the position and could be productive. The competition will bring the best out of both of them.”
Juniors Ryan Davis (5-10, 215lbs) and Tyson Williams (6-3, 220lbs) will again return to the offensive and defensive lines after earning a gaggle of awards last year on either side of the ball. Classmate Terrill Davis will again be a factor in the backfield and secondary.
Maybe the scariest part for Missouri is that Lamar returns nine full or part-time starters from last year’s defense, a unit that allowed just 56 points over their final nine games.
The aforementioned Trace Willhite and Austin Wilkerson were at the forefront of that.
Willhite finished his junior season with 62 tackles, 7.5 sacks and 30.5 total tackles for loss. Wilkerson led the team in tackles (108) and interceptions (7).
Gastel (42 tackles, 8 PBUs) and Beshore (40 tackles, 3 interceptions) were great in the secondary, while Crockett (38 tackles) made his presence felt.
Beshore is also extremely excited about the development of nine seniors that will play key roles on both sides of the ball.
Stetson Wiss (6-2, 210lbs), Mason Brown (6-0, 220lbs) and Konner Jordan (6-0, 230lbs) could see reps along the offensive or defensive lines. Michael Mills (6-1, 250lbs) and Lane Duncan could see reps at tight end or defensive end. Riley Heckadon and Matthew Nance will provide depth at the skill positions and in the secondary.
For Beshore, they represent everything Lamar Football stands for.
“Many players in our program wait four years to finally get their chance to be varsity football players,” said Beshore. “Those players usually come out of nowhere and shock many other coaches and teams we play because they’ve ‘worked while they’ve waited.’ Usually those kids give it up after a year or two in other places. We are blessed that Lamar kids continue to work and fight for their opportunity to play even if they don’t reap the benefits of their work for 3-4 years.”
Lamar certainly isn’t sneaking up on anyone and they’ll continue to get everyone’s best shot regardless of class affiliation.
The Tigers will always be in the hunt for championships, but this year’s group may have to navigate a few different hurdles, especially playing in the always grueling Big 8.
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“The conference will be downhill and physical again,” said Beshore. “Same it has been for as long as the old men have been talking about it. It will prepare us to compete in the postseason.
“Staying healthy is a big one for us this year. We don’t have 70-80 kids out for football like we have had in the past, so naturally our depth takes a hit because of that. But other than avoiding injury, leadership with this group will be the biggest deal breaker for our success. If our seniors can take hold of this team and lead by example, by word of encouragement, and by spirit; I see us having a chance to have a successful season.”
Lamar will open the 2020 season in Webb City with Joplin and Seneca for an Aug. 20 jamboree. The Tigers will open their 2021 title defense tour on Aug. 28 when they host Springfield Catholic.
