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By Pat Dailey (For OzarkSportsZone.com)
AVA — Lamar defensive tackle Michael Mills is relishing his first playoff run with the Tigers and particularly enjoyed playing smash-mouth football against Ava on Saturday.
Mills and his defensive cohorts held the Bears to 160 yards of total offense and shut them out in the second half, as Lamar dominated the line of scrimmage in a 35-14 Class 3 quarterfinal victory.
“We came in expecting a lot of physicality from them. We took that to heart,” Mills said. “I never had a chance before to have many physical moments like this. Oh man, this was my kind of game. It was something I really enjoyed.”
The 6-foot-1, 255-pound Mills hadn’t experienced the kind of physicality that played out on both sides because this is his first go-around on the varsity level. The senior strapped on shoulder pads this season for the first time since he was in the eighth grade.
He went on to become a unanimous All-Big Eight West Division First-Team selection. The way he played Saturday, he may be on his way to All-State status.
“It was swirling around in my mind and then coach (Jared) Beshore talked to me about it,” Mills said about making the decision to return to the gridiron. “I’m so glad and thankful that coach Beshore convinced me to come out. I’m loving it way more than I thought I would.”
More than anything, Mills is treasuring the camaraderie he shares with his teammates as part of the famed Lamar Brotherhood.
“Most of them I knew from eighth grade. But there was a lot of disassociation from them for a long while,” Mills said of his teammates. “Being back with them now, I really do view all of them as my brothers. Being in our brotherhood, I’ve seen what I missed. I should have invested more time in football. But I love it all now. It’s made me grow personally. I have no regrets about coming back.
“I’m not necessarily doing this for myself,” Mills added. “My teammates have spent more time and put more of themselves into the brotherhood than I have. I want this season to be about them and that’s the kind of attitude that’s going around with everyone on our team.”
CLICK HERE FOR PHOTOS OF THE GAME
Mills and the rest of the Tigers’ defensive line repeatedly stopped Ava ball-carriers at the line of scrimmage. The Bears came in averaging 318 yards rushing a game.
“When I took this job, (Mills) was one of the kids walking the halls that I knew I needed to get out for football,” said Beshore, in his second season at his alma mater. “We didn’t get him out last year. But I’m really happy we got him out this year because he’s made some big-time plays.”
“He’s been a great addition,” running back Logan Crockett said. “He’s an animal up front and has been dominant.”
Crockett was also a very welcomed addition for Lamar (12-0). He suited up Saturday for the first time since breaking an arm during the fourth week of the season. On Crockett’s first carry, he broke loose for a 56-yard touchdown run to give the Tigers a 14-0 lead.
“There were some butterflies. I wasn’t quite sure how it was going to go,” Crockett said. “My head was going, ‘Don’t fumble, just hold onto the ball and it will be good.’ I knew I had to be confident in myself and have trust in my brothers. I saw a hole and thought, ‘This is really happening.’
“Standing on the sideline and not being out there with your brothers is one of the worst pains you can have in football,” he added. “It was awesome being back out there with the guys, truly spectacular.”
Crockett later had another touchdown run. Austin Wilkerson had a touchdown run and a touchdown catch. Quarterback Joel Beshore had 14 carries for 124 yards rushing, Crockett seven carries for 93 yards and Wilkerson eight carries for 63 yards.
Crockett’s return helped the Tigers sub throughout their offensive backfield more so than any other game this season.
“With guys playing both ways, we try to rotate in to have fresh legs and keep the defense on their toes,” Crockett said.
“We knew what a lot of what those guys were also going to have to do on defense today,” Jared Beshore said. “We got Joel out (at quarterback) and got Ty (Wilhite) in because Joel was giving us a lot of defensive looks. It’s nice to have that kind of depth.”
Ava (11-1) was able to stay within striking distance of Lamar for a half. The Bears trailed 21-14 at halftime.
In the closing seconds of the first half, Ava’s Zach Richards intercepted a pass at midfield and ran the ball back to the Lamar four-yard line. He bullied his way into the end zone for a one-yard touchdown run with :12 left in the second quarter.
“That big interception and score was a monster momentum (switch),” Bears coach Dan Swofford said. “Zach’s been that way all year. He’s a big playmaker and always has been.”
Ultimately, Ava couldn’t keep pace with the Tigers.
“Our guys bought into the dirty work,” Jared Beshore said of his defense. “They knew they were going to have to take on double-teams and it was going to get messy in there. They did their job with physicality on every single play. A program like Ava’s, they pride themselves on (physicality). When you’re able to match that and even at times over-physical them, that’s an outstanding job by our guys.”
Lamar marched 98 yards on its third-quarter scoring drive.
“Our goal coming in was that if they had a 98-yard drive, so be it, as long as it was in chunks down the field,” Swofford said. “We were hoping for a fumble or something at some point. But they had some guys we had a hard time stopping or slowing down. Our guys played as hard as they could. I was proud of the effort we had today.”
Lamar also beat the Bears in the air. Joel Beshore had a 56-yard touchdown pass to Mason Gastel in the first half and a 26-yard scoring strike to Wilkerson in the second half.
“They were sold out to stop the run,” Jared Beshore said. “We had to take advantage of it. Joel stepped up and made the throws when we needed him to.”
Similarly, Lamar’s defense essentially sold out to stop Ava’s run. With the Bears having thrown for only 333 yards all season, the Tigers dared them to beat them with a pass.
“We were all scooted up because we know they don’t pass that much,” Wilkerson said.
Wilkerson capped Lamar’s win with two interceptions, keeping him on a pace that may allow him to challenge Jared Beshore’s school-record career interceptions total of 23.
“He’s getting dangerously close, I may have to take him off the field,” Beshore joked. “He’ll have plenty of time to break that record. He’s a big-time playmaker. He’s in the right spot and makes plays when there is an opportunity.”
“It would be cool, honestly, to have that title,” Wilkerson said of the interceptions record. “But as of now, I’m not focused on it. We’re trying to get another ring for our seniors.”
Lamar advances to host Richmond (11-1) in the semifinal round next weekend.
Lamar 35, Ava 14
Lamar 14 7 7 7 – 35
Ava 7 7 0 0 – 14
Scoring
L – Austin Wilkerson 20 run (Jose Juarez kick)
L – Logan Crockett 56 run (Juarez kick)
A – Zach Richards 30 run (Logan Elliott kick)
L – Mason Gastel 56 pass from Joel Beshore (Juarez kick)
A – Richards 1 run (Elliott kick)
L – Wilkerson 26 pass from Beshore (Juarez kick)
L – Crockett 3 run (Juarez kick)
