The Lamar Tigers are going back to the Class 2 state championship game after holding off Richmond for a 21-20 win at home on Saturday.
Lamar raced out to a quick lead early.
The Tigers got a 72-yard run from Trace Willhite on the first play from scrimmage to get the ball down to the Richmond 12-yard line. Joel Beshore took the ball to the one-yard line a couple plays later before Austin Wilkerson punched the ball in for Lamar’s first score. The Tigers led 7-0 with 9:46 left in the first quarter.
Richmond managed just one first down on the ensuing drive before giving the ball back to the Tigers on their own 46.
Beshore got this drive going with runs of 22 and 21 yards on the first two plays before later finishing off the drive with a one-yard touchdown run. The extra point failed giving Lamar at 13-0 lead with 5:22 left in the first quarter.
Richmond responded on the next drive.
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The Spartans got a big play on a 52-yard pass completion from its own 25 down to the Lamar 23. Richmond capped the drive on 12-yard touchdown pass on a jump ball on 3rd and 10. That score cut Lamar’s lead to 13-7 with 24 seconds left in the first quarter.
Richmond forced a Lamar punt on the ensuing drive to take over at its own 10-yard line. The Spartans capitalized on a 90-yard drive capped off by a 37-yard touchdown run. Richmond had its first lead at 14-13 with 5:24 left until the half.
Logan Crockett and Lamar had an answer. Crockett busted a 27-yard run to get the ball to the Richmond 34. He followed that with a 21-yard run to get to Richmond’s 13-yard line. Beshore found Wilkerson for a 13-yard touchdown pass to take a 19-14 lead.
The Tigers decided to go for two and got it for a 21-14 lead right before half.
Out of the break, Richmond went three-and-out before forcing a Lamar punt to get the ball back.
On the next drive, Richmond hit on a 72-yard touchdown pass to get within one-point at 21-20.
Lamar came up big on special teams with a blocked extra point to preserve the lead.
That would prove to be the deciding play of the game.
Lamar took over with 11:52 to go in the fourth quarter and proceeded to grind 6:36 off the clock before turning the ball over on downs at the Richmond 14.
The Tigers’ defense stood strong allowing the Spartans to get across midfield to the Tiger 42 but no further.
Lamar will play for the program’s ninth state championship next Friday, Dec. 3 at 3 pm in Columbia.
Richmond 123 rushing, 199 passing
