By Pat Dailey (For OzarkSportsZone.com)
LAMAR — Alex Wilkerson credited his mentors for the overwhelming success he enjoyed in Lamar’s 47-16 Class 2 semifinal victory versus Bowling Green on Saturday.
Wilkerson, a Lamar junior quarterback/safety, enjoyed a hat trick on both sides of the ball by throwing three touchdown passes and picking off three Bowling Green passes. He also ran for two touchdowns.
At safety, Wilkerson is a prodigy of his father, Lamar defensive coordinator Chris Wilkerson.
“Going home and talking to him about the gameplan helps me a lot,” Alex said. “It’s amazing to have that (connection) with him.”
“He’s one of those kids who works his butt off,” Chris said. “He’s a smart kid. We watch a lot of film together. On offense, he does his own thing. I try not to load him up too much on the defensive side.”
Alex’s older brother, Austin, closed his Lamar career a year ago with a hat trick of his own by being named an all-state safety three years in a row. He’s now a linebacker at Southwest Baptist.
Alex very well may continue the Wilkersons’ streak of all-state seasons.
“Alex had big shoes to fill and he’s filling the shoes of Austin,” Chris said. “He’s done an outstanding job for us. He had a great day today on both sides of the ball.”
For the record, Alex gives safety a slight edge over quarterback in regard to which he prefers playing.
“I like them both pretty much even. Maybe I like defense a little bit more because I get to hit people,” Wilkerson said. “On defense, I get to see the offense, what they’re doing and play games with them. I look to the quarterback and see who is going to be open. That helps me get where I need to be.”
As a quarterback, Wilkerson’s confidant is 2023 Lamar grad Joel Beshore, a former Tigers quarterback now playing defensive back for SBU.
“I have a great mentor in Joel,” said Wilkerson, who is in only his third season as a quarterback. “He’s at every game and has taken me under his arm and led me.”
Altogether, Wilkerson had a hand in six Lamar touchdowns Saturday.
He had touchdown runs of five and 11 yards. He completed touchdown passes of 34 and five yards to wide receiver Ian Ngugi and threw a scoring strike of 18 yards to running back Cooper Haun. Also, he reached paydirt from 45 yards out on a return of one of his three interceptions.
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No one has enjoyed playoff football more than Wilkerson.
“This weather and this community has been amazing,” he said.
Wilkerson and running back Logan Kish both finished with 82 yards rushing and Haun added 70.
Lamar (12-1) handled a previously undefeated team for the third straight week. The Tigers have won their four home playoff games by a combined total of 170-41.
“We’re getting the train rolling at the right time,” Ngugi said.
Ngugi had three receptions for 74 yards in the first half to help Lamar head into halftime with a 27-0 lead.
“Ian is a great athlete,” Wilkerson said. “We know he’s got to get the ball and he’s going to make a play.”
“When we throw the ball, good things happen,” Ngugi said.
Prior to this fall, Ngugi was better known for his basketball talents. He averaged 20 points a game as a sophomore and was named All-Big last winter.
For the time being, basketball season can wait. Ngugi hasn’t spent much time in the gym lately.
“I’ve been focused on getting to State and winning it all this year,” he said. “I’ve always been a basketball guy growing up. But I’m starting to like football, too.”
Bowling Green (13-1) averaged 64 points a game last season and 56 this season. But Lamar all but completely shut down the Bobcats’ offense in the first half.
Bowling Green didn’t collect its initial first down until the final minute of the first half. Bobcats running back Bleyne Bryant had 10 carries for 34 yards in the first half. The Wyoming commit finished with 177 yards rushing. He had a 49-yard touchdown run in the final minutes against the Tigers’ second-string defense.
“He’s a good ball player. It was a struggle to contain him, but we did it,” Lamar defensive lineman Rourke Dillon said.
Lamar put the turbo clock into effect by taking a 47-8 lead midway through the third quarter.
The Tigers dominated the line of scrimmage on both sides of the ball.
“We were stronger than them,” Dillon said. “I thought it was going to be a dogfight, a real tough game. But it didn’t turn out to be much of a game. We’re very proud.”
Lamar was well prepared for Bowling Green breaking from its offensive huddle and racing to get in formation.
“Our scout team was a big part of that,” Ngugi said. “They emulated their offense and that prepared us well. How fast they snap the ball was a big focus throughout the week.”
“Our scout team ran their offense quicker than they did,” Wilkerson said. “Everything was in slow motion for us on defense today.”
Lamar advances to the Class 2 final at 3 p.m. next Saturday in Columbia against Valle Catholic (12-1), which beat Fair Grove 51-26 in the other Class 2 semifinal.
The Tigers are back in the championship game, after losing to Blair Oaks in the title tilt a year ago.
“We’ve got some unfinished business up there,” Wilkerson said. “That chip on our shoulder from last year is going to give us added motivation. I think we’re going to get it done.”
Lamar 47, Bowling Green 16
Bowling Green 0 0 8 8 – 16
Lamar 14 13 20 0 – 47
Scoring
L – Chase Querry 32 run (Jose Juarez kick)
L – Ian Ngugi 34 pass from Alex Wilkerson (Juarez kick)
L – Wilkerson 5 run (Juarez kick)
L – Ngugi 5 pass from Wilkerson (kick no good
BG – Bleyne Bryant 56 run (Aiden Grote pass from Jace Eskew)
L – Cooper Haun 18 pass from Wilkerson (run failed)
L – Wilkerson 45 interception return (Juarez kick)
L – Wilkerson 11 run (Juarez kick)
BG – Bryant 49 run (Grote pass from Eskew)
