Lamar bruises Cassville in Big 8 West showdown, 14-10
Lee Stubblefield
There were 370 reasons why Lamar defeated Cassville on Friday night, and one reason why Cassville could not win.
The Lamar Tigers owned the line of scrimmage in this final regular season game at Thomas O’Sullivan Stadium at Lamar, chewing up the field and the Wildcats with a 370-yard rushing performance in claiming a 14-10 victory. Lamar had no passing yards in the game, as the Tigers never even attempted a pass. The Cassville defense, after making critical stops throughout the game, could not deny Lamar on a fourth-down to open the fourth quarter, and that Case Tucker touchdown run was the difference on the scoreboard.
A stable of running backs combined for the impressive team rushing total. No Tiger reached the century mark for the contest, with Cade Griffith leading Lamar with 99 yards on 9 carries.
In contrast, Jericho Ferris led Cassville with 75 yards on 14 carries while the Wildcats rushed for 168 yards on 39 attempts. Deven Bates comnpleted 5 of his 12 pass attempts for 124 yards and Cassville’s lone touchdown.
This was an old school Big 8 war in the trenches. The Lamar defense was stout on the line too, shutting down Cassville’s interior rushing game. But the arm of Bates and the leg of Drake Reese kept the Wildcats in the game and in the lead until the fourth quarter.
The Tigers self-destructed on three promising drives, missing a pair of field goal attempts on their last two possessions of the first half, and then fumbling at the Cassville one-yard line with the first possession of the third quarter. With a little luck, Lamar could have had a big lead at that point instead of trailing 10-7. Credit the stalwart Cassville defense for a trio of big stops.
Lamar held Cassville to a single first down to open the game, then drove the field to take an early 7-0 lead. Freshman running back Austin Wilkerson capped a 7-play, 77-yard drive with a 12-yard scoring run to put Lamar in front.
The Wildcats answered quickly. Bates found DJ White loose for a 28-yard connection to the Lamar 45-yard line. Four plays later, Bowen Preddy broke free on a post route and Bates delivered a 33-yard scoring strike. Reese knocked the PAT through the uprights to tie the score.
The next four possessions saw a pair of Cassville punts and a pair of missed field goals by Lamar. The Tigers drove inside the Cassville 15-yard line twice, but came away with no points.
Then the Wildcats, racing the clock, drove to the Lamar 19-yard line, where Reese drilled a 36-yard field goal with just six seconds left..
Cassville led 10-7 at the half.
Lamar took the second half kickoff and reached the Cassville one-yard line with just two long plays. But on first-and-goal, a bad snap sailed over the twin quarterbacks and Preddy flew in to recover at the Cassville 9-yard line.
The teams traded punts, and then the Tigers finally got a break. With the third-quarter clock bleeding out, Bates fumbled on third-and-short and a pile of Tigers recovered at the Cassville 21-yard line.
Four plays later, the Tigers faced fourth and one at the Cassville 11-yard line. On the first play of the fourth quarter, Tucker burst through the line for a touchdown run to give Lamar a 14-10 lead.
Cassville put together a long, time-consuming drive in a bid to retake the lead. Bates directed the ‘Cats from their own 24-yard line into Lamar’s red zone as the clock passed the five minute mark. But on fourth down at the Lamar 12-yard line, the Tigers blew up Cassville’s pass attempt.
Then the Lamar offense ground out three critical first downs, denying Cassville possession for the remainder of the game.
Lamar won a bruising battle, 14-10.
Lamar saw this game more as a chance for redemption rather than revenge for last year’s epic loss at Cassville. Scott Bailey’s players have spent a year reliving the 24-21 heartbreaker, and on Friday the Tigers channeled all that frustration into a big win over the Wildcats.
Both Lamar and Cassville finish the regular season with 7-2 records and move on to the first round of district play.
Cassville, the second-seed in Class 3 District 6, will host one-win Aurora on Friday at Wildcat Stadium. Kickoff is set for 7 PM.
Big 8 West scores
Monett 49, Nevada 0
Lamar 14, Cassville 10
Seneca 34, McDonald County 27
Big 8 East scores
Mt. Vernon 34, Hollister 13
Marshfield 47, Rogersville 7
Reeds Spring 49, Aurora 14
Springfield Catholic 28, East Newton 21
Big 8 West standings
Monett 7-2
Lamar 7-2
Cassville 7-2
Seneca 6-3
McDonald County 2-7
East Newton 1-8
Nevada 0-9
Big 8 East standings
Mt. Vernon 9-0
Springfield Catholic 6-3
Marshfield 6-3
Reeds Spring 5-4
Hollister 3-6
Rogersville 2-7
Aurora 1-8t
Class 3 District 6 standings
Mt. Vernon 9-0
Cassville 7-2
Monett 7-2
Seneca 6-3
Reeds Spring 5-4
Hollister 3-6
Aurora 1-8
Nevada 0-9
There were 370 reasons why Lamar defeated Cassville on Friday night, and one reason why Cassville could not win.
The Lamar Tigers owned the line of scrimmage in this final regular season game at Thomas O’Sullivan Stadium at Lamar, chewing up the field and the Wildcats with a 370-yard rushing performance in claiming a 14-10 victory. Lamar had no passing yards in the game, as the Tigers never even attempted a pass. The Cassville defense, after making critical stops throughout the game, could not deny Lamar on a fourth-down to open the fourth quarter, and that Case Tucker touchdown run was the difference on the scoreboard.
A stable of running backs combined for the impressive team rushing total. No Tiger reached the century mark for the contest, with Cade Griffith leading Lamar with 99 yards on 9 carries.
In contrast, Jericho Ferris led Cassville with 75 yards on 14 carries while the Wildcats rushed for 168 yards on 39 attempts. Deven Bates comnpleted 5 of his 12 pass attempts for 124 yards and Cassville’s lone touchdown.
This was an old school Big 8 war in the trenches. The Lamar defense was stout on the line too, shutting down Cassville’s interior rushing game. But the arm of Bates and the leg of Drake Reese kept the Wildcats in the game and in the lead until the fourth quarter.
The Tigers self-destructed on three promising drives, missing a pair of field goal attempts on their last two possessions of the first half, and then fumbling at the Cassville one-yard line with the first possession of the third quarter. With a little luck, Lamar could have had a big lead at that point instead of trailing 10-7. Credit the stalwart Cassville defense for a trio of big stops.
Lamar held Cassville to a single first down to open the game, then drove the field to take an early 7-0 lead. Freshman running back Austin Wilkerson capped a 7-play, 77-yard drive with a 12-yard scoring run to put Lamar in front.
The Wildcats answered quickly. Bates found DJ White loose for a 28-yard connection to the Lamar 45-yard line. Four plays later, Bowen Preddy broke free on a post route and Bates delivered a 33-yard scoring strike. Reese knocked the PAT through the uprights to tie the score.
The next four possessions saw a pair of Cassville punts and a pair of missed field goals by Lamar. The Tigers drove inside the Cassville 15-yard line twice, but came away with no points.
Then the Wildcats, racing the clock, drove to the Lamar 19-yard line, where Reese drilled a 36-yard field goal with just six seconds left..
Cassville led 10-7 at the half.
Lamar took the second half kickoff and reached the Cassville one-yard line with just two long plays. But on first-and-goal, a bad snap sailed over the twin quarterbacks and Preddy flew in to recover at the Cassville 9-yard line.
The teams traded punts, and then the Tigers finally got a break. With the third-quarter clock bleeding out, Bates fumbled on third-and-short and a pile of Tigers recovered at the Cassville 21-yard line.
Four plays later, the Tigers faced fourth and one at the Cassville 11-yard line. On the first play of the fourth quarter, Tucker burst through the line for a touchdown run to give Lamar a 14-10 lead.
Cassville put together a long, time-consuming drive in a bid to retake the lead. Bates directed the ‘Cats from their own 24-yard line into Lamar’s red zone as the clock passed the five minute mark. But on fourth down at the Lamar 12-yard line, the Tigers blew up Cassville’s pass attempt.
Then the Lamar offense ground out three critical first downs, denying Cassville possession for the remainder of the game.
Lamar won a bruising battle, 14-10.
Lamar saw this game more as a chance for redemption rather than revenge for last year’s epic loss at Cassville. Scott Bailey’s players have spent a year reliving the 24-21 heartbreaker, and on Friday the Tigers channeled all that frustration into a big win over the Wildcats.
Both Lamar and Cassville finish the regular season with 7-2 records and move on to the first round of district play.
Cassville, the second-seed in Class 3 District 6, will host one-win Aurora on Friday at Wildcat Stadium. Kickoff is set for 7 PM.
Big 8 West scores
Monett 49, Nevada 0
Lamar 14, Cassville 10
Seneca 34, McDonald County 27
Big 8 East scores
Mt. Vernon 34, Hollister 13
Marshfield 47, Rogersville 7
Reeds Spring 49, Aurora 14
Springfield Catholic 28, East Newton 21
Big 8 West standings
Monett 7-2
Lamar 7-2
Cassville 7-2
Seneca 6-3
McDonald County 2-7
East Newton 1-8
Nevada 0-9
Big 8 East standings
Mt. Vernon 9-0
Springfield Catholic 6-3
Marshfield 6-3
Reeds Spring 5-4
Hollister 3-6
Rogersville 2-7
Aurora 1-8t
Class 3 District 6 standings
Mt. Vernon 9-0
Cassville 7-2
Monett 7-2
Seneca 6-3
Reeds Spring 5-4
Hollister 3-6
Aurora 1-8
Nevada 0-9