High School

Lamar scores late to beat Fair Grove in Missouri high school football Class 2 finals: Live updates recap

Lamar Tigers wins 10th state title since 2011 with late score TD run by Wilkerson

Cody Thorn

Lamar will play Fair Grove in the Class 2 championship on Friday at Faurot Field in Columbia. Jeremiah Herbinger helped the Tigers win the Class 2 title last season.
Lamar will play Fair Grove in the Class 2 championship on Friday at Faurot Field in Columbia. Jeremiah Herbinger helped the Tigers win the Class 2 title last season. / David Smith

Lamar is looking to join some elite company among high school programs in Missouri.

The Tigers play Fair Grove in the Class 2 championship game at 3 p.m. on Friday at Faurot Field. Lamar is looking to repeat as champions and if that happens, it would be state title No. 10 for the Tigers.

In MSHSAA history, only three programs have won 10 or more titles:

  • Webb City - 16
  • Valle Catholic - 15
  • Jefferson City - 10

Lamar did not win its first state championship until 2011 under the guidance of Scott Bailey. Lamar won seven in a row during that first stretch, while adding another title in 2020 and then another last year. Lamar was in the finals in 2021 and 2022 but came up short in those games.

Lamar (10-4) enters with the most losses in a regular season since 2010, which included three straight losses in the middle of the season. The regular season ended with a loss to Seneca, a Class 3 finalist. 

The Tigers have won a pair of close games to reach this point, beating Warsaw 15-13 in the district title game and then a 27-26 win over Bowling Green last week.

Lamar scores nearly 33 points per game and gives up an average of 20.6. Fair Grove comes in averaging 43.9 points per game on offense and gives up 13.3

Fair Grove (14-0) is in the final for the first time in school history. The Eagles, like Lamar, had a close call to earn a trip to Columbia. In the quarterfinals, the Eagles beat Lafayette County 14-13. Last week, Fair Grove hammered South Shelby, 55-21.

These two teams are very familiar with each other and Lamar has owned the series, with a 6-0 mark and all six wins have came in the playoffs. 

The closest game in that stretch was a 25-point win for Lamar in 2019.

MISSOURI HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL SCOREBOARD

About Lamar

Key players — RB Cooper Haun (153 carries, 1,014 yards, 12 TDs); QB Alex Wilkerson (35-for-70, 527 yards, 10 TDs); RB Carson Sturgell (97 carries, 855 rushing yards, 10 TDs, 8 catches, 173 receiving yards, 3 TDs); WR Trey Pittsenbarger (13 catches, 214 yards, 3 TDs); LB TJ Ansley (122 tackles, 4 INTs); S Orry Jones (111 tackles)

About Fair Grove

Key players — RB Kellen Lair (102 carries, 1,591 yards, 20 TDs); QB Spencer Seiger (127-for-200, 2,032 yards, 30 TDs); WR/S Bryden Baxter (54 catches, 948 yards, 17 TDs, 134 tackles, 6 INTs); LB Brock Bruner (183 tackles, 1 sack)

Follow along below for live updates from the Class 4 Missouri high school school football state championship game, which is scheduled to start at 11 p.m. CT Friday, Dec. 6

You can also watch Lamar vs. Fair Grove on MSHSAA.tv (purchase required).

Missouri (MSHSAA) high school football scores, live updates, 2024 playoffs, state championships (12/6/2024)

Lamar vs. Fair Grove, Class 2 championship game live updates

Will update when game starts

1st QUARTER

TOUCHDOWN! Lamar fumbles the opening kickoff. Fair Grove recovers. Fair Grove 7, Lamar 0, 11:54.

TOUCHDOWN LAMAR! Alex Wilkerson from 4 yards away to forget a tie. 4:01 left in 1st. Lamar 7, Fair Grove 7

TOUCHDOWN LAMAR! Wilkerson to Ayden Sheat for 68 yards. With 20 seconds left, Lamar up. Lamar 14, Fair Grove 7

END OF FIRST: Lamar 14, Fair Grove 7

SECOND QUARTER

TURNOVER ON DOWNS! Fair Grove goes to the Lamar 5, but a run attempt is stuffed. 9:07 left in 2nd.

TOUCHDOWN LAMAR: It's a third score for Wilkerson. This one with 3:49 left from 8 yards out. Lamar 20, Fair Grove 7. That was a 10-play, 95-yard drive for the Tigers.

TOUCHDOWN FAIR GROVE! QB Spenser Seiger hits Wyatt Hallam for 4-yard touchdown with 46 seconds left. Big play on the drive was a 35-yard pass from Seiger to Keller Lair. Lamar 20, Fair Grove 13. PAT blocked by Lamar.

THIRD QUARTER

TURNOVER! Fumble on the play and Brody Gardner picks it up at the 9-yard line. 6:56 in 3rd

Fair Grove with ball again with a chance to tie or take the lead following a punt by Lamar's offense.

End of third: Lamar 20, Fair Grove 13

FOURTH QUARTER

TOUCHDOWN FAIR GROVE! Seiger to Kellen Lair for a 63-yard TD pass. Impressive play. I had watched the replay; looks like he broke six tackles and traversed across the field for a TD. The extra point is blocked. Lamar 20, Fair Grove. 9:41 left to play.

TURNOVER! Lamar throws an interception. Bryden Baxter gets the pick and runs it back to the 27-yard line. 6:41 left.

Seiger with a big run on 4th-and-10 from the 15 for the Eagles to keep the drive alive on a QB keeper.

TOUCHDOWN FAIR GROVE! Seiger with 7-yard TD run. 3:11 to play. Fair Grove 25, Lamar 20. Two-point conversion failed.

Lamar into the red zone with 1:15 to play. Buckle up for a big finish.

TOUCHODWN LAMAR! Wilkerson runs up the middle for a 5-yard TD. 43 seconds left. 26-25. Lamar going to for two, but they call a timeout.

TWO-POINT CONVERSION GOOD! Eli Ngugi from Wilkerson. Lamar up 2

TURNOVER! Final second hail mary attempt comes up short. Intercepted by someone on Lamar -- will try to confirm.

FINAL: Lamar 28, Fair Grove 25

Wilkerson ran 19 times for 90 yards and 3 scores, while throwing for 167 yards and a touchdown. Sheat had 4 catches for 122 yards. TJ Ansleyh had 10 tackles for Lamar.

Seiger was 11-for-20 for 201 yards and 2 TD passes. He ran for 74 yards and another TD for Fair Grove. Baxter had 11 tackles for Fair Grove.

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-- Cody Thorn | @sblivesports

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Cody Thorn
CODY THORN

Cody Thorn is a veteran journalist who covers high school sports across the state of Texas and Missouri. He is based in the Dallas-Fort Worth area and has covered sports and news since 1999.

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