By Brennan Stebbins (For OzarksSportsZone.com)
You’d have to go all the way back to 2010 to find the last time the Lamar football team lost four games in a season––and the Tigers didn’t win a state championship then.
But after playing to a 5-4 record in the regular season last fall, Lamar strung together six wins in a row––the final four of them by a combined 17 points––and topped Fair Grove 28-25 in the Class 2 championship game to add even more hardware to the trophy case at school.
“We faced a lot of adversity with injuries and balls not bouncing our way or some inexperienced guys playing in certain spots and waiting for them to develop,” said head coach Jared Beshore, who took home Class 2 coach of the year honors. “We had a lot of things to overcome in that regular season. Went on a 3-game losing streak which hadn’t happened since probably 2009. We kept our kids reeled in and dialed in on the fact that yes we were facing adversity, yes we weren’t having the level of success we’re accustomed to having, but we still had a goal that was attainable and we were still getting better. We got some guys back in the playoffs who were injured earlier in the year, or had nagging injuries and finally got healthy, and we were able to capitalize on a playoff run.
“There was a lot of adversity in that playoff run, too,” he said. “I think every single game from the district championship on was a 1-score game or in the fourth quarter there was a drive that had to be stopped or capitalized on to win the game. It was a different season than what we’re accustomed to here at Lamar, but it told us a lot about our kids and our program. That we’re not a front running program, this program was built on grinding out tough wins and overcoming tough losses and always being future minded about how these struggles in season are going to prepare us for the playoffs and the ultimate goal which is to play in the last game that MSHSAA provides.”
Heading into the 2025 season, Lamar must replace nine all-state performers from an especially large senior class, and it must do so with a senior group this fall of only eight or nine players. That’s the smallest senior class at Lamar since 2007.
“It’s a big shift and we’re relying on a group of seniors and there’s just not very many of them,” Beshore said. “They’re the ones now running the show, it’s their team and we’ve got a lot of new faces naturally with a small senior class and younger guys having to step up to take varsity roles. There’s a learning curve with that just like every year.”
As the Tigers work through some growing pains this summer, they’ll rely offensively on four returners with juniors Logan Martin and Brady Gire back on the offensive line, junior Terren Williams (2nd team all-state TE) in the backfield and senior Trent Torbeck returning with some quarterback experience.
“Those are both big, strong, athletic offensive linemen and they look the part physically,” Beshore said of Martin and Gire. “They were sophomores on an offensive line that had three seniors on it. We’ll rely heavily up front on them and their experience, and they’ve got to understand they’re not the young guys anymore, they’ve got to be the leaders up front.”
Williams rushed 109 times for 551 yards and 9 touchdowns and added 8 receptions for 89 yards and a score.
“He played in the backfield all through the playoffs last year and before that was more of a plug and play guy at tight end or receiver or wherever we needed him,” Beshore said. “He really found his role in the backfield as a true old school running back and our offense will feature him again. He’s going to get the ball, he can block on the perimeter and in the box really well. He’s an all-around asset to the offense.”
Torbeck completed 8 passes for 174 yards and 2 scores in his time at quarterback and also rushed 38 times for 261 yards and a touchdown.
“He played some quarterback but by the end of the season transitioned more into a perimeter role,” Beshore said. “He doesn’t fill up the stat sheet at the receiver position and he actually probably looked better on paper as a quarterback early in the year for us, but he’s played in big games for us. In our state title game on the final drive, the game-winning drive, he has two big-time catches on the sideline to get us first downs. I’m talking touch catches––sideline, toe-tapping, defender-in-his-hip-pocket catches in the biggest moments of the game and his football career.”
Lamar’s defense will feature returning senior linebacker Karson Parker, a second team all-state selection. He made 93 tackles, 1 sack and a fumble recovery.
“He didn’t start the season great as a first-time starter at linebacker but he really grew into the position and by the playoffs he was in on every tackle making a lot of plays,” Beshore said. “He’s a big, key returner for us in the second level.”
Lamar also returns senior linebacker and all-area player Brody Gardner (44 tackles) who started last season as a JV player and then won the varsity job later on and played outside backer through the playoffs.
“He’s had a great offseason and really looks primed for a big senior year,” Beshore said.
Williams (64 tackles, 4.5 sacks, 13 TFL) will feature at defensive end, and Torbeck (38 tackles, 9 PBU, 2 INT) is a key returner in the defensive backfield at free safety.
“Trent is our most experienced guy on the back end, he’s the guy who knows the checks and makes the calls,” Beshore said. “We’re going to rely heavily on him to get some younger players aligned and understanding what we’re trying to do.”
Lamar will jamboree at Webb City with Seneca and Joplin and then hosts McDonald County to open the regular season. The Tigers play a non-conference game at Tipton in week 3.
