In perhaps the marquee match-up among Saturday’s state semifinal games in Classes 1 through 5 across Missouri, the KCI champion Lathrop Mules took a spotless (13-0) record into a home duel with the seven-time Class 2 state champion Lamar Tigers, with the Mules in the semifinal round for the first time in 47 years.
In a game filled with momentum shifts and surges, a run of 21 straight points by the Mules, and a key recovery of a Lamar onside kick by Blake Gordon to seal the outcome, send Lathrop to Faurot Field in Columbia with a 28-21 victory, igniting a celebration at the Mules stadium just north of Lathrop High School.
Lamar (12-2) opened the scoring with a 4 yard touchdown run by Duncan Gepner on the game’s first drive, taking a 7-0 lead, only to see the Mules answer with 21 straight points, including a touchdown returned via a blocked punt from Seth McKnight.
The win matches Lathrop with fellow (14-0) unbeaten Blair Oaks, Friday afternoon at 3 o’clock from Memorial Stadium/Faurot Field in Columbia for the Class 2 state championship.
The Mound City Panthers, in Saturday’s eight-man championship game in Columbia, dethroned the defending state champion Worth County Tigers in a 36-32 thriller, while CBC beat Rockhurst for the Class 6 title on Saturday night, 45-21.
The Cinderella story of the Mid-Buchanan Dragons reached its conclusion in the Class 1 semifinals on Saturday afternoon in Faucett, with Lincoln beating Mid-Buchanan 14-13. In Class 3, Maryville lost to Trinity Catholic 36-14, while in Class 4, Smithville lost at MICDS 20-14, and Fort Osage beat Columbia Battle in Class 5, 46-30.
In the Class 4 championship game in Columbia this Friday night, MICDS will play Ladue Horton Watkins at 7 o’clock. Trinity Catholic will battle Cardinal Ritter on Saturday morning at 11 o’clock in Class 3. In Class 1, Lincoln will take on Hayti on Saturday afternoon at 3, while in Class 5, Fort Osage will play Vianney on Saturday night at 7, all at Faurot Field at the University of Missouri.
