Lamar players embrace as they celebrate winning back-to-back state titles in football.

JACKSON — Davis Thames had a chance at history.

With Lamar School and Simpson Academy tied 32-32 in overtime in the MAIS Class AAAA, Division II title game Saturday at Jackson Academy, an extra point would give the Raiders back-to-back state championships — which would be a first for Lamar in football.

After tying the game 26-26 late in the fourth quarter with a 38-yard field goal, Simpson Academy scored a touchdown on the first play of overtime on a 10-yard rush by Hooks Harvey. That gave the Cougars a 32-26 advantage with a Lamar series forthcoming, but Simpson Academy opted try for two instead of kicking an extra point. The Raiders stuffed the run to keep it a six-point game, giving them the ball at the Cougars’ 10 on the ensuing possession with a chance to win on a touchdown and PAT.

Following a loss of 1 on first down, Raiders quarterback Joseph Hutchinson rushed for 8 yards to the Simpson 3, and Parker Neal then took a handoff to pay dirt on third down to tie it 32-32. Thames, who earlier missed an extra point and a field goal, didn’t let the two previous kicks faze him as he launched the PAT in between the uprights. Lamar won, 33-32.

“I knew I had to make it, instead of going into the second overtime, and I just shook all the other (kicks) off and just kept my head down and kicked it through, like I do in practice every day,” Thames said. 

“It was surreal. I’ll never forget it.”

Neither will senior running back JT McClelland, who rushed for 86 yards on 16 attempts, good for 5.3 yards per carry. It was his second title as a Raider, and a great way to go out as a senior, he said.

“It’s unbelievable,” McClelland said. “It’s a dream come true. We’ve been working hard for this. It feels so good — I can’t even explain it in words.

“(Stopping the two-point run) sparked the offense and got the offense going. We were ready to come out, and we just put it in there. One thing I can say, I left everything out there on that field. I gave it 11- percent every play. I love my brothers, and I did it for them.”

GAME SUMMARY

Lamar took a 19-16 lead going into the fourth quarter, but a 12-yard run by Simpson Academy’s Dylan Hallman and a PAT gave the Cougars a 23-19 lead with 7:49 remaining. Lamar drove down to the Cougars’ 12-yard line on the ensuing possession but couldn’t punch it in, giving the Cougars a turnover on downs and a chance to eat more clock with the lead.

On third down deep in their own territory, however, Simpson Academy opted to pass — and the ball sailed right into the hands of Lamar’s William Lamar, who ran it in from 20 yards to give the Raiders a 26-23 lead after Thames’ PAT at the 4:12 mark.

“We’ve been looking at film all week, and he just turns his head and throws it,” Lamar recalled. “I saw the end zone (ahead of me). I just grabbed it and ran with it.”

A short kickoff gave Simpson Academy the ball near the 50, and the Cougars were able to tie it up on the 38-yard field goal with 1:28 remaining to eventually send the game into overtime.

Lamar scored first on a 19-yard touchdown pass from Hutchinson to Neal in the first quarter to give the Raiders an early 6-0 lead after a missed PAT. Simpson Academy jumped ahead 8-6 with 10:37 remaining in the second quarter on a 1-yard carry by Ethan Flynt and a two-point run by Caleb Garner.

The Raiders responded with Neal’s second touchdown of the game on a 1-yard run with 8:08 remaining before the half. The two-point pass failed, giving Lamar a 12-8 advantage, which it took into halftime.

In the third quarter, Neal tallied his third touchdown of the game on another 1-yard carry, and Thames’ PAT pushed the Raiders further ahead 19-8 with 5:18 to go in the frame. Simpson Academy cut the lead to 19-16 on a 64-yard touchdown carry by Hallman with 2:58 to go in the third.

WINDY CITY

Following a short thunderstorm, a cold front moved through the Jackson area that brought heavy winds with it. Lamar had beaten Simpson Academy in the regular season 63-55, but with the cold temperatures and the wind blowing everywhere, Raiders head coach Mac Barnes said he didn’t think it would be nearly as easy to score as it was last time.

“We knew coming into the game tonight, the points were so easy to get the first time, we kept telling our team that the points weren’t going to be there,” Barnes admitted. “I kept watching the weather forecast all week — they knew so much about what we were doing and did a great job taking away a lot of stuff tonight. I thought our passing game was pretty good considering the conditions.”

Hutchinson said the winds definitely affected him as a passer. He finished the game 17 of 33 for 234 yards, one touchdown and one interception.

“This was the toughest throwing conditions I’ve had all year,” Hutchinson said. “It kind of messed me up a little bit. I overthrew some long passes, but next time I just have to adjust to it and get everything working together.”

Nonetheless, Hutchinson’s arm was a big reason Lamar finished with 368 yards of total offense, and he said he couldn’t be more grateful to contribute in such a back-and-forth game.

“First I want to thank God and my family for all they’ve done for me, and the line and the wide receivers,” Hutchinson said. “Overtime was wild. They went for two and didn’t get it, and that was big, and then we scored and kicked out extra point. Davis did a good job, and we got it.”

KNEEL BEFORE NEAL

All four offensive touchdowns scored by Lamar came courtesy of Neal, who finished the game with eight carries for 12 yards and three scores along with seven receptions for 75 yards and one touchdown. It was an MVP-caliber performance, but Neal was quick to credit his teammates for the big numbers.

“My offensive line blocked really well; most of my touchdowns were runs except for one,” Neal said. “It feels great just to be out here and win it.”

Hutchinson said it didn’t matter what Neal was asked to do, he always seemed to come through Saturday when it mattered the most.

“Parker did great,” Hutchinson said. “He’s always been there, and he’s always going to give 100 percent. He caught every pass thrown to him I think, and he ran the ball hard. He’s normally not a running back — he’s a wide receiver — but he ran the ball really well.”

Explained Barnes, “We put in a little formation that we felt we needed to have to get a little bit more of a running game in with the weather being the way we thought it was going to be.”

With it being his senior season, Neal was understandably emotional on the field following the win. He seemed most grateful for helping Lamar to its first back-to-back football titles in school history.

“I’m speechless,” Neal said. “It feels amazing though, coming back and making history. Going back-to-back for Lamar, it just feels amazing.”

COMPLIMENTING THE COUGARS

Barnes said he was proud of his team for pulling through to get a tough win against a quality opponent, especially since the Raiders weren’t able to score nearly as many points against the Cougars as they did in the regular season.

“I know this sounds funny, but I really feel for Simpson,” Barnes said. “There is no way we deserve to win this more than Simpson. I have a lot of respect for their coach, Dan Napier, who is really a classy guy. I love their coaches, players and administration. Simpson plays football the way football is meant to be played, and we feel extremely fortunate to be the champion this year.”

MISCELLANEOUS

Elon Pressley led the Raiders in receiving with 76 yards on five receptions. Luke Graham added 54 yards on two catches, and DJ McGrew caught a pass for 15 yards. The Raiders’ defense held Simpson Academy to 336 yards rushing and 345 total yards.

“Our defense gave up some yards and some points, but all night they just (toughed it out),” Barnes said. “Like last year against Oak Forest, you just have to fight up in the trenches, and we’re not really big up in there.”

The state title was Lamar’s second championship in a row and fifth in school history, the other four coming in 2003, 2007, 2013 and 2016. Barnes has been the coach for all five. 

“It’s really special,” Barnes said. “I haven’t thought about it, but this is two in a row, and man, that doesn’t happen very many times.”

The Raiders finished the season with a 12-3 record and won its final 10 games of the year.