Going into the game, Lamar head coach Mac Barnes said the team that ran the ball the best would win. 

Unfortunately for the Raiders, Leake Academy held Lamar to just 71 yards on the ground while rushing for 204 yards itself as the Rebels won 45-14 Friday in the MAIS Class 5A state semifinal game at Leake Academy.

Lamar scored just a pair of touchdowns, one in the first quarter and one in the third. Riley Myers intercepted a pass from Lamar quarterback Will Morris, but Hayden Farrar forced a fumble on the return, which Miller Hodge recovered in the end zone for the Raiders’ first score. Farrar also caught an 11-yard touchdown pass from Morris in the third quarter.

The Raiders finished with 149 yards through the air, and Morris was 15-for-30 with a touchdown passing. Farrar led the Raiders in rushing with 35 yards on one carry, and Daulton Nelson had 28 yards on nine rushes. Farrar also caught seven passes for 97 yards, and Collier McRae finished with four catches for 28 yards, while Miller Hodge caught two passes for 15 yards.

Jackson Bryan had 11 tackles, one for a loss, for Lamar, and Ben Bryan finished with eight tackles, two for a loss. Thomas Stephenson tallied eight tackles and one tackle for loss, and Thad Ransier and Farrar both had seven tackles. Ransier also had two tackles for loss.

Myers, a Philadelphia resident who is committed to play baseball at Mississippi State, finished with eight rushes for 51 yards and a touchdown, caught one pass for 20 yards and had three interceptions on defense, one of which he returned for a touchdown. He also finished with one solo tackle and six assists. Thomas Cheatham, also a Philadelphia resident, had three solo tackles, four assists, a tackle for loss and an interception for Leake Academy on defense. Cheatham also caught three passes for 78 yards and a touchdown on offense.

Lamar finished its season with a 7-4 record.