Everything got a little more interesting in District 20-5A on Friday night.
Lamar went into its game against Madison undefeated and a win away from securing the league title, but the Marlins dashed the Redskins’ hopes with a 24-21 victory and scrambled the district standings in the process.
Madison (6-2) improves to 4-1 in 20-5A play and earns a share of the district crown; Lamar (7-1) falls to 4-1 and co-champion. The league could end up in a three-way tie today at 1 p.m. when Chavez and Westside play. If Westside wins, the Wolves also will be 4-1.
Lamar played without running back Kalvin Guyton, who injured a knee in practice during the week. Guyton, who has scored 12 touchdowns this season, did not suit up, and he was missed by the Lamar offense.
The Marlins were in control early, taking a 14-0 lead on touchdowns by Lester Tigner (7-yard run) and quarterback Broderick Thomas (60-yard run).
Then with 10:01 remaining, Jario Lopez kicked a 37-yard field goal to give Madison a 24-13 lead.
But Lamar stormed back.
With 3:05 remaining, quarterback Bram Kohlhausen connected with Joshua Gordon for 34 yards to the Marlins’ 1-yard line. On the next play, Kohlhausen took the ball in for a touchdown.
Lamar opted to go for two, and Kohlhausen again took care of business and converted the two-point play, trimming the Marlins’ lead to 24-21 with three minutes remaining.
“At that point, I told my guys that we had gotten this far and that we needed to not make any dumb mistakes and hold on,”
Madison coach Ray Seals said.
The Marlins ran more than a minute off the clock on their next drive but turned the ball over on downs.
The Redskins got the ball back and moved downfield. Then with the ball at the Lamar 43 and one second remaining in the game, Kohlhausen dropped back for one last attempt at the end zone. But Madison sophomore defensive back William Moore got to Kohlhausen before he could release his pass and sacked him to end the game.
“My plan was to just get to him and make sure he didn’t throw that ball,”
said Moore, who had two sacks. “I didn’t want them to have a chance at a miracle play.”
Said Seals: “I thought our defense did a really good job keeping them off the field. That was the plan, to not let them have time, because we know how they can score.”
Thomas had a big night, passing for 116 yards and rushing for 155 and two TDs.
“I just wanted to win this one,”
said Thomas, who also scored on a 35-yard run in the third quarter. “We practiced and prepared all week. Tomorrow, I will be at that game cheering on Chavez so there won’t be three district champs. Since we beat Lamar, if Westside loses, I will feel like we won the whole thing.”
