St. Pius X loses by ultra-close score in heartbreaker title game dominated by defense
St. Pius X couldn’t have come closer in its Friday night Show Me Bowl game against Lamar for the Missouri Class 2 high school football championship.
In a game devoid of much offense, a 6-3 victory at Blair Oaks High in Wardsville gave Lamar (14-1) its eighth state title since 2011. Kansas City’s Warriors (12-1), unbeaten entering the contest, finished as state runners-up.
Few expected a defensive stalemate, as both teams boasted potent offenses. But each side punted six times. In the end, Lamar’s offense did just enough to secure the victory, with mobile senior quarterback Case Tucker rushing for 101 yards on 27 carries and sophomore running back Joel Beshore hitting Mason Gastel for a 74-yard touchdown — the only TD of the game — on a halfback pass.
This came immediately after St. Pius had taken a 3-0 lead late in the third quarter on a field goal by Joey Wilson.
For most of the night, even when St. Pius generated scoring opportunities off big plays or Lamar’s 10 penalties, the Warriors were unable to capitalize.
“We’re typically a 60% run team,” St. Pius coach Anthony Simone said. “And they completely took us out of our game plan. Hats off to them. They did a great job stopping the run.”
The teams exchanged punts throughout the first half. Lamar coach Jared Beshore, whose younger brother threw the winning trick-play pass, said he knew his squad was in for a defensive battle after the opening series.
The Warriors managed just two first downs to the Tigers’ five, the first quarter ending on a Lamar fumble recovered by St. Pius. In the second quarter, Lamar converted two fourth downs on the same drive but couldn’t find the end zone.
St. Pius gave itself some opportunities after halftime. The Warriors put together a nice drive highlighted by junior quarterback Jack Mosh connecting with Robbie Sharp for a first-down throw across the middle.
After a tipped pass, a false start and a scramble by Mosh for no gain, a late hit against Lamar gave the Warriors another try from inside Lamar’s 20.
On third and long, Mosh was nearly picked off at the goal line. That led to the Warriors’ field goal and short-lived 3-0 lead with two minutes remaining in the period.
“It was a wake-up moment for us,” Tucker said. “We knew we had to come back some way, somehow.”
Up 3-0, St. Pius’ best chance to add to its advantage came when Jayshawn Ross recovered a high snap that sailed over the head of Lamar’s punter. The Warriors took possession at the Lamar 14, but after a short gain and back-to-back incompletions, their ensuing field-goal attempt was no good.
“Life’s not perfect,” Simone said. “We’ve talked about that on and off throughout the season. That’s the first thing you tell them (his players), and then you let them know that you love them and that you’re thankful for them.
“That’s really how you handle it, because this is going to hurt.”
After going 3-7 last year and making it to the state final this fall amid the ongoing pandemic and all of its accompanying scheduling challenges, Simone said his players should hold their heads high.
“What these guys have done for the St. Pius community is unbelievable,” he said. “They’ve put St. Pius back on the map.”
This story was originally published December 4, 2020 at 11:29 PM.