Schools

MRH Football Season Ends With Loss to Lamar

The Devils lost in the state semifinal game.

Following two playoff games where the Blue Devils found ways to win when it looked bleak, the team was beat all four quarters on Saturday.

MRH’s season came to an end in the Class 2 state semifinal game at Lamar in a 20-7 loss to the team from the west side of the state.

“We were never really able to get going. Credit to their front four,” MRH acting coach Sterling Finney said. He said Lamar’s front four played a stronger game than MRH, and that was the difference.

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It wasn’t only a size difference, he said.

“You could just tell through the whole course of the game, they looked more hungry,” Finney said. “The semifinals were on the line. They played like it and we didn’t.”

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MRH junior quarterback Kahlid Hagens completed 11 of 20 passes for 97 yards. Lamar’s successful man-on-man coverage and the windy day worked against him. Hagens was sacked and intercepted to end drives in the first half.

Senior Kashon Hagens was the leading receiver, with five catches for 44 yards. Junior P.J. Grady-Liska led MRH rushers with 90 yards in six carries.

“Halftime 14-0 Lamar; Not that close; Zero offense for MRH,” MRH Middle School principal Bob Dillon tweeted about the first half.

The bright spot in the game for MRH was when Grady-Liska broke for a 70-yard run in the third quarter, to bring the Devils within a touchdown, 7-14. The Tigers scored again with 2:09 left in the game to seal it, 20-7.

“I would have liked for us to have gone a little further, but the truth is, when you get on this stage, you have to accept the challenge as a team,” Finney said. “I just felt like, as a team, we didn’t accept the challenge at all.”

MRH’s season ends at 11-3. Lamar takes a 13-1 record to the state final game next Friday against Lafayette.

With 10 juniors on this year’s team, including quarterback Hagens, things look good for the Blue Devils for next year.

Kashon Hagens, Ryan Bell, Orlen Clark and John Barron were the only seniors listed on the roster this year.

Also expected back next year will be head coach Brandon Gregory, who was suspended at the end of the regular season.


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