Malvern, Simmons dispose of Lamar

CLASS 4A

MALVERN 41, LAMAR 31

LAMAR — The Malvern Leopards turned to their veteran quarterback in the second half on Friday night.

Senior and four-year starter Cedric Simmons led three straight scoring drives in the second half to guide Malvern to a 41-31 win over Lamar in the second round of the Class 4A playoffs.

“It’s always exciting to win in November,” Malvern Coach J.D. Plumlee said. “We don’t take them for granted.”

Malvern (9-2) will travel to Warren in the third round.

Simmons accounted for five touchdowns on Friday, including two touchdown passes and a scoring run in the final half. He completed 14 of 18 passes for 203 yards in all with 4 touchdown passes and ran 13 times for 121 yards and the clinching touchdown on a 14-yard run with 5:12 left.

“We told Ced that he was going to have to do it in the air and on the ground,” Plumlee said. “That’s what he brings to us. He’s our guy.”

Lamar (9-2) controlled the first half with its Wing-T offense, scoring on its first three drives of the game.

After Jalen Dupree reeled off a 68-yard touchdown run on the first play from scrimmage for a very quick 7-0 lead for Malvern, Lamar answered in three plays with senior fullback Damien Hendrix powering in from 12 yards out. He also scored over the right side for the two-point conversion an 8-7 lead with 10:23 left in the opening quarter.

After forcing a punt, Lamar scored in 11 plays with wing back Lee Harkreader scoring on a 10-yard around the right side. Hendrix again powered over the right side for two points and a 16-7 lead with 1:18 left in the quarter.

Three plays later, Simmons hit 6-5 tight end Kealon Juniel down the middle for a 45-yard touchdown on the first play of the second quarter to trim Malvern’s deficit to 16-14.

Lamar pieced together an option drive with a 16-play, 72-yard series that took eight minutes and 10 seconds off the clock with Hendrix bulling in from 2 yards out. Luis Balmer kicked the extra point for a 2314 lead with 3:40 left.

“The first half, that’s as good as we can play on the offensive side of the ball,” Lamar Coach Josh Jones said. “We scored every time we had the ball.”

Malvern answered quickly. Simmons hit Dyelon Caradine on a 12-yard pass across the middle to trim Lamar’s lead to 23-20 at the half.

Simmons hit Dante Cagle in stride for a 39-yard touchdown strike with 7:01 left in the third quarter for a 27-23 lead.

After a Lamar punt, Simmons tossed a 9-yard touchdown toss to Juniel on the first play of the fourth quarter for a 34-23 lead.

Lamar answered with a 9-play scoring drive with quarterback Caleb Green hitting Jarrett Dalton, who was wide open, for a 21-yard touchdown pass with 7:19 left to draw the Warriors within, 34-31.

With 5:12 left, Simmons scored on his 14-yard run for a 41-31 lead.

Dalton finished with 101 yards on 14 tries for Lamar with Hendrix adding 97 yards on 22 carries and Harkreader running 12 times for 85 yards.