MABEN — When West Oktibbeha County High School football coach Adam Lowrey asked senior Tiberias Lampkin to take a more active leadership role for the Timberwolves, he did not hesitate before answering.
“I am really thankful and blessed that I have such a great coach and he gave me a chance to help lead the team,” Lampkin said. “I have been working hard since I first started playing football in fifth grade. I feel really grateful and ready for this opportunity. He gave me an opportunity that I was ready to respond, too.”
Lampkin responded again Friday night. The 5-foot-10, 190-pound co-captain rushed for 250 yards and six touchdowns as West Oktibbeha took its Class 1A, Region 3 opener with a 52-20 victory over Nanih Waiya.
For his efforts, Lampkin is this week’s The Dispatch Prep Player of the Week.
“My offensive line, I am in awe,” Lampkin said. “Last year, we had some flaws on the line. This year, they have worked hard and really come a long way. The holes they opened for me were unbelievable Friday night. And I have got to recommend Zane Watson. He is a big fellow. He is a tenth grader but he is playing ball like senior. The offensive line has come up really big.”
Watson was joined on the line by Donovan Henderson, Davarius West, Johnny Chambers and Michael Graise. The emergence of the line has been a key as the Timberwolves have strived for more balance this season.
“Our offensive line did a tremendous job Friday night,” Lowrey said. “Then you have to be impressed by the performance of Tiberias. He has really accepted his leadership role on this team. Not only does he work hard to be the best he can be, he pushes others to do the same.”
West Oktibbeha established itself as one of the best passing attacks in the area last season. The Timberwolves won seven overall games and five region games before falling in the opening-round of the Class 1A playoffs.
“The biggest goal for our season was to become a more balanced offense,” Lampkin said. “We have been known as a passing team, but we want more balance. We have a great quarterback. We have great receivers. People started to key on our passing attack at the end of the season last year.
“How can you key on a passing and running team? If you key on the pass, we can run, now. If you key on the run, we can pass, now. The key is to be balanced, because one sets up the other.”
Lampkin also excels as a defensive back on the other side of the ball. While West Oktibbeha averaged better than 31 points per game last season, Lowrey and his staff knew that an improved commitment on the defensive side of the ball would be necessary for the team to play into December.
“Last year, were more of an offensive dynasty,” Lampkin said. “We put up a lot of points but we couldn’t stop that many offenses. During the summer, we focused more on defense. If you look at our games this year, we are a more stable defensive team. We were in the weight room a lot more than we were last year. As a team, our focus now is stopping the other team’s offense.
“If we stop the other team’s offense, we know we are going to put up points. To be successful, we have to be balanced on offense and keep stopping people on defense.”
As the Timberwolves strive for offensive balance and defensive consistency, Lampkin is pleased to be leading the charge.
“(Being looked at as a leader) means a lot to me,” Lampkin said. “Instead of telling the other players what to do, it is more like me showing them what to do. I don’t have to say anything to the others because I am trying to demonstrate it. Basically, it is all about playing hard and working hard. Some of the guys that came ahead of me weren’t as good leaders. When I first started playing, I would have liked somebody to look up to and lean on like a big brother.
“Now, I want to be that type of person for my teammates. If the game gets hard, I want you to know you can depend on me and I am going to come through for you.”
Lampkin began honing those leadership skills, when he first started playing pee wee football in fifth grade. Along for every step of this ride has been Lampkin’s father, Joseph.
“I am really blessed,” Lampkin said. “My dad has always coached me up. He was an all-state running back at (former) Sturgis (High School). They won the state championship his senior year. He means a lot to me. He has always kept me focused and working hard. He is a big role model and he has always been a big part in everything I do.”
In those early pee wee days, Lampkin was a quarterback. Things quickly changed when a couple of years later, he started playing at the high school.
“Well I started out as a running quarterback,” Lampkin said. “It was more running than throwing. I can remember getting ready to leave pee wee and coming into high school. I told myself I wanted to be a running back in high school. I remember going home at night, lifting weights and running. I wanted to become the best football player I could become.
“I decided then I wanted to be a running back too, just like my dad.”
An honor roll student and active member of several school organizations, Lampkin is also a big part of the West Oktibbeha track program. A year ago, the Timberwolves competed in the state championships. Lampkin is part of the 4×100 and 4×200 relay teams.
Now Lampkin has his sights set on a football state championship. After that, he hopes his football career continues on a much higher level.
“The next step is the collegiate level,” Lampkin said. “I want to keep my same mind-set. My goal is to play football on the Division I level. I want to be one of those football players, who came from a small school with 20-something players on the roster. I want other players to look at me and say ‘I can do this, too’.”
When the time comes, a new coach will be asking Lampkin to lead. Look for one of West Oktibbeha’s shining stars to ready to respond yet again.
Scott was sports editor for The Dispatch.
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