LAMAR, Mo. - If defense doesn't win championships, it will at least get you back to the to title game in Maryville's case.

The Spoofhounds used a pair of defensive touchdowns to take a 13-point lead and went on to end the Cinderella run of the Lamar Tigers with a 21-7 victory in their Class 2 semifinal Saturday afternoon at Thomas O'Sullivan Stadium.

Maryville (13-1) makes its second trip to the final in as many seasons, where Brentwood (12-1) awaits. The Eagles were a 28-27 winner over Centralia in the other semifinal. The title game is set for 1 p.m. Friday at St. Louis' Edward Jones Dome.

The Tigers (7-7) had a six-game winning streak snapped with the loss.

"Take away those turnovers and it's a 7-7 game," Lamar coach Scott Bailey said. "Unfortunately, the football gods don't allow do-overs.

"We've made mistakes during this run, but we had been able to overcome them. Today, that wasn't the case."

The 'Hounds managed only 51 yards of total offense on 18 plays - 28 coming on one pass play - in the first half. Maryville's offense couldn't get going in spite of playing the entire first quarter in Lamar territory.

"We've been riding our defense all year, and they definitely came to play today," Maryville coach Chris Holt said. "We had to have them since they scored more than our offense. Usually when that happens, you're more than likely in trouble, but we did a good enough job to keep the score down."

Maryville forced two first-half turnovers - the second of which broke a scoreless stalemate with 9 minutes, 44 seconds left in the second quarter. A holding penalty and Adam Thomson's sack of Lamar senior quarterback Trenton Doyle left the Tigers facing a second-and-25 from their own 24.

Doyle gained 5 yards on an option keeper, then dropped back on third down trying to find an open receiver. Instead, junior linebacker Tyler Peve dropped back and pick off the throw just outside the left hash at the Lamar 39, cut across the field and rambled untouched into the end zone.

"I was really surprised," Peve said. "When I got (to the end zone) I was relieved - got us a little momentum and boosted us."

Maryville allowed only 111 yards of total offense in the first half, 90 coming on 28 rushing attempts.

The 'Hounds defense scored again near the midway mark of the third quarter. On third-and-15 from the Lamar 31, Maryville's defensive line put pressure on Doyle.

His only option at that point was trying to hit his halfback in the right flat, but his intended target was behind Doyle. The throw was beyond his reach and hit the ground as a live ball.

Sophomore Tyler Walter was the only Spoofhound in the vicinity, and he instinctively picked the ball up at Lamar's 25 and dashed into the end zone to make it 13-0 at the 7:19 mark of the quarter.

"I didn't know if it was dead or not, so I just picked it up and made a move," Walter said of his big play, which helped allow him a chance to play in his first state final after being on the sidelines as a freshman in 2008.

Lamar cut the deficit to six on the ensuing possession, marching 84 yards on 12 plays and converting a pair of fourth-down situations, including one on a fake punt from the their own 17-yard line.

Doyle found junior wide receiver Nick Gariss streaking down the left hash marks to convert a third-and-9 from midfield, then White took a handoff and swept around right end for a 16-yard TD with 3:43 on the third quarter clock.

The Spoofhound offense didn't reach the end zone until less than four minutes remained in the game. Getting the ball at the Lamar 38 after a failed fake-punt pass, Maryville needed just six plays to once again make it a two-score game.

Junior quarterback Marcus Grudzinski scored on a 2-yard sneak after senior running back Derek DeMott set up first-and-goal with a 15-yard run off left tackle. Grudzinski also completed his only pass to convert on third-and-8 from the Lamar 36, hitting Walter for 13 yards.

"Our offense probably didn't execute as well as they wanted to, but our defense picked it up," Peve said, "and defense wins games."