COLUMBIA, Mo. — Blair Oaks rallied with 24 unanswered points in the second half to come all the way back to beat Seneca 38-28 in the Class 3 state title game on Faurot Field at Memorial Stadium.
Seneca scored a pair of unanswered touchdowns in the second quarter to go into the intermission with a 28-14. Blair Oaks responded in a big way, cutting the lead to one score by the end of the third quarter and continuing the second-half shutout in the fourth by scoring 17 more unanswered en route to the Class 3 title.
Blair Oaks drove down the field on the opening series but Seneca prevented any points from being put on the scoreboard after stalling the drive and partially blocked the 37-yard field goal attempt.
Seneca made the most of its first drive, marching 80 yards in five plays, with QB Kaden Clouse keeping it on an option for a 26-yard touchdown run to cap the drive for a 6-0 lead with 8:29 left in the first quarter.
Blair Oaks, using a short field after a failed onside kick by Seneca, needed just three plays to strike back. QB Tyler Bax pump faked and found WR Jaxon Engelbrecht up the sideline for a 44-yard touchdown reception to give the Falcons a 7-6 lead with 7:31 left in the first quarter.
Seneca used a quick strike through the air of its own when Clouse pump faked and found TE Hagen Ginger wide open down the middle of the field for a 50-yard touchdown. Clouse converted on the 2-point try to give Seneca a 14-7 lead with 6:32 left in the first quarter.
Blair Oaks put on a 12-play, 63-yard drive to get down to the 1-yard line before Carson Versules punched it in on fourth-and-goal to tie the game at 14-14 with 3:16 left in the opening stanza.
Seneca converted on fourth-and-1 from midfield to keep its first drive on the second quarter alive. Clouse then found Brody Probert for a 32-yard connection that ultimately set up a 17-yard touchdown by Clouse on a keeper to put Seneca on top 21-14 with 7:55 left in the first half, capping a drive that spanned 92 yards.
After forcing the Falcons into a punt, Seneca capitalized in extending the lead to two possessions after Clouse capped a seven-play, 67-yard drive with a 4-yard touchdown run on third down.
The score ultimately sent the Indians into the intermission with a 28-14 advantage after Seneca held strong late in the half after Blair Oaks failed to convert on fourth-and-goal from the 4.
Both teams punted to start the second half before Seneca opted to go for it on fourth down deep in their own territory on its second possession of the third quarter.
The Indians were stopped on the play, setting up the Falcons with good field position, but a few plays later, Probert picked off Bax to flip the field once more.
Blair Oaks got back within one score after Jax hooked up with Brenden Rackers for a 64-yard touchdown on the deep ball over the middle to make the score 28-21 with 18 seconds left in the third quarter.
Blair Oaks rallied all the way back to tie the game at 28-28 after Bax kept the ball up the middle for a touchdown to cap an eight-play, 42-yard drive with 8:44 left.
Seneca went for the deep ball on the ensuing drive before Clouse was picked off by Sam Closser with an over-the-shoulder interception to give the Falcons the ball at the Indians’ 33.
Blair Oaks made the most of the turnover, with Bax finding Versules in the flat on a screen before he absorbed multiple tackles on the way to a 15-yard touchdown to make the score 35-28 with less than seven minutes in the game.
The Falcons knocked down a 37-yard field goal by Nolan Laughlin on fourth down with 1:44 left to essentially put the game out of reach.
GAME STATS
The Falcons outgained the Indians 500 yards (329 passing) of offense to 374 (255 rushing).
Clouse threw for 119 yards, a touchdown and two picks, while rushing 28 times for 187 yards and three more touchdowns.
Miller Carried the ball 10 times for 61 yards, while Probert had 23 rushing yards and a team-high 33 receiving yards.
Bax completed 17-of-18 passes for 329 yards, three touchdowns and a pick. He ran 26 times for 87 yards and a score. Versules had 53 rushing yards and a score on the ground to go along with 51 receiving yards and a score through the air. Rackers caught three passes for 125 yards and a touchdown.