Blair Oaks blowout: Falcons earn state championship No. 7 in record fashion, 59-0

Bax earns back to back state titles, accounts for five touchdowns as Blair Oaks sets Show-Me Bowl record for margin of victory

Blair Oaks quarterback Tyler Bax led the Falcons to the Class 3 championship last year in Columbia. / David Smith

Platte County did it in Class 5, now will Blair Oaks follow suit in Class 2?

The defending Class 3 Show-Me Bowl Champion Blair Oaks Falcons look to secure back-to-back state championships today at Spratt Memorial Stadium on the campus of Missouri Western State University in St. Joseph.

Last year, Blair Oaks defeated Seneca in the Class 3 state championship in Columbia. A year later, the Falcons dropped down to Class 2 and find themselves in position to earn their seventh state championship – all of them coming since 2004.

Blair Oaks and St. Pius X from Festus will kickoff at 3 p.m. The Lancers are making their first appearance in the Show-Me Bowl.

Senior quarterback Tyler Bax guided Blair Oaks to the championship last year as the Falcons spread Seneca out five-wide and Bax either picked them apart with his arm or scrambled making plays with his legs.

This year Bax has passed for 2,758 yards with 35 touchdowns to only two interceptions while rushing for another 789 yards and 11 touchdowns.

Senior running back Hayden Lackman has rushed for 1,058 yards with 19 touchdowns. Brady Dapkus is Bax’s favorite target catching 56 passes for 949 yards with 11 touchdowns. Brenden Rackers has 35 receptions for 757 yards and nine touchdowns and Lackman has caught 34 passess for 704 yards and 10 more touchdowns.

After losing its first three games of the season, St. Pius X is won five in a row to make its first state championship game appearance.

The Lancers (9-5) are led by junior running back Cody Shaver who has 2,944 yards rushing with 32 touchdowns. Sophomore quarterback Evan Eckrich has passed for 1,946 yards with 17 touchdowns and sophomore Harrison Ray is the leading receiver with 978 yards on 37 receptions with 10 touchdowns.

Pregame

Blair Oaks will be the visiting team wearing its road whites with green number and sleeves, green helmet and white Falcon on the side.

St. Pius X is the home team and is wearing its road navy blue jerseys with gold numbers, letters, gold pants and gold helmets.

It's 43 degrees and partly cloudy. Radar shows some light rain to the north of St. Joseph.

Blair Oaks has won the toss and defers the choice until the second half, St. Pius X will receive and defend the south goal.

First Quarter

The Lancers will open up the first drive at their own 30.

After a penalty, Cody Shaver for 3, Shaver for 2 and on 3rd and 10, Evan Eckrich completes a 27 yard pass to Brody Ervin for a first down at the Falcons 43.

Shaver for 5, Shaver for 1 and on 3rd and 4, Eckrich pass falls incomplete ... on fourth down, Eckrich rolls to his right and connects on another deep ball this time to Jack Michaud for 33 yards to the Blair Oaks 3.

Shaver for one, Eckrich keeps it on second down for no gain and on third down Eckrich quick out to Michaud is caught and results in a loss of one ... fourth and goal at the 4.

Wyatt Libbert breaks up the fourth down pass in the end zone, turnover on downs, 6:33 first quarter.

Tyler Bax connects with Hayden Lackman for 17 yards, Bax runs for five, another carry off right tackle for 19 yards and in three plays the Falcons are at the 45.

Bax to Cooper Peters for 8 yards to get the ball across midfield, Lackman then adds a two yard run before Bax drills a deep ball for Brady Dapkus for 39 yards first and goal at the six.

Bax fakes the dive and keeps it for a six-yard touchdown off left tackle, Jeg Holloway extra point kick is good, Blair Oaks 7, St. Pius X 0, 4:17 first quarter ... 7 plays, 96 yards in 2:16.

Bax 3 for 3 for 64 yards passing, 3 carries for 30 yards rushing with the touchdown on the first possession.

Lancers set up their second possession at their own 34 ... Brody Ervin gets 5 on first down, Cody Shaver for 3 on second down, Shaver stopped for one on third down, fourth and one at the 43.

Brody Ervin stopped for no gain, stopped by Carson Luebbering at the line of scrimmage, turnover on downs, Blair Oaks takes over at the Lancers 43, 2:08 first quarter.

Bax gets five on first down, connects with Hayden Leckman for 13 yards on second down and hits Cooper Peters for six yards on the next play.

Hayden Lackman breaks a 14 yard run to the St. Pius 4, first and goal.

Lackman gets one on first down then Brady Dapkus scores on a three-yard jet sweep, Jeg Holloway extra point kick is good, Blair Oaks 14, St. Pius X 0, :24 seconds left first quarter ... 6 plays, 43 yards in 1:44.

Lancers start third possession at their own 20, Cody Shaver ends the first quarter with a four-yard run.

Blair Oaks 14, St. Pius X 0, end of 1st quarter

Second Quarter

Second down Wyatt Libbert stops Cody Shaver for no gain, Evan Eckrich rolls out to pass and keeps it for a two yard gain, fourth and seven and the Lancers will punt this one away.

Fair catch made at the Blair Oaks 46, 10:36 on the clock.

Tyler Bax connects on another big pass play of 42 yards to Cooper Peters to set the Faclons up at the Lancers 12 yard line ... first and 10 at the 12.

Hayden Lackman carries for six yards and then St. Pius X calls timeout, 10:07.

Bax loses two yards on second down, then picks up nine on a draw play on 3rd and 11, on fourth and 2, Bax keeps it again and gets four yards into the end zone for his second rushing touchdown ... Jeg Holloway kick is good, Blair Oaks 21, St. Pius X 0, 9:02 second quarter ... five plays, 54 yards, 1:34 time of possession.

Lancers fourth possession will start at their own 32 yard line.

First play and disaster strikes for the Lancers ... Carson Verslues intercepts a screen pass, gets six yards on the return. Blair Oaks takes over at the Lancers 24, 8:50 on the clock.

First play after the interception, Tyler Bax capitalizes on the takeaway connecting with Hayden Lackman for a 24 yard touchdown strike ... Jeg Halloway extra point kick is good, Blair Oaks 28, St. Pius X 0, 8:44 second quarter ... One play, 24 yards in six seconds.

St. Pius X starts its next possession at its own 33, Shaver loses five yards on first down, an incomplete pass on second down and Eckrich completes a pass to Dawson Litterall for no gain ... fourth and 15 with the ball on Lancer 28. Timeout Lancers 7:14

St. Pius opts to punt ... Brady Dapkus returns it 9 yards to the Lancer 36 yard line, 7:02 left first half and Bax goes back to work.

Lynnden McCoin breaks up a pass -- the first incomplete pass of the game by Bax -- as he started the game 9 for 9 for 157 yards and a touchdown.

Then what does Bax do on the next play? Bax hits Dapkus on a stop route, slips a tackle goes 33 yards before getting pushed out at the 4. First and goal.

After a Hayden Lackman two yard run, Bax connects with Jace Chouinard on a two-yard slant for a touchdown ... Jeg Holloway extra point is good, Blair Oaks 35, St. Pius X 0, 5:34 second quarter.

St. Pius X started at the Lancers 31 ... Shaver gets four on first down, Eckrich scrambles for no gain on second down and on third down a pump and go route falls incomplete and the Lancers will punt it away again. Blair Oaks takes over at its own 32, 3:58 remaining first half.

Tyler Bax caps an impressive 68 yard drive with a 21-yard touchdown run ... he faked the pass out to his left, then took off, spun off a tackle at the five and then with a defender on his leg at the two, he leaned forward and fell into the end zone for his third rushing touchdown of the first half.

Jeg Halloway adds his sixth extra point, Blair Oaks 42, St. Pius X 0, 2:06 left first half.

Lancers fumble away the next possession ... Falcons ball at the Lancers 26 with 1:05 left.

Falcons drive stalls at the Lancers 12, Jeg Halloway boots a 29 yard field goal to extend the lead ... Balir Oaks 45, St. Pius X 0, :10 seconds until halftime

Blair Oaks 45, St. Pius X 0, halftime

Tyler Bax, Blair Oaks 6-foot-2, 180 pound senior quarterback, completed 14 of 18 passes for 154 yards and two touchdowns. He started the game 9 for 9. He added another 77 yards rushing with three touchdowns.

Brady Dapkus had caught five passes for 89 yards and rushed for one touchdown. Cooper Peters has caught three passes for 56 yards.

St. Pius X is led by Evan Eckrich has 59 yards passing on 4 of 9 passes. Cody Shaver has rushed for 11 yards on 12 carries. The Lancers have 27 yards rushing on 20 carries.

Third Quarter

Second half is underway and the clock is rolling with the 45-point lead enacting the turbo clock ... Blair Oaks starts at its own 40.

Brenden Rackers scores on a two-yard jet sweep run to cap a five play, 60 yard drive, Jeg Holloway adds the extra point. Blair Oaks 52, St. Pius X 0, 9:31 third quarter

Offense has scored, special teams has scored ... and now the Blair Oaks defense gets into the action.

Carson Verslues steps in front of a Evan Eckrich pass to the right and returns it 40 yards for a pick-6 touchdown with 6:14 left in the third quarter ... a penalty after the play pushes the extra point back 15 yards, but Jeg Halloway adds the PAT kick, Blair Oaks 59, St. Pius X 0.

St. Pius gets a 40 yard kickoff return to the Blair Oaks 43 by Lynnden McCoin, Lancers in Falcons territory for only the second time in the game.

Cody Shaver breaks a 16 yard run and pushed out of bounds at the Falcons 3. St. Pius X threatening for the first time since its first possession of the game.

Shaver gets one on first down, Cayden Payne takes a shovel pass for no gain and on the final play of the third quarter Carson Luebbering tackles Evan Eckrich for a three yard loss.

Blair Oaks 59, St. Pius X 0, end of third quarter

Fourth Quarter

After three quarters ... Bax 179 pass, 79 rushing, five total touchdowns.

Zayne West tackles Cody Shaver for no gain at the five, turnover on downs ... the third turnover on downs for the Falcons defense, Blair Oaks takes over at its own 5. Clock still rolling.

Three and out for the first time today ... Blair Oaks will punt for the first time today from its own 5.

Lancers take over at their own 49.

Vander Halford with the third interception for the Falcons ... four total takeaways and three turnovers on downs and St. Pius X with only 118 yards of total offense.

Complete defensive shutdown by Blair Oaks.

Tyler Bax exits the game ... his last snap being a handoff to Toby Edler for three yards.

Now head coach Ted LePage bringing the seniors off one by one and subbing in the second team.

Senior quarterback Tyler Bax 16 of 22 passing for 179 yards and two touchdowns, 84 yards rushing and three touchdowns.

Hayden Lackman adds 64 yards rushing on eight carries and 16 yards receiving on six catches with a touchdown.

Brady Dapkus caught five passes for 89 yards and had a rushing touchdown.

Blair Oaks defense, four interceptions, a fumbe recovery and three turnovers on downs while holding St. Pius X to 118 yards of offense.

Blair Oaks 59, St. Pius X 0, final