High School

Never Bax down: Blair Oaks all-state QB's 6 TDs key upset win over No. 5 Lutheran North

Falcons senior state champion quarterback Tyler Bax leads Class 2 squad over defending Class 4 champion in front of home crowd

Levi Payton

Blair Oaks all-state senior quarterback accounted for six touchdowns on Friday and guided the No. 15 Falcons to a 44-26 victory over No. 5 Lutheran North at Blair Oaks High School in Wardsville.
Blair Oaks all-state senior quarterback accounted for six touchdowns on Friday and guided the No. 15 Falcons to a 44-26 victory over No. 5 Lutheran North at Blair Oaks High School in Wardsville. / David Smith

Tyler Bax is the perfect quarterback for the Blair Oaks Falcons.

When it comes to a big moment in a big game, the 6-foot-3, 180-pound senior signal caller - an all-conference, all-district, all-state selection and state champion - is the battle-tested leader that makes everything go.

One of those big games happened on Friday, as No. 15 Blair Oaks hosted No. 5 Lutheran North at Blair Oaks High School in Wardsville. It was a highly-anticipated showdown on the schedule and one of the biggest games across Missouri this weekend.

The big right-hander delivered.

Bax accounted for 394 total yards and six touchdowns Friday night, leading his defending Class 3 defending state champion Falcons to a 44–26 victory over the Crusaders. The dual-threat gunslinger threw for 280 yards and four scores while rushing for 114 yards and two more, keeping the defense on skates all night.

The Falcons returned a deep roster from last year’s Class 3A state championship team, particularly at skill positions. Experienced running backs, wide receivers, and tight ends provided continuity, allowing the offense to operate with speed and balance. Combined with a seasoned offensive line, Blair Oaks has proven it can hang with just about anyone.

Despite that, the Falcons moved down to Class 2 this season and Lutheran North remained in Class 4. Classification didn’t matter on Friday. Most of the first quarter was a stalemate until Bax opened the scoring with a touchdown pass to junior wide receiver Cooper Peters, giving Blair Oaks a 7-0 lead.

That score got the proverbial ball rolling for the Falcons.

Bax went on to add rushing touchdowns of 12 and 18 yards and connected on scoring passes to running back Hayden Lackman and wide receiver Brendan Rackers. Bax capped his night the same way he started it - completing a 76-yard touchdown strike to Peters with 50 seconds left.

Lutheran North stayed within striking distance at times, but Blair Oaks’ early surge and consistency from its offensive leader kept the game firmly in their hands. The win ended the Crusaders’ 13-game winning streak and set the tone for Week 3.

With Bax at the center, Blair Oaks showed it has the roster, experience, and championship pedigree to be the favorite in Class 2. Heck, they'd be a contender and probably the favorite across several classes this year.

His versatility, athleticism, and ability to make plays both in the air and on the ground keep him in the conversation among the state’s top high school quarterbacks and Blair Oaks among the state's best teams.

Recommended Articles

feed

Published
Levi Payton
LEVI PAYTON

Levi’s sports journalism career began in 2005. A Missouri native, he’s won multiple Press Association awards for feature writing and has served as a writer and editor covering high school sports as well as working beats in professional baseball, NCAA football, basketball, baseball and soccer. If you have a good story, he’d love to tell it.

Home/Missouri