MOBERLY, Mo. - The Moberly Spartans started Friday night's game with a bang, using a big play to take the lead after just 9 seconds of play.
The Blair Oaks Falcons were able to answer with a big play of their own. Make that five of them.
Every one of the Falcons' five scoring plays covered 28 yards or more and Blair Oaks kicked off the season with a 42-18 victory.
Perhaps the biggest of Blair Oaks' big plays was the first one.
Each team scored on its first play from scrimmage, Moberly getting a 65-yard touchdown pass from Drake Davidson to Ryan Boulware and Blair Oaks' Cody Alexander scampering 53 yards for a score.
Alexander got the Falcons into great position with a 28-yard return on the ensuing kickoff after the Spartans' score, and he did the rest on the next play, ripping off the scoring run.
"I was just really happy to see the kids respond," said Terry Walker, who picked up a win in his first game as the Falcons' head coach. "We had talked about maybe a bad play happening early on and what we were going to do about it. ... Certainly they responded in a positive manner."
Alexander, in his first season as the Falcons' feature back, had set up his scoring run with a nifty 28-yard kickoff return. He said he wanted to make sure something positive happen with his first carry, which gave the Falcons a lead they wouldn't relinquish.
"We couldn't get down on ourselves after that first play," he said. "We knew we had to come back with something."
The Falcons had plenty of other "somethings" as the game wore on. The remainder of their scoring plays were:
• A 39-yard scoring run by quarterback Jordan Hair, who broke free of several would-be tacklers at the line of scrimmage before leaving everyone else behind.
• A 45-yard pass from Hair to Adam Schell that came with just 10 seconds left in the first half.
• A 61-yard heave from Hair to C.J. Closser that came after Moberly had almost come up with a muffed punt, only to be called for interfering with the returner's ability to field the ball.
• A 28-yard interception return by Schell.
• A 68-yard interception return by Schell that came just three minutes after the first defensive score.
"We've been working hard all summer and we just wanted to hit someone in another jersey," Alexander said. "It felt really good to come out and get the "W.'"
The pass from Hair to Schell might have been the play that broke Moberly's back. The Spartans trailed by just one in what had been an extremely close game to that point.
The Falcons were facing fourth-and-16 when they called timeout with :18 left in the half. Just 8 seconds later, Schell was celebrating in the end zone after slipping behind the Spartans' defense for the score.
"Coach said he wanted some points on the board (in the timeout)," Schell said. "He's been talking about senior leadership and I told him I wanted the ball. We had to make a play.
"I told Jordan, "That middle is going to be open, that safety is coming down.' Luckily enough it worked out."
Schell said his second and third touchdowns were the result of a great team effort.
"Our defense was doing really well - we had really good coverage on both of those plays," he said.
Walker said he wasn't surprised to see Schell come up with a big game.
"I was just so incredibly happy for Adam, for him to have the opportunity to make those plays," he said. "But Adam had practiced well all week, he had worked. So I was not surprised that he made them."
That big-play ability helped Blair Oaks win the game despite losing some statistical battles. Moberly outgained Blair Oaks by 60 yards and the Falcons had a paltry four first downs the Spartans' 19.
"(Moberly head) coach (Cody) McDowell did a great job with their offense and they didn't quit," Walker said. "They kept on playing.
"We need to figure out how to close the door a little bit better defensively, and then we're going to be just fine."
Blair Oaks attempted just eight passes and completed three, but two of them went for scores and the other was a 12-yard gain for a third-down conversion.
Alexander led all players by racking up 160 yards rushing, averaging 10 yards per carry.
"Cody is going to be a great player," Walker said. "This is really his first year in the 2-back position. I really liked what I saw from him."
Walker said he was glad to snag the first win of his coaching career in his first attempt.
"It was a good experience - I enjoyed it," he said. "It was fun and I'm looking forward to the next one."
Blair Oaks opens the home portion of its schedule at 7 p.m. Friday against the Owensville Dutchmen.