VERSAILLES, Mo. - It was a win on the scoreboard for the Blair Oaks Falcons, but it came with a key loss on the field.
The Falcons began Tri-County Conference play Friday with a 34-14 win against the Versailles Tigers, but they finished the game without quarterback Nolan Hair, who suffered an ankle injury about seven minutes into the game.
"The kids were very concerned about Nolan and the status of his injury," Blair Oaks coach Terry Walker said. "Hopefully we'll find out something a little bit more definitive tomorrow."
Blair Oaks jumped out to a quick lead, starting with a 57-yard touchdown run by Hair on the Falcons' first offensive possession. Ethan Luebbering caught the first of his two 2-point conversion passes to make the score 8-0 just 2:35 into the game.
The Falcons scored on each of their first three possessions, getting a 21-yard touchdown run from Riley Lentz with 6:57 left in the opening quarter to extend the lead to 16-0.
Lentz finished the game with career-highs of 24 carries for 141 yards and four touchdowns.
"Riley's a sophomore and he's developing," Walker said. "He's going to be a very, very good running back who just needs time and experience."
Blair Oaks took over on the Versailles' 17-yard line after a fumbled snap on a punt attempt. Hair kept the ball on a zone read on the next play for a 1-yard loss, injuring his right ankle during the run. He was helped off the field and did not return, finishing with 49 yards rushing and 69 yards passing.
Later on the drive, Lentz scored on a 3-yard run to make the score 22-0 with 4:22 still to play in the opening quarter.
Freshman Cade Stockman took's Hair place at quarterback for the rest of the game. Stockman, who debuted late in the fourth quarter of last week's win against Oak Grove, finished Friday's game 10-of-19 passing for 100 yards.
Lentz added a 4-yard touchdown run early in the second quarter, but Versailles answered with a 3-yard run by quarterback Coby Williams to make the score 28-7 at halftime.
Both teams struggled to find the end zone again until late in the fourth quarter. Blair Oaks fumbled the ball nine times, losing two of them, and was flagged for 13 penalties in the game.
Versailles was called for 14 penalties and committed five fumbles, but the Tigers recovered each loose ball.
"There were parts of the game that were really sloppy," Walker said.
Lentz scored his fourth touchdown on a 3-yard run with 4:10 to play in the game. Versailles (1-2, 0-1 Tri-County) answered 51 seconds later with a 65-yard touchdown pass from Williams to Kooper Wilson to make the score 34-14.
The Blair Oaks defense held Versailles to 40 yards rushing. Williams was 9-of-20 passing for 138 yards, but he was intercepted by Braydan Pritchett in the second quarter and again by Ethan Luebbering on the first play of the fourth quarter.
Marcus Edler led Blair Oaks receivers with four catches for 62 yards.
Blair Oaks (3-0, 1-0 Tri-County), ranked No. 3 in Class 3, will host the Eldon Mustangs next Friday at the Falcon Athletic Complex. Eldon (3-0, 1-0 Tri-County) won 29-7 at home Friday against sixth-ranked Southern Boone.