LINN, Mo. - The Blair Oaks Falcons always play close against the Father Tolton Trailblazers. They're just never the team with the most points at the end.
After a one-point defeat in the district semifinals last season and a pair of single-digit setbacks this season versus Father Tolton, Blair Oaks needed to do something different.
The Falcons needed to keep the Trailblazers' offense away from the rim, they needed to keep their tall and lengthy lineup off the boards and they needed to keep the number of possessions low. They did just that.
No. 2 seed Blair Oaks scored the game's first 11 points and only let top-seeded Father Tolton tie the score twice in a 56-44 victory Saturday afternoon in the championship game of the Class 3 District 9 Tournament at Thurman Willett Fieldhouse.
"To trust the game plan today and to be able to execute the game plan says a lot about these guys," Blair Oaks coach Ryan Fick said after the Falcon's 17th consecutive win. "We've got a lot of competitors on the floor that have been successful in multiple sports, and they really enjoyed this atmosphere. Just a complete team effort on both ends of the floor."
To keep the Trailblazers from getting looks inside the paint, the Falcons played a zone defense instead of their usual man-to-man approach.
Father Tolton shot just 37.5 percent (18-of-48) and only attempted seven free throws, making four of them.
"It worked out pretty well," Blair Oaks forward Dru Rackers said. "We weren't allowing them to dribble through us and we forced them to shoot jump shots."
The 6-foot-6 Rackers was a key part of the 3-2 zone, having to defend Father Tolton's guards on the perimeter.
"When we run that particular zone, Dru starts there at the point and that's probably the hardest job in that zone - to get from the point, to the basket and back out," Fick said. "He's one of the hardest working kids I've ever coached."
Eric Northweather, who had 15 points and 10 rebounds for the Falcons, scored four of the game's first six points, prompting an early Father Tolton timeout.
Trent Martin then knocked down his first of three 3-pointers and Rackers added two free throws for an 11-0 lead just three minutes in.
Father Tolton cut it to 13-6 by the end of the first quarter and Nathan Schwartze tied it at 15 with layup off a Derrick Tatum steal at the 5:11 mark of the second quarter.
That push didn't last long as Blair Oaks closed the half on a 14-1 run, including a pair of Martin 3s, a three-point play by Northweather and a pair of Rackers baskets.
Martin tallied 15 points for Blair Oaks.
The lead was 12 (34-22) about three minutes into the second half before Father Tolton began chipping away.
Jevon Porter scored inside with a minute left in the third quarter to make it 38-33 and Schwartze beat the buzzer with a layup to make it a three-point game.
Blair Oaks had five of its 13 turnovers in the third quarter, but the Falcons controlled the fourth quarter with Father Tolton unable to knock down enough jumpers.
All nine of Father Tolton's remaining points came off Coban Porter 3-pointers.
"I think we just refocused," Rackers said. " We executed."
Rackers scored 10 points for Blair Oaks.
Martin was a perfect 6-for-6 at the line in the final 39 seconds of the game to help close it out.
Braydan Pritchett was 7-of-9 at the line and finished with nine points.
"He does all those little things that don't show up in the box score," Fick said. "Any points he gives us is a bonus, but he takes a lot of points away from the other team with the way he guards."
Schwartze led Father Tolton with 16 points and Coban Porter had nine.
Jevon Porter, a 6-8 forward, was held to two points and five rebounds.
"He's a lot taller than most of the other kids I've battled," Northweather said. "I don't play against many people that size. It was difficult."
Father Tolton ends at 18-7.
Blair Oaks (23-5) advances to face Tri-County Conference foe Versailles (13-15) at 6 p.m. Wednesday in sectionals at Sedalia Smith-Cotton High School.
Blair Oaks defeated Versailles 84-63 this season at home.
"They have two really good scorers and we're going try to guard them and not let them score," Rackers said.