MEXICO - The Blair Oaks Falcons faced an adversity Friday night no team ever wants to prepare for.
Quarterback Dylan Hair suffered an injury early in the second quarter, making the Falcons' early deficit a tougher mountain to climb. In the end, the Mexico Bulldogs led from start to finish, claiming the Class 3 District 5 championship with a 49-14 victory at Hawthorne Heights Stadium.
"When something like that happens, that's not something they write in the coaching manual," Blair Oaks coach Ted LePage said. "I probably didn't do a very good job from then on forward of being a leader of the team."
Hair's injury came on a fourth-down run in the opening minute of the second quarter. Hair was met at the first-down marker at the 1-yard line, and a second effort pushed the football past the goal line, but the junior quarterback also took a big hit on the play and was slow to get up.
Hair was down on the field for just more than 20 minutes before he was taken off the field on a stretcher to the hospital. After the game, LePage said Hair had been assessed and was released from the hospital.
"That was an emotional time, some of us were emotionally charged, including myself," LePage said. "You've got to keep your composure a little bit better as a team.
"Dylan will be fine, and our thoughts and prayers are with him."
Once play resumed, Nolan Laughlin made the extra point, cutting the Mexico lead to 14-7 with 11:21 to go in the first half.
Mexico took advantage of two Blair Oaks turnovers to start the game.
Michael White intercepted a pass on the Falcons' opening possession and then scored a 48-yard touchdown to put the Bulldogs in front less than three minutes in. Blair Oaks lost a fumble on its next series and White added an 11-yard touchdown, extending the Mexico lead to 14-0 with 5:11 to go in the first quarter.
"That was not becoming of us," LePage said.
Blair Oaks committed six turnovers in the loss.
"Once we lost Dylan, I just felt like our energy and our gas just wasn't there," LePage said.
In addition to Hair, Blair Oaks wide receiver/safety Alec Wieberg - one of two Falcons to start both ways - suffered an ankle injury and did not return.
Mexico responded to Hair's touchdown with four unanswered touchdowns to take a 42-7 lead into halftime.
White added touchdown runs of 9 and 4 yards, and Anthony Shivers scored on a 37-yard run. Also in the second quarter, Andrew Runge returned an interception 20 yards for a touchdown for the Bulldogs.
The Bulldogs finished the game with 336 yards on 47 carries. White led the way with 192 yards rushing and five touchdowns, adding a 77-yard run for a score in the third quarter to stretch the lead to 49-7.
Shivers also had 10 carries for 106 yards for the Bulldogs, who won their first district title since 2009.
Backup quarterback Jake Hagner took over for Hair the rest of the game. He finished with 16 carries for 61 yards.
Blair Oaks running back Cadon Garber broke loose for a 58-yard touchdown run with :30 to play in the game. He led the Falcon offense with 10 carries for 127 yards.
Blair Oaks, which had its streak of six consecutive district championships snapped with Friday's loss, ends the season with a 9-3 record.
Mexico (9-2) will play next Saturday in the Class 3 state quarterfinals at Seneca (8-4), which defeated Mountain Grove 24-18 on Friday for the District 6 championship.