Crusaders pummel Wolverines, 77-6

ST. LOUIS - When Todd Buschjost of Helias scored on a 2-yard run on the opening play of the second quarter Saturday afternoon against Vashon, there was 11:49 on the scoreboard clock.

And after Helias booted the extra point, the clock kept running. It was down to 10:58 before the officials noticed and had it stopped, then reset to the proper time. The person running the clock may have been a bit confused, so the official came over the pressbox to inform him the running clock only goes into effect in the second half.

Pesky rulebook.

Buschjost's score had made it 42-0 just 11 ticks into the second quarter, as the Crusaders went on to post a 77-6 victory against the Wolverines.

Helias coach Phil Pitts said the Crusaders, who broke the school single-game record of 75 points set against Fulton in 1997, figured it wasn't going to be a competitive game.

"We had to have a great week of practice, we had to practice like this was going to be a big game," he said. "We had a chance to work on some things and we had a very good effort."

Helias won this one when its bus didn't break down on the way to the game.

Touchdown runs by Michael Tannehill (12 and 3 yards) and Garrett Buschjost (15 and 9 yards), along with a 10-yard scoring pass from Wyatt Porter to Hale Hentges, made it 35-0 at the end of the first quarter.

"We have a lot of guys in this offense who can do some damage, we just need to make sure we spread it around and get it to them," Pitts said.

The Crusaders finished the quarter with 226 total yards and 13 first downs.

"If we came out focused and playing inspired football, we had a chance to play a good game and we did that," Pitts said.

Helias added four more touchdowns in the second quarter. After Todd Buschjost's run, Helias threw for three touchdowns. Mike Faddoul hit Trent Dudenhoeffer for a 37-yard score before Porter found Hentges from 6 yards and Ryan Tannehill from 43 yards.

It was Faddoul's first varsity touchdown pass.

Hentges had his best game of the season, catching seven passes for 82 yards.

"He's a difference-maker and we have to get him some touches, target him in our pass game," Pitts said. "He's a special player and we have to get him the football."

Up front, the Crusaders rotated nine players on the line in the first two quarters.

"And they all played very well," Pitts said.

Vashon's lone score came late in the second quarter on a 21-yard pass from Brandon Jones to John Mitchell against Helias' second-team defense.

Jones was the third quarterback Vashon used Saturday. Expected starter Clifton Dickens sat out because of a concussion and the Wolverines' next two signal-callers had problems controlling the football.

Vashon turned the ball over eight times in the game, five on fumbles and three on interceptions. Patrick Ward and Hentges recovered two fumbles each, while Nick Haslag had one. Andrew Shaumburg had two interceptions, while J.C. Szumigala had the other.

The Crusaders got their final two touchdowns in the fourth quarter on runs of 10 and 18 yards by Faddoul.

Helias scored a pair of 2-point conversions Saturday, including one on a run by Clayton Winter in the fourth quarter. That may have raised an eyebrow or two among the Vashon faithful, but Pitts said the Crusaders had a good reason for doing it since Vashon wasn't shy about crashing into the area of Helias' kicker and holder in the first half.

"We weren't going to run our extra-point guys out there because it was becoming way too close to them getting hurt," Pitts said. "That's just the way it worked."

After Helias scored to make it 77-6, the Crusaders took a knee on the 2-point attempt.

It was the third time in five games this season Helias has not attempted a punt. It's also the third time the Crusaders have gotten a running clock, which means the starting unit sits for the second half.

"It's something we have to be mindful of," Pitts said. "It's a concern that we aren't getting our starters enough work in games, but taking them out is the right thing to do.

"You can address those things with a little more work in practice."

Helias (3-2, ranked No. 5 in Class 4) will host Rock Bridge for Homecoming on Saturday. Game time is 7 p.m. Vashon is now 3-2.