On the scoreboard, it wasn't the result Jefferson City was hoping for.
But the Jays believe they can build from last week's 36-31 loss to Rock Bridge and learn from the defeat.
Jefferson City (4-2) will look to get back to its winning ways in Week 7 when the Jays host Confluence Preparatory Academy (3-3) at 7 p.m. tonight for Homecoming at Adkins Stadium.
"We didn't want to lose the game, but we sure learned some things, and we'll be better because of it," Jefferson City head coach Ted LePage said Wednesday. "(The players) watched themselves, they learned, they want to come back, and they've worked their tails off at practice. We talk about it with our players, we talk about it publicly - this team gets better each week and we're continuing to build, so I'm excited to play.
"The best thing about football is you prepare like you do in life. The worst thing about football - you play every seven days, so you've got to sit on something for seven days. I think that sitting on this for seven days gets our players even more motivated."
LePage doesn't know if falling to the 10th-ranked Bruins in the final seconds was a confidence booster, but he does believe the Jays played well enough to win.
And that is what he's hoping will carry over tonight.
"They're searching for that one thing that's not allowing them to finish the game as a winner," he said. "That's a good thing - that desire to want to find that one inch that will help you win a football game. That's what our players are really digging deep for."
Confluence is on a three-game winning streak, including a 41-0 win against Barat Academy in Week 6. During that three-game stretch, the Titans have outscored their opponents 133-6.
"This is going to be a good game for us to play," LePage said. "(They are a) very organized team, they have some things rolling, and they feel pretty good about themselves. Talking to their head coach, they feel really good about themselves right now."
Confluence is led by running backs Marvin Williams and Rontonyo Hubbard, along with senior quarterback Charles Cannon.
"They do a lot of things really well," LePage said. "They've got a really nice set of running backs and their quarterback throws the ball similar to the quarterback from McCluer North. He can really throw it around, and he's a very good athlete."
Confluence is more of a running team, but the Titans have the ability to throw the ball when they switch to a spread offense. Cannon, Williams and Hubbard all attempted passes in both games LePage watched on film.
"Their quarterback likes to get the ball to (Williams) and (Hubbard) in space, and they're dangerous in space," LePage said. "They're very, very good athletes, and we'll have to make sure we rally to the ball when those two are in space. If you don't, they will put it in the house in a hurry."
Defensively, the Hawks will play a 3-4, a formation the Jays have seen multiple times this season.
"They put their athletes in space and let them go make plays," LePage said. "They're very opportunistic. They're going to try to use their defensive linemen and make you run to the sidelines, and they're going to use their speed to run you down. We've got to try to go north and south instead of east and west."
On the line, the Hawks are led by Jermell Massey (6-foot-2, 250 pounds) and Lesley Clay (6-foot-1, 200 pounds). The senior combination play on both sides of the ball and are both getting looks from bigger universities.
"(They) move really well," LePage said. "They're a big force on their offensive line and then turn around on their defensive line. Not a lot of people run the football on them."
Jefferson City will be without Elijah Pittman for at least one more week after the senior running back suffered a concussion during the first half of last week's game against Rock Bridge. Pittman leads the Jays with 525 yards rushing on 82 carries and six touchdowns in six games this season.
"The way we look at it, we had two running backs coming into the season," LePage said. "Denzel Wilson got injured and has been working his way back. Denzel is at full speed now, so we're looking for him to play a bigger role, as did Elijah when Denzel was not in. Elijah had to pick up for Denzel's carries."
Wilson has 180 yards rushing on 55 carries on the season but sat out two games after sustaining a leg injury in the Jays' third game of the season against Hickman.
Jake Pridgin is also back to full speed after suffering an ankle injury during the opening kickoff last week. The senior running back/wide receiver was limited to three yards on seven carries.
Austin Gerloff, Jefferson City's leading rusher last week and the Jays leading tackler, could also see a more active role in the back field due to Pittman's absence.
"We'll probably see more emphasis with Denzel in there," LePage said. "He's been able to take all the reps this week in practice, so he's going to have a more influential role, and we'll use Austin as needed as we have in the past."
Notes: Ryan Adam's, who has 13 tackles, one sack and one tackle for loss, will be a game-time decision Friday after suffering an ankle injury last week. According to LePage, Adams will see limited action if he does play.
Jefferson City hosts Confluence Prep Academy - Updates on Twitter: @jhall04. Listen live online: klik1240.com
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