Jefferson City set to host rival Hickman

Jefferson City defensive backs Edmund Coley (20) and Dennis Barnes (11) share a laugh as they and their fellow Jays line up for the coin toss prior to the start of last Friday night's matchup against C.B.C. at Adkins Stadium.
Jefferson City defensive backs Edmund Coley (20) and Dennis Barnes (11) share a laugh as they and their fellow Jays line up for the coin toss prior to the start of last Friday night's matchup against C.B.C. at Adkins Stadium.

Jefferson City has waited anxiously to get back on the field following last week's 47-0 loss to C.B.C.

The Jays will finally get that chance when they host Hickman at 7 p.m. tonight at Adkins Stadium.

"Our practices have been very spirited, very good this week," Jefferson City head coach Ted LePage said Wednesday. "I think in the grand scheme of things, the players don't like last week, but at the same standpoint, they know this is a district opponent, this is Hickman, and we have to be on top of our game."

This will be the 110th matchup between the Jays and Kewpies, who lead the series 53-52-4. Jefferson City won the last meeting 40-33 at Hickman in a game that was decided in the final minutes.

"I think it is a great rivalry," LePage said. "I think not only the history but the spectacle that it is makes it really special."

The Jays (1-1) and Kewpies (0-2) have two things in common going into tonight's contest.

For starters, Jefferson City and Hickman both suffered blowout losses to C.B.C. And it's no secret, both teams are looking for a turnaround game.

Hickman is coming off a 41-17 loss to Lee's Summit in Week 2, while the Jays are more than ready to move on following their performance against the Cadets. It was the first time Jefferson City had been shut out since a 2012 playoff loss to Francis Howell.

"This is going to be a heck of a Hickman football team coming in," LePage said. "We know that this will be the best they will have played to date. We know that they're going to come in and play their hardest.

"What we're going to do is, we're going to go out and play our best game to date and we're going to play our hardest. It's going to be an interesting night of football."

C.B.C, ranked ninth in Class 6 at the time, compiled 400 yards - 215 on the ground and 185 through the air - on 48 plays in its season-opening win against Hickman.

Kewpies quarterback Carter Nicoli carried the ball 12 times for 197 yards and two touchdowns. Hickman completed only 1-of-5 passes for 22 yards and ran 25 times for minus-9 yards outside of Nicoli.

"Everything is going to run through him," LePage said. "He really does a good job."

Running backs Cameron Wright (5-11, 185) and Elijah Crum (5-11, 210) are also expected to impact Hickman's offensive attack.

"I really think they've done a good job of getting their backs into position to make plays," LePage said. "Last week, they gave Lee's Summit a lot of trouble with both backs going at them and then running the quarterback periodically just off play-action and fakes."

Hickman hasn't utilized its passing game much this season, but LePage believes the Kewpies have the ability to gain some yards through the air.

Defensively, Jefferson City will have its eyes on defensive end Macaulay Keevins (6-3, 210), along with linebackers Cameron Wright (5-11, 185) and Adam Knowles (5-9, 185). Sam Smith (5-11, 185) and Isaiah Schauer (5-10, 180) are expected to be threats in the secondary.

"I know anytime (Hickman coach) Arnel Monroe coaches a team, they're going to come ready to play against Jefferson City," LePage said. "They have ever since he's been the head coach and even when he was the defensive coordinator. His teams will always be ready to play."

Like the Kewpies, Jefferson City didn't have much success against C.B.C., which might be an understatement.

The Cadets finished with 539 total yards - 206 through the air and 333 on the ground - and recorded 19 first downs.

On the offensive end, the Jays compiled 213 yards, recorded 12 first downs and committed two turnovers. Senior quarterback Isaac Roling complete 9-of-22 passes for 117 yards, while senior running back Elijah Pittman carried the ball 10 times for 32 yards to lead the offensive attack.

When asked what it's going to take to bounce back and get a win against Hickman, LePage had a simple answer - play Jefferson City football.

"We just have to control ourselves," he said. "We don't have those two turnovers against C.B.C, I think that's a different ballgame."

Through two games, Jefferson City has compiled 491 total yards - 248 through the air and 243 on the ground.

Roling is 16-of-38 for 192 yards and has thrown one interception in his first two starts as a varsity quarterback. Pittman leads the ground attack with 36 carries for 132 yards and one touchdown.

"I think our biggest issue right now is, we have to be able to throw and catch the ball better than what we've been doing," LePage said. "What has happened in the last two weeks, (McCluer North and C.B.C.) have loaded the box - they're just bringing seven every snap and saying, "Try and beat us.'

"We haven't been able to hook up and beat them over the top yet. We've got to make that transition. Once we make that transition where we can extend the defense, where they can't put everybody in the box, then I think that will open up our running game."

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