The Jefferson City Jays still have last year's season-ending loss to Rock Bridge stored in the back of their minds.
But their main focus is on the present.
"I think at times you can get caught up and maybe get too wrapped up in that," Jefferson City head coach Ted LePage said Wednesday before practice. "One thing we've talked about is, "That's a memory we have, but we're playing the 2014 Rock Bridge Bruins.'
"They're a good football team and we have to play our best and we're going to have to play Jeff City football."
Jefferson City, coming off a 37-21 victory in Week 5 against Rogers (Ark.) will go for its fourth straight win when the Jays (4-1) host the Bruins (3-2) at 7 p.m. tonight at Adkins Stadium.
Rock Bridge has lost both of its games to state-ranked opponents in Class 6. The Bruins, ranked 10th in the large-school division, suffered a 49-14 loss to fifth-ranked Rockhurst in the season opener and dropped a 48-34 decision in Week 4 to Lee's Summit, the top-ranked team in the state.
LePage is aware of the Bruins' history this season, and he knows they're a worthy opponent.
"All you have to do is turn on the film of Rock Bridge and see how good they are," he said. "They're very explosive offensively, but I think the thing that gets overlooked is their defense. They're very fast, they're strong on their front, their linebackers are good and their safeties and corners are very athletic."
Rock Bridge is coming off a 42-23 win against Hickman - a game in which the Bruins compiled 485 yards of total offense.
Logan Twehous, a three-year starter, was 13-of-24 for 200 yards and threw for a touchdown. The senior quarterback connected with senior wide receiver Alex Ofodile eight times for 98 yards.
"I think Twhous and Ofodile complete the fade better than any high-school combination I've ever seen," LePage said. "Usually, that's a low percentage throw, but it seems like they complete that ball a lot more than 50 percent of the time. That makes you extend the field, which really opens up their running game."
And that's where Nick Collins comes in.
The 5-foot-8, 190-pound junior running back had 206 yards rushing on 28 carries and two scores last week to help pace the Bruins offensive attack.
"Their run schemes this year are, I feel, better than they ever have been," LePage said. "I think (Collins) does such a good job of seeing daylight and hitting that. He's a guy that can stick his foot in the ground and make a cut, and he can run through tackles."
Hayden Johnson, who is listed as a tight end, also ran for two touchdowns and had two catches for 29 yards against the Kewpies
"We need to to keep the ball in front of us," LePage said. "One of the things we found an error in against C.B.C. - we allowed them to get behind us and make big plays. Any time you can make a team in high school continue to move the football, you like your chances."
Hickman and DeSmet are the only common opponents between Jefferson City and Rock Bridge this season. The Jays handed the Kewpies a 25-7 loss in Week 3 and claimed a 34-0 win against the Spartans in Week 4.
The Bruins had similar results with their 42-23 win against Hickman and a 44-0 rout of DeSmet in Week 2.
LePage doesn't put much stock in those comparisons.
"I have never been one to compare scores," he said. "I think there's too many things that can happen with the momentum of the game that can completely (change) those statistics. One team's matchup with another team may be different, so what you have to look at is, what are they doing and try to take that away, and what our we doing well and how do we do it better."
The Jays are coming off one of their best performances of the season and they hope that will carry over to tonight.
Against Rogers, Jefferson City compiled a season-high 403 yards of total offense. The Jays have shown progression throughout the year, outscoring opponents 113-75 for the season and 96-28 in their last three games.
"Our coaches on our staff do a great job of preparing for what we're going to see, but our players have to come in and they have to see, they have to turn around and learn and they have execute," LePage said. "Each day it seems like they're taking the learning part, they're seeing what we need to do and they're taking it and executing it on the practice field."
Senior quarterback Isaac Roling also turned in his best performance of the season in Week 5, completing 7-of-10 passes for 167 yards and two scores.
"There's a big thing that comes in football, and that's trust," LePage said. "Trust is earned by performance, and I think Isaac is performing better and better each week, and the team is trusting him more and more, which leads to Isaac having confidence and that allows us to do more things."
Notes: Jefferson City split time in its power and spread offense last week. ... Austin Gerloff, known for his defense, carried the ball 13 times for 64 yards as a fullback in the Jays' power formation after Elijah Pittman went to the sideline with a shoulder injury. LePage said Pittman practiced all week and will be ready for tonight's game.
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