COLUMBIA, Mo. - The final nine minutes of fourth quarter were a roller-coaster ride.
Unfortunately, the ride ended a few yards short for the Helias Crusaders. The Crusaders were stopped on the final play of Friday night's game against Battle, falling 28-27 to the Spartans.
The ride started when the Crusaders stopped the Spartans on a fourth-and-5 play at the Helias 7 with around four minutes remaining.
Inspired by their defense, the Crusaders worked their way toward midfield. A 19-yard run by Alex Faddoul, then an 11-yard run by Alex Werner, gave Helias the ball at the Battle 38.
Two plays later, Battle was flagged for pass interference in the end zone and Helias had the ball at the 18 with 1:44 remaining. Two runs netted 3 yards before a sack left the Crusaders facing a fourth-and-17 at the Spartan 25. Helias ran more than :20 off the clock before calling timeout, sending the field-goal unit on the field with :35 remaining.
The Crusaders opted to run a fake and holder Curtis Campbell tossed a pass to Dalton Weaver, who hauled it in among a crowd of players at the Spartan 3.
But time was running down as the Helias offense got back on the field for one more play. The Crusaders opted for a run play and the pitch was wide as time ran out and the Spartans celebrated.
Helias never trailed in the first half, which ended in a tie at 21.
The Crusaders got on the board on their third play from scrimmage when Faddoul hit a wide-open Werner, who sprinted down the sideline for a 61-yard touchdown. The first of three PATs by T.J. Hagenhoff made it 7-0.
Battle answered on its next series, going 48 yards in nine plays. The touchdown came on a 31-yard pass from Brevinn Tyler to Chyrome Thorpe on a fourth-and-7 play and the PAT tied it at 7.
After an exchange of punts, each team scored on its next two possessions.
Helias took over on its own 22 and needed nine plays to go 78 yards, capped by a 12-yard run by Faddoul. The PAT made it 14-7.
Battle returned the ensuing kickoff to its own 48, then Hirron Milo ran for the remaining 52 yards on the next play and the game was knotted at 14.
Helias then went 65 yards in 12 plays, keyed by a 22-yard run by Storms, to regain the lead. Faddoul scored on a 1-yard plunge and the PAT made it 21-14.
Battle answered with an 80-yard drive in 10 plays, aided in no small part by two questionable personal foul calls on consecutive plays against Helias, along with an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty after the second. The score came on a 6-yard pass from Tyler to Xavier Johnson and it was tied at 21 at the half.
Battle got the lone touchdown of the third quarter, that coming on a 3-yard run by Jerrion Nelson at the 4:01 mark that capped a 13-play, 77-yard drive. The PAT made it 28-21.
A special-teams play sparked Helias early in the fourth quarter as Dylan Gaines blocked a Battle punt and Helias took over at the Spartan 29. On the ensuing play, Faddoul and Werner connected for a touchdown. The snap on the PAT was bobbled and the run failed as Battle held a 28-27 advantage with 9:02 remaining.
Helias finished with 341 total yards, while Battle totaled 358.
Helias (1-4) will face St. James Academy of Lenexa, Kan., for Homecoming on Saturday, Sept. 26. Game time is 7 p.m. Battle (5-0), ranked No. 2 in Class 5, will host Hickman next Friday.