It's been a bit of a frustrating start to the season for the Helias Crusaders.
Loss, win, loss, win. The Crusaders are ready to get off the roller coaster, starting Saturday night when they host the Battle Spartans at Adkins Stadium.
"You don't want to start, stop, start, stop," Helias coach Tim Rulo said. "You want to build momentum heading into districts.
"This really could be a momentum builder for us."
Helias is coming off an outstanding overall performance in last Friday's 52-14 win at Hickman. The Crusaders were dominant on offense, defense and the kicking game in the contest against the Kewpies.
"It was one of the most complete games we've played since I've been here," Rulo, in his second year at Helias, said. "We were strong in all phases of the game."
But that was last week.
"The Hickman game is not the be-all and end-all to our season," Rulo said. "There's a lot more out there for us to accomplish."
That starts with the game against Battle (4-0, No. 2 in Class 5 in the Missouri Media rankings).
"They are going to show you where you are as a football team because you're going to have to go out there and play your best to compete with them," Rulo said.
Led by senior quarterback Brevinn Tyler, the Spartans are averaging 44.5 points per game this season.
Tyler (5-11, 190) has been a starter since his freshman year at Battle. He is 51-of-107 passing for 904 yards and 10 touchdowns this season.
But Tyler may be more dangerous when he doesn't throw it.
He understands how to keep plays alive," Rulo said. "He can scramble around in the pocket or just break off running down the field.
"That's what can scare an opponent, his ability to make plays with his legs. A mobile quarterback can be so tough to stop because he can extend plays. You have to be smart in how you attack him."
Tyler has 37 carries for 475 yards this season.
In last Friday's 55-52 win against Vianney, Tyler was just 13-of-34 passing, but totaled 348 yards through the air. He ran the ball 11 times for 169 yards.
Tyler's favorite target through the air is Javeon McQuitty. The 6-2, 185-pound senior, who has started alongside Tyler since his freshman season, is rated as one of the top recruits in Missouri this season.
"You know Jaevon is going to make catches, he's a great receiver and a Division I player," Rulo said.
McQuitty had a bit of a coming out party this season last week. After totaling just 11 catches in the first three weeks, McQuitty hauled in seven receptions for 247 yards and four touchdowns against Vianney.
"They have so much talent, they have high gears," Rulo said. "We don't need anybody to be a Superman for us, we just need all 11 guys to do their jobs defensively and I think we'll be fine."
McQuitty has orally committed to Nebraska.
Rulo thinks Battle may use some similar plays Bishop Althoff used in a win earlier this month against Helias.
"Battle watched the film and I'm sure they're going to try and run some of the same things Althoff ran," Rulo said. "They run somewhat similar offenses with some similar athletes."
But if the Spartans do that, Helias should be ready.
"We have to be smart and prepared," Rulo said.
Defensively, allowing 52 points last week isn't good. But
"They are so good in the spread offense, Vianney can score a lot of points on anybody," Rulo said.
The Spartans will have to prepare for the totally different ground attack of the Crusaders.
"That could be an advantage for us because our offense is so different than Vianney's," Rulo said. "We just need to execute and run our offense and I think we will be able to move the ball."
The kicking game may be the key factor Saturday night.
"Flipping the field can be so important in a game like this," Rulo said. "It can be the difference between winning and losing when two teams are as evenly matched as I think we are."
Beating a state-ranked team like Battle could be a huge boost to Helias for the remainder of the season.
"We have to rise to the challenge," Rulo said. "You don't want to play quality teams and lose, you want to play quality teams and win. We have another opportunity to do that this week and we want to take advantage of that."
Kickoff is slated for 7 p.m.
III
Helias senior receiver/defensive back Joe Randazzo is out of the season with a torn ACL suffered against Hickman. Battle defeated Helias 28-27 last season in Columbia. "I think we left some points out there on the field last year and we can do better this year," Rulo said. McQuitty had three catches for 75 yards against the Crusaders, while Tyler ran for just 16 yards while throwing for 140. This is the second of four straight games against Columbia schools for Helias. "Battle is the program on the rise in Columbia," Rulo said. "They have a lot of things going for them." Helias will host Father Tolton on Sept. 24 before closing out the string with a Sept. 30 game at Rock Bridge. In addition to Vianney, Battle's other victories this season have come at Mexico (35-13), at Holt (56-0) and against Rock Bridge (32-6).
Helias Catholic hosts Battle, 7 p.m. Saturday
Helias Crusaders Football Podcast [Battle preview, Sept. 17, 2016]
Updates on Twitter: @tjrackers and @BattleAthletics
(No radio broadcast due to conflict with Missouri Tigers coverage)