There have been an average of 103 points scored in Helias' first two district games.
The chances are very good the number won't be nearly that high tonight when fourth-seeded Helias (6-5) plays second-seeded Moberly (9-2) for the Class 4 District 7 championship in Moberly.
"Their defense is really good," Helias coach Tim Rulo said. "They are very well-coached, they take care of the little things very well. They don't have any holes, they don't struggle in any spots, and that's what has made them so successful."
The Spartans are allowing just a little more than 9 points per game to their opponents this season.
"They are consistent and play strong football," Rulo said.
Moberly runs a 4-2-5 formation on defense, with two members of the secondary often playing close to the line of scrimmage.
Last Friday night, Moberly held Hannibal to 148 yards on the ground in a 41-6 victory. That's 100 yards less than the Pirates' average for the season.
"They are very fundamentally sound, they don't freelance and do their own thing," Rulo said. "They are in the right place at the right time.
"They like to get you off your rhythm. It's your job to make sure that doesn't happen."
Moberly has two shutouts this season and has not allowed more than 20 points in a game this season. That came in a 21-20 win against Mexico to close the regular season.The Spartans have allowed 61 rushing yards or less in five games this season and have held opponents to less than 200 yards six times. Moberly has forced 33 turnovers - 16 fumbles and 17 interceptions.
"They've played some good teams and played them well," Rulo said. "They make you earn every yard, they limit the big play."
Starting linebacker Ben Heimann (5-foot-9, 185 pounds, sr.) leads the Spartans with 141 tackles, including 112 solo stops. He has 14 tackles for loss to go along with three sacks.
Landon Graves (5-8, 175 jr.), another linebacker, is next with 75 total stops.
Offensively, the Spartans are averaging 26.5 points per game out of the pistol formation.
"It's nothing too flashy, but they do enough to win," Rulo said. "They don't turn the ball over, they take some shots down the field when the opportunity is there."
Nick Gelina (5-11, 170 sr.) is a dual threat at quarterback for the Spartans. He has run 138 times for 927 yards and seven touchdowns, while completing 59-of-106 passes for 715 yards and six touchdowns to go along with five interceptions.
"He's a hard-working young man that runs the offense, runs the option, really well," Rulo said.
Two Moberly running backs - Chance Richards (117-733) and Graves (76-632) - figure to get their share of the carries tonight as well. The Spartans are averaging 6.2 yards per carry as a team.
With 15 catches, Heimann is Gelina's favorite target through the air.
Moberly will bring a nine-game winning streak into the game. With its district victories, Helias has its first winning streak of the season.
"I would have liked to have not had the roller coaster of loss-win, but the guys have really come together at this point of the season," Rulo said. "It's a tribute to their hard work both before and during the season, the hard work of the coaches."
Helias has dominated its district opponents in the second half the last two weeks, including a 49-7 scoring edge in the third quarter.
The Crusaders are looking for their first district football title since 2014.
"It's what our fans want, it's what our players want, we're excited to be here," Rulo said. "It's what we've been working for since last November."
But they know it won't be easy.
"We're excited, but we know nobody is going to hand us the district title," Rulo said. "We are going to have to work for it, not get overwhelmed by the moment. We want to play free and fast (tonight)."
Game time is 7 p.m.
III
The Helias-Moberly winner will face the District 8 champion - either Platte County (9-2) or St. Joseph: Lafayette (9-2) - in next week's quarterfinal. With a win tonight, Helias would host that game. The last time the Crusaders and Spartans met on the football field was in the 2014 district tournament when Helias posted a 43-0 win at Adkins Stadium. Zach Woehr and Zach Vanderfeltz - both injured in last Friday night's 56-35 victory in the district semifinals at Warrenton - missed some practice time this week but will play tonight. Moberly has beaten Kirksville (21-12) and Hannibal in district play. It was the second win against each of those teams this season for the Spartans, who went undefeated to win the North Central Missouri Conference title. Moberly opened the season with losses at Sedalia Smith-Cotton (7-6) and at home against Pleasant Hill (17-14). This will be just the second game this season Helias has played on a natural surface. The other was a 24-20 win at Father Tolton.
Related media:
Helias Crusaders Football Podcast [Moberly preview, Nov. 3, 2017]