COLUMBIA, Mo. - The Jefferson City Jays were able to accomplish what coach Terry Walker has been waiting for them to do again since Week 2: finish a football game.
The defense forced a three-and-out, the Jays drove into field-goal range and junior kicker Ben Folz booted the game-winner from 35 yards out to earn Jefferson City a 17-14 win against Battle on Friday night.
The last time the Jays made the needed plays at the end of a game to win was when they defeated Hannibal 30-27 Aug. 31 at Adkins Stadium.
"You've got to learn how to prepare so that you can learn how to execute so that you can learn how to win," Walker said after the Jays broke a three-game losing streak. "Our preparation has gotten better. Our fundamentals still need to improve and we know that, and the kids will continue to work on it. Ultimately, you've got to learn how to win the game and winning the game in this instance and this fashion certainly helps them learn that. It was a positive step for us, obviously, and something we'll look to build on."
Jefferson City is only the second team to hold Battle under 28 points. Rockhurst (6-1), the third-ranked team in Class 6, is the other.
Battle (4-4), the eighth-ranked team in Class 5, entered the game scoring nearly 40 points per game. The Spartans were not so potent on offense Friday against the Jays.
Battle punted five times, lost a fumble, threw an interception to Devin White at the 1-yard line and turned it over on downs.
"I thought our defense was far and away our best game of the year," Walker said. "We know we keep getting better, but sometimes the kids have to experience it on a Friday what it means to do what you're supposed to do fundamentally and then see the result that can happen when you do that. We had some breakdowns, but you're going to do that against a good team. For the most part, I thought we held them in check fairly well."
The interception for White ended a Battle drive that went 52 yards in five plays in the middle of the second quarter.
"Devin White, as a sophomore, has probably been our most consistent performer across the defense," Walker said. "Devin's got a bright future ahead of him. He's a great kid, he works really hard. Doesn't say much in practice, just goes about his business preparing and certainly he's a kid we're going to lean on as we move forward."
Running back Darren Jordon, who rushed for 89 yards on 15 attempts, scored Battle's two touchdowns.
The first was on an option toss for a 22-yard burst to get Battle within 14-7 about midway through the second quarter.
The second didn't come until midway through the fourth quarter when he scored from 13 yards out to tie it at 14.
An adjustment the Jays made during the game was move defensive end Corey Suttle to tackle and Brandon Backues to end.
"I just thought at times we were a little bit soft in the interior," Walker said, "and I just wanted to put a bigger body in there that may cause a little bit more difficulty. And I thought that change was effective for parts of the game."
Battle made it to the red zone on the opening drive of the game, but a fumble gave it to the Jays at the 16-yard line.
Jefferson City capitalized, reaching the end zone in 11 plays.
Maleek Jackson carried it six times for 35 yards on the drive, including a 20-yard rumble to get to the 13-yard line. Jackson went over 100 yards for the fifth time this season, gaining 102 yards on 26 carries.
Two plays later, Devin Roberson found Christian White at the goal line for a 9-yard touchdown pass. Folz made his first of two PATs for a 7-0 lead with 4:12 left in the first quarter.
After a Battle three-and-out, the Jays were back in the end zone.
White got open deep downfield for a 51-yard reception, Jackson then gained 13 yards and White caught a 4-yard touchdown pass with 52 seconds left in the first quarter. Folz added the PAT for a 14-0 lead.
White caught eight passes for a season-high 95 yards to go with his two touchdowns. Levi Jobe caught nine passes for 67 yards. Roberson completed 21-of-34 passes for 217 yards and zero interceptions.
"Christian's got that ability," Walker said. "He's another kid that's elusive and has the ability to make kids miss and he's a senior that we've relied on and the kids look to him for leadership."
Jefferson City didn't get on the board again until the game-winning field goal, but had numerous chances.
A 37-yard field goal attempt went wide left as time expired in the first half.
The Jays got to the 16-yard line on the opening drive of the second half, but a bobble on the hold on a field-goal attempt turned the ball over to Battle.
The Jays also fumbled deep in Battle territory late in the third quarter and turned it over on downs twice in Battle territory in the fourth quarter.
"To the kids' credit, they kept fighting," Walker said. "We got the ball back with 24 seconds left and then we make a couple plays and work ourselves into field-goal range.
"In the end of the game the offense moved the ball when they had to, but we certainly need to figure out a way to put some points on the board because against a really good football team you'll be hard pressed to survive that one if you're not putting more points on the board when you're in the red zone."
The game-winning kick was set up with the help of a three-and-out and a kick-catch interference penalty.
"Maybe in the past our defense would have taken the field and they would have driven the field and that would have been it, but our kids battled and they fought and I'm proud of them for that," Walker said.
The Jays began the drive at the Battle 48-yard line with 24 second left and Roberson scrambled for 14 yards on first down.
Three plays later, Devin White caught a short pass and ran out of bounds for a 6-yard gain, setting up a 45-yard field-goal attempt.
"We watch (Folz) every day in practice and he his pretty solid around 40," Walker said. "Once you get outside 40 then every kicker has some ups and downs there."
But back-to-back Battle penalties made it a 35-yard attempt.
"He hit it square and he hit it through," Walker said.
Jefferson City (4-4) will wrap up the regular season Friday at Rockhurst. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m. in Kansas City.