Helias powers past Monroe City after halftime deficit

MONROE CITY - Keenan Batsell won the battle Friday night. The Helias Crusaders won the war.

Helias scored four touchdowns in the third quarter on their way to a 49-24 victory against Monroe City.

"We made some little adjustments at halftime and they made a difference," Helias coach Chris Hentges said.

Helias trailed 16-14 entering the third quarter. The Crusaders got the ball first after halftime and went 62 yards in seven plays to take the lead for good.

The score came on an 8-yard run by Alex Clement, and Vito Calvaruso booted one of his seven PATs to make it 21-16.

A 7-yard Monroe City punt set up Helias' next scoring drive. The touchdown came on a 1-yard run by quarterback Zach Wolken to make it 28-16.

Caleb Justice scored on a 46-yard catch-and-run from Wolken on Helias' next series that extended the Crusaders' lead to 35-16.

Brody Mays capped the third-quarter scoring with a 1-yard plunge with :13.2 left as Helias led 42-16.

After a 2-yard touchdown run by Batsell and a 2-point conversion pulled Monroe City to within 42-24, Clement finished the scoring with a 53-yard touchdown run midway through the fourth quarter.

Clement finished with 133 yards on 10 carries after missing the last two games with an injury.

"It was good to see Alex back out there," Hentges said.

Batsell finished with 239 yards on 44 carries for Monroe City (5-2). The Panthers ran 73 times for 387 yards as a team.

Wolken and Justice got Helias on the board on an 11-yard touchdown with 8:21 left in the first quarter.

Mays scores on a 15-yard run early in the second quarter for the Crusaders.

Helias (6-1) will host Rock Bridge on Friday.

"That will be a test for sure," Hentges said.

Game time is 7 p.m. at Ray Hentges Stadium.