ST. LOUIS - More often than not Friday night, the Helias Crusaders were their own worst enemy.
"We're frustrated, we just have to play a more consistent game," Helias coach Tim Rulo said after the Crusaders dropped a 38-31 decision to the DeSmet Spartans.
The Crusaders lost two fumbles that led to 10 points for the Spartans and were flagged 11 times for 111 yards, including three 15-yard penalties.
"Penalties really hurt us," Rulo said. "Those are things we have to clean up, we cannot afford to do that."
The mistakes helped DeSmet, which had played nearly all of the top teams in the St. Louis area this season, pick up its first win of the year.
"In their minds, this was a game they thought they could win," Rulo said. "They played well, they have some talented players. You look at their record, it can fool you."
The Spartans entered Friday night's game averaging 85 yards rushing per game. But led by Rico Barfield's 156 yards, the Spartans totaled 209 in the win.
"In the end, they moved the ball," Rulo said. "I was a little surprised by some of the things they were able to do."
DeSmet finished with 12 plays of 10 yards or more.
"We just gave up too many big plays, that was the issue," Rulo said. "We weren't able to get enough big plays to match their big plays."
Connor McKenna got the start at quarterback for the Crusaders in place of the injured Daniel Rhea. The senior led Helias on a six-play, 65-yard scoring drive to start the game, tossing a 34-yard touchdown pass to Zach Woehr to give the Crusaders the lead.
McKenna completed his first four passes and finished 6-of-7 for 123 yards in the opening half.
"It fits his skill set and it was there because of what they were doing defensively," Rulo said. "If it's there, we will throw it."
A 5-yard run by McKenna later in the quarter gave Helias a 13-7 advantage with 2:59 remaining. But DeSmet led 14-13 heading into the second quarter after touchdown runs by Barfield (4 yards) and quarterback Nate Martens (1 yard).
The Spartans stretched their advantage to 21-13 on a 10-yard pass from Martens to Jordan Johnson early in the second quarter. That six-play, 28-yard drive was set up by a lost fumble by the Crusaders deep in Spartan territory.
Helias came back to tie it on its next drive, going 59 yards in 10 plays. McKenna scored on a 2-yard run and Michael Stroesser added a 2-point conversion to even it at 21 midway through the second quarter.
The Crusaders took the lead on their next possession when Vito Calvaruso banged through a 40-yard field goal with 2:18 remaining before intermission.
Helias forced a DeSmet punt in the final minute of the half, but the kick bounced off a Crusader and the Spartans recovered the loose ball near midfield. Then on fourth-and-14, the Spartans picked up 18 yards as time expired and it looked like Helias would take a three-point lead into halftime.
But the Crusaders were flagged for roughing the passer on the play, tacking on another 15 yards. And since the half can't end on a defensively penalty, it allowed the Spartans to boot a 32-yard field goal on an untimed down to tie it at 24.
Martens, who had thrown for nearly 1,500 yards entering the game, was injured at some point in the first half and did not play in the final two quarters. He finished 6-of-9 for 115 yards in the first half.
Helias regained the lead on its first possession of the second half when Blake Veltrop ran 9 yards for a score.
Michael Wheeler, Marten's replacement, then led the Spartans on a tying drive totaling 80 yards on six plays. The final 56 yards came on a screen pass to Grant Stegman, who zigged and zagged his way 56 yards for the score.
The Spartans got the game-winner with 7:41 remaining in the fourth quarter on a 23-yard pass from Wheeler to a wide-open Johnson on a post route in the back of the end zone.
Helias then drove to the DeSmet 26 before turning it over on downs with 3:46 remaining. Keyed by a 30-yard run by Barfield, the Spartans drove the ball to the Crusader 28. On fourth-and-7, Helias jumped offside with :26.8 remaining. Needing two yards on the next play for a first down to end the game, Barfield got three to set off a DeSmet celebration.
"We made some adjustments, but they were able to beat us on the big play in the second half," Rulo said.
Helias finished with 102 yards in second half, all on the ground. The Crusaders threw the ball just two times in the final two quarters.
"Some of that is because we saw some things they were doing against us in certain formations that should allow us to have success running the ball," Rulo said.
Helias (4-5) finished third in the Class 4 District 7 standings with 34.76 points, nearly a full point ahead of Hannibal. But because the Pirates defeated the Crusaders in Week 1, Hannibal will be the third seed and Helias will be fourth.
Helias will host fifth-seeded Wentzville: Liberty (4-5) at 7 p.m. Friday at Ray Hentges Stadium to start the postseason.