It was a night to get some mat time.
"We've got several guys that are among the top guys in the state and they need to work on some things to open up their offense," Helias coach Weston Keleher said after the Crusaders topped the Sedalia Smith-Cotton Tigers 52-21 in a wrestling dual Tuesday night at Rackers Fieldhouse. "Those guys are working hard, wanting to get better and better and that's what they did tonight.
"Getting out there and getting a :10 fall isn't always the best thing for them and they know that."
Helias won five matches by pin in the dual.
Jack Lage led 14-2 late in the second period at 120 pounds before winning by fall in 3:50. At 126, Jacob Schrimpf was up 18-5 in the third period before winning by fall.
Schrimpf was coming off an individual title at 126 on Saturday at the Willard Tournament.
"Jacob is putting in the work and he's been successful with his drop to 126," Keleher said.
Aleksey Salaz was ahead 13-0 before winning by fall at 138, while Nikolai Careaga was dominating at 152 before winning by fall.
Tanner Nappier picked up the other pin for the Crusaders, winning in 3:11 at 195.
"Tanner is a second-year kid who's starting to get results on the varsity level," Keleher said. "We saw some good stuff from Tanner."
Helias' other win on the mat came from Carson Hayes, a 9-0 decision at 132.
"Carson is a workhorse and we're comfortable using him wherever we can in the lineup," Keleher said.
The Tigers didn't just give up in matches Tuesday night.
"Sedalia's kids fought, we couldn't have asked anything more out of an opponent," Keleher said. "They worked hard."
Carter Prenger at 106 and Gavin Adams at 113 and Wyatt Rock at 145 won by forfeit for the Crusaders.
Hayden Payne fell 10-5 at 182 for the Crusaders. Helias was open at 170, 220 and 285. Both teams were open at 160.
Helias won three of the five JV/exhibition matches against Smith-Cotton.
Tuesday night was a good warm-up for Helias for tonight's dual against Jefferson City at Rackers Fieldhouse.
"It's going to be fun, we're trying to get it back to the way it was back in the day," Keleher said. "I know both of us are going to get after it.
"It's a fun rivalry. We're going to have go out and wrestle against a quality opponent."
Helias figures to be favored in many of the lower weights, while Jefferson City appears to have the upper hand in the bigger classes.
"We're not going to want to give up the pins late, they're not going to want to give up the pins early," Keleher said. "It will be just like any good high school dual, it will come down to bonus points."
The Jays won the crosstown showdown 41-28 last year at Fleming Fieldhouse. Helias won 32-28 in 2018 at Rackers Fieldhouse.
The JV dual will start at 5 p.m. After its conclusion, Helias will hold Senior Night festivities before starting the varsity dual.