Rock Bridge running back Nathaniel Peat squirts into the end zone to score a touchdown during the second quarter of Saturday night's game with the Helias Crusaders at Hentges Stadium.
Sept. 30, 2017
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. --- The schedule said Saturday night's game was homecoming for Helias.
Of course it was --- but this entire season has been homecoming for Helias, not just one game. The Crusaders, after all, were coming home after more than a 60-year road trip.
Win or lose, 2017 will be remembered for the opening Ray Hentges Stadium at the Helias Athletic Complex, a splendid, $13 million grand jewel --- not only for this school, but for this city.
A thing of beauty.
Never forget that. Because Saturday night's actual homecoming football game was, well ... let's just say it wasn't much of a crown jewel for the home team.
The Rock Bridge Bruins had their way with the Crusaders from the opening kickoff, building a 51-point lead after three quarters and breezing to a 58-30 win before a big, quiet crowd at Hentges Stadium.
Don't let the final score fool you, it wasn't that close.
Playing under the watchful eye of Missouri head coach Barry Odom --- for what that's worth --- Rock Bridge led 17-0 after one quarter, 45-7 at the half and 58-7 entering the fourth.
When the game was clearly decided in the first half, the Bruins outgained the Crusaders 295-97 --- and 62 of those yards for Helias came on one big run by Blake Veltrop.
The Bruins (6-1, No. 10 Class 6) are bigger, stronger and faster than the Crusaders (3-4). And when one team can check all three of those boxes, you end up with a mismatch.
Why, you might wonder, would Helias schedule Rock Bridge for homecoming? Well, the Bruins went 2-8 each of the last two seasons, the Crusaders beat them in 2015 and almost did again last year, and Rock Bridge lost its head coach and had to search for a new one.
Enter new head coach Van Vanatta, who obviously knows what he's doing.
As for the other two matters, never mind.
Easily, the best news for Helias on this night was that this team did not quit, as the Crusaders scored 23 window-dressing --- but still great to see --- points in the fourth quarter against the Rock Bridge lower units.
When you're losing 58-7 heading into the final 12 minutes and are able to stop the running clock, that alone is a big feather in the cap of an otherwise stomped upon homecoming hat.
Highlights for the Bruins, who finished with 374 total yards:
^ Nathaniel Peat rushed for 164 yards and three touchdowns (2, 5, 43 yards);
^ Trevor Twehous was 9-of-16 for 138 yards (all in the first half), with touchdown passes of 16 yards to Zach Boyle and 18 yards to Wyatt Towe
^ and Bryson Clayton had a 12-yard scoop and score off a Helias fumble to end the scoring for Rock Bridge.
For the Crusaders, who had 309 total yards:
^ Daniel Rhea scored on an 8-yard run in the first half;
^ Veltrop rushed for 176 on 10 yards;
^ and senior quarterback Connor McKenna came off the bench to spark the three-touchdown rally in the fourth quarter --- and likely spark a quarterback controversy for a team that still seems to be searching for its offensive identity. McKenna scored on a 1-yard run, and threw touchdown passes of 70 yards to Zach Woehr and 20 yards to Nathan Bax, who made a great catch on the play.
It was the final scheduled home game of the regular season for the Crusaders, who could still host a district game in the weeks ahead.
But if this was it for Ray Hentges Stadium, 2017 will always be remembered for all --- or at least most --- of the right reasons.
Bruins build 51-point lead, cruise
to 58-30 victory over Crusaders
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