Besides homecoming, this was also Senior Night for the Jays. If that seems early to you, you're not alone, but this was the last scheduled game at Adkins Stadium. And with the Jays --- who entered the night as the No. 5 district seed --- being closer to sixth- and seventh-seeds than the fourth seed in the district, this was it.

When was the last time the Jays' home season ended Oct. 5?

I don't know, either.

The losses for DeSmet (5-2, No. 6 Class 6) have been quality losses --- to Vianney (No. 3, Class 5) and CBC (No. 1, Class 6). Perhaps that will ease your pain, but probably not.

Maybe this will: the Spartans are big, fast and talented, and a lot of them are underclassmen, like Snider. So watch out for this team in the coming years, although this season appears to belong to CBC.

The first time DeSmet touched the ball, it went 80 yards in 10 plays to take a 7-0 lead on Snider's 2-yard run midway through the first quarter. The Spartans then went 71 yards in just five plays to make it 14-0 on a 5-yard run by sophomore Taj Butts with 3:13 left in the first.

This was followed by the best two-series sequence of the night for the Jays (3-4).

On their next play from scrimmage, Devin Roberson was moved from quarterback to fullback, he a the handoff from Cole Greshman, and Roberson crashed through a big hole up the middle and dashed 80 yards for a touchdown to make it 14-7.

Jefferson City's defense then forced a three-and-out, which was a rarity --- DeSmet scored touchdowns on five of its first six possessions.

The Jays --- who lost a homecoming game for the first time in 12 years --- couldn't do any more damage, however. And the Spartans promptly put the game away with three touchdowns in the second quarter: a 27-yard pass from senior Nate Martens to sophomore Jakailin Johnson, and runs 1 and 13 yards by Snider to make it 34-7 at the break.

DeSmet outgained Jefferson City 258-173 in the first half, but 131 of the Jays' yards came on two plays --- Roberson's 80-yarder and a 51-yard run by Maleek Jackson late in the first half.

The only touchdown in the second half was a 46-yard pass from Martin to sophomore Ra'shod Smith-Harvey midway through the third quarter.

After the score, DeSmet --- obviously wanting to get home as soon as possible --- went for two and converted to make it 42-7 and kick-start the running clock.

The final 18 minutes, 8 seconds of game-clock took about 18 minutes, 8 seconds to finish it in real time.

Jefferson City and first-year head coach Terry Walker will close out the regular season with road games at Battle and Rockhurst the next two weeks. And if the season ended now, the Jays would play their first-round district game at Rock Bridge on Oct. 26.