It's time

Wait is over: For first
time Jays, Crusaders
will meet in football

Chris Leuckel

It was a historic night at Adkins Stadium on Friday night, as the Jefferson City Jays (red jerseys) and Helias Crusaders met on the football field for the first time.

Crusaders earn

ninth unbeaten

regular season

In historic first meeting, Crusaders

use stifling defense to blank Jays

Loeffler's Link

Oct. 9, 2020

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. --- What do you get when you mix red and black and blue and gold?

A real mess.

Or kindergarten fridge art.

Or paint slopped on a canvas by a monkey that sells for $300,000 at a gallery in San Francisco.

But it's created some beautiful moments on the fields and courts of competition between the Jefferson City Jays and Helias Crusaders. Some stirring, memorable rivalry battles in basketball, softball, volleyball ... you name it, they've played it.

Except football.

Until now.

For the first time ever, the two schools met on the football field. It's a game fans have wanted for a long, long time, something in the neighborhood of 60 years.

It was worth the wait for the Crusaders and their fans. For the Jays? Well, at least they won't have to wait another 60 years for the rematch.

Despite coughing up five turnovers, Helias used a stifling defensive effort and got 163 yards rushing and two touchdowns from Alex Clement as Helias won this historic bragging rights game 28-0 win over Jefferson City on Friday night at Adkins Stadium.

The likely overflow, standing-room only crowd wasn't there due to the virus, of course. Still, the stadium was about half full, which is the biggest crowd Central Missouri has seen all season.

This was Game 7 of this season, but it often looked like Game 1. Mistakes were the rule, not the exception.

The Crusaders (7-0, No. 1 Class 4) had 10 possessions and only punted once. And while they scored four touchdowns, they had five turnovers ... three fumbles, two interceptions.

The Jays (3-4), who had their three-game winning streak snapped, committed just one turnover. Their problem was penalties, especially early --- six flags in the first quarter, nine in the first 16 minutes.

It led to a rather boring affair.. Helias moved it freely when it held onto the ball, while Jefferson City could barely move it at all.

A dominant defensive effort by the Crusaders limited the Jays to just 158 total yards. Jefferson City rushed for 112 yards, but only averaged 2.9 yards per carry.

So when Helias scored a pair of first-half touchdowns to take a 14-0 lead at the break, that lead seemed safe.

It might as well have been 114-0. 

Jacob Weaver threw for 107 yards, 37 of those coming on a strike to Cole Stumpe midway through the first quarter make it 7-0. Then Weaver, who rushed for 78 yards, made it a two-touchdown lead on a 4 yard-run in the second quarter.

The only real threat for the Jays came in the third quarter when they drove it to Helias 12. But the drive stalled and ended on a missed 29-yard field goal, leaving the shutout intact.

The Crusaders put together their longest drive of the night, 83 yards in 13 plays, to make it 21-0. The drive consumed 6 1/2 minutes and was capped on Clements 9-yard run with 9:22 left. Clement added his second touchdown scqmper later in the fourth to end the scoring.

So that's that.

There can only be one first, and you can color it Blue and Gold.

Jefferson City Mayor Carrie Tergin showed up at the game as only a good mayor could --- half in Jays' red, half in Crusaders' blue. All the way down to her shoes. By the way, she made the shirt herself Friday afternoon.