This matchup of Top 10 teams turned out to be a disastrous mismatch for the visitors, as Jacob Weaver threw for 187 yards and three touchdowns and also rushed for a score --- in just the second quarter--- as top-ranked Helias cruised to a 49-14 win over the No. 8 Tigers in the Class 4 District 6 championship game Friday night at Ray Hentges Stadium.

This is the first district title since 2014 for the Crusaders, who will host No. 5 West Plains (10-1 in the quarterfinals next Friday at 7 p.m.

To Nevada's credit, those Tigers only trailed the Crusaders by only 21 points by halftime.

These Tigers were belted into a massive 49-7 deficit.

Helias (11-0) walloped Warrensburg (9-2) with a pigskin blitzkrieg the first two quarters and displayed its dominance in all three phases --- offense, defense, special teams.

The often-forgotten phase made the game's first impactful play, and it set the tone for the blowout.

Warrensburg tried a fake punt on fourth and 9 on the game's first possession, but the Tigers were stopped a yard short to set up the Crusaders at the Warrensburg 37.

Eight running plays later, Alex Clemente scored on a 6-yard run to make it 7-0. The offense had plenty more great moments but at that point, it was time for the defense to shine.

The Crusaders intercepted more first-half passes than a dad chaperoning his daughter's first date --- two by Ryan Klahr, one apiece for Wes Higgins and Aleck Barchenski --- and all four led to touchdowns.

After Higgins' pick, Klahr scored on a 9-yard run and it was 14-0 late in the first frame. Then Klahr's first interception led to Weaver's 3-yard run on the second play of the second quarter to bump it to 21-0.

The Tigers' only murmur of protest in the first half came next, as Shelby Pittensbarger ran the reverse 56 yards to get the Tigers within 21-7.

The Crusaders supplied the knockout blow in the final nine minutes of the half. After not attempting a pass in the first quarter, Weaver didn't miss one in the second, going 6-for-6 with touchdown tosses of 24 yards to Damon Johanns, 45 yards on a shovel pass to Clement --- who also scored on a 1-yard run --- and 45 yards to Cole Stumpe.

The Tigers were still in Jefferson City for the second half, physically, but their football souls were somewhere around Sedalia. And with the running clock due to the 35-point mercy rule, 24 football minutes seemed to last about 25.

The wait for a district championship lasted six years for the Crusaders; the wait for a state championship has been 22 years.

With three more wins, that wait could be over in three weeks.

The Helias Crusaders loosen up prior to Friday night's Class 4 District 6 championship game with Warrensburg at Ray Hentges Stadium.

Weaver has big night
as Crusaders roll to

easy win vs. Nevada