The Helias Crusaders and Father Tolton Trailblazers met for the first time on the football field last season.
Since then, both Helias and Tolton have been accepted as members of the Archdiocesan Athletic Association (AAA) starting in the 2018-19 school year. So the meetings will continue into the future.
The final non-conference meeting between the two schools will be tonight when Helias (2-3) travels to Columbia to face Tolton (2-3).
"We're excited to play a game there," Helias coach Tim Rulo said. "It's still a young program, they're doing great stuff.
"I don't know if it's a rivalry yet, but with the conference coming up, I'm sure it will grow into one."
For that to happen, the contests will have to be a little more competitive than the first one. Helias defeated Tolton 53-0 last year at Adkins Stadium as the Crusaders held the Trailblazers to minus-8 rushing yards.
But Rulo warns not to take much away from that game. While many of the names are the same for the Trailblazers, they are different caliber players with a year of maturity."They have a lot of guys returning," he said. "This is a group of players that has been together and you can see their progression."
Robert Hunter is Tolton's starting quarterback. The junior, who came on in relief against the Crusaders last year, is off to a great start this season. Hunter has thrown for more than 1,110 yards to go along with nine touchdowns.
"He throws it pretty well, he can spin it," Rulo said.
Hunter, who has also rushed for seven scores, threw for 260 yards and two touchdowns in last week's 25-8 victory against Carnahan. The Trailblazers scored 18 unanswered points in the second half to get the victory.
Nick Beckett tops the Trailblazer receivers, averaging more than 20 yards per reception.
"He can make some good catches in some tight spots," Rulo said.
The Trailblazers, who operate out of the spread, have struggled in the ground game this season.
"They are searching for that run game on a consistent level," Rulo said.
Tolton is averaging a little less than 17 points per game this season.
Defensively, the Trailblazers have allowed a little more than 19 points per contest out of a 4-3 front.
Senior defensive lineman Zach Schachtner, an all-district selection last year is averaging around eight tackles per game to go along with three total sacks.
Joe Sinek, a senior linebacker, also is getting about eight stops per game. Beckett tops the team with two interceptions.
Rulo is looking for his offense to get some tough yards when it needs to do so tonight. The Crusaders went for it on fourth down four times last week against the Battle Spartans and converted just once.
"People might be frustrated when you don't get it, but they will be just as excited when we you do get it," he said. "Our offensive linemen were excited, they wanted to go for it. Unfortunately, it just didn't work out."
That left the Helias defense in a rough spot and contributed to what turned out to be a 40-7 defeat.
"The defense played well a lot of the time," Rulo said. "We need to be physical for all four quarters, that goes for both the offense and the defense. I think we left some of that on the table against Battle."
Rulo is also looking for more consistency on both sides of the ball.
"We need to play well for all four quarters," he said. "That comes with developing depth and determination and that's what we will continue to work on.
"We have to keep getting better."
The 7 p.m. contest is the only game of the regular season for Helias to be played on a natural grass field. To help prepare, along with work being done on the track surface at Ray Hentges Stadium, the Crusaders have been working on the grass practice field adjacent to the school.
"I don't know if the kids were all that excited about it, but it does give us a chance to get in some preparation on a grass field," Rulo said.
Rulo wants his team to be excited about tonight's game.
"We are going to need to be ready to go," he said. "I think we have progressed quite a bit this season. That has to keep going."
III
Helias has not lost consecutive games in a season since falling to Battle and St. James Academy of Lenexa, Kan., in the middle of the 2015 campaign. This is the second of five consecutive home games for Father Tolton. The Trailblazers will not have a road game the remainder of the regular season. Tolton opened the season with losses to South Callaway (25-19 2OT) and Lutheran: St. Charles (22-2) before getting win No. 1 against Fulton (21-14). Tolton then lost at Boonville (27-17) before beating Carnahan last Friday. This is the third of four straight games against Columbia schools for Helias. The Crusaders will wrap up the foursome Saturday, Sept. 30, against Rock Bridge at Ray Hentges Stadium. That will be Homecoming and Helias' final home game of the regular season. Helias will be without starting senior cornerback John Paden tonight. Paden leads Helias with two interceptions. Zach Woehr and Adam Wilbers will start on the corners for the Crusaders. Tolton finished 5-6 in 2016.
Related media:
Helias Crusaders Football Podcast [Father Tolton preview, Sept. 22, 2017]