Helias crusades over Bruins

Helias assistant coach Mark Ordway rocked back and forth in his seat in the coach's box as he watched Friday's game. Periodically, he would stop his swaying, take in another play and begin rocking again.

“I’m a defensive guy, so I usually do it (rock) when the offense is going,” Ordway said. “I’m hyperactive.”

The Crusaders followed their coach’s lead, throttling Rock Bridge 45-13 in the Bruins’ homecoming game.

Helias quarterback Jay Shimmens accounted for three touchdowns and the senior was 7-for-11 with 78 yards passing and rushed 11 times for 50 yards. He threw a 15-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Chris Tannehill in the first quarter and added touchdown runs of  seven yard and 10 yards in the second quarter.

Helias running back and defensive back Brad Lorang collected a Bruins fumble and ran for an 80-yard score in the second quarter. He chipped in a 2-yard rushing touchdown in the third quarter.

Kicker Taylor Heislen set a Helias school record with a 43-yard field goal with 9:30 remaining in the fourth quarter.

Rock Bridge running back Jaimonte Cooper provided much of the Bruins’ offense, with 167 yards on 21 rushes. He scored on a 1-yard run with 5:46 remaining in the fourth quarter for his team-leading fourth rushing touchdown.

Wide receiver Mack Cooper caught a 75-yard touchdown pass from Darryn Hill for the Bruins’ other score.

Despite outgaining the Crusaders 360 to 334 offensively, the Bruins lost by 32 points because poor special teams play gave Helias short fields to work throughout the game. 

“If you wanted to sum everything up in one word, it would be poise,” Bruins coach A.J. Ofodile said. “There was a complete and utter lack of poise. It’s bad looking stuff. There were 5-yard kickoffs and 10-yard punts.”

Rock Bridge visits Riverview Gardens next Friday at 6 p.m.