Helias running back Brad Wilson is thankful for one thing this season — his team having a chance to return today to the Missouri Class 4 championship football game at the Edward Jones Dome.

Last year in the title game, Webb City rallied to defeat the Crusaders 41-34 after Wilson had scored on a 9-yard run with 6 minutes 54 seconds left in the game to put Helias in front 34-33. But the Cardinals' Braxton Baker scored the winning touchdown on a 2-yard run with 2:34 remaining.

"It's still in the backs of our minds right now," Wilson said. "We can't forget the experience (of playing in the championship). We don't want to repeat the experience. We want to finish it this year. That's our saying this year: 'Let's finish it.' "

To finish it, the Crusaders (14-0), from Jefferson City, will have to defeat Kearney (12-2). Kickoff is set for 4:15 p.m.

Wilson explained when the returning players gathered last March to begin weight training for this season, the only goal was to win the school's fifth football title.

Now the team is one win away from doing that, although Helias almost didn't make it to the finals. Two weeks ago at Normandy in the quarterfinals, the Vikings nearly pulled off an upset before succumbing 21-13.

"Maybe we just overlooked them a little bit. I don't know," Wilson said. "We rallied toward the end of the game and held their offense down."

Offense is what has gotten the Crusaders to this point. They are averaging 40.2 points per game, while their defense has given up just 11.1 ppg. Wilson, a 5-foot-9, 174-pound senior, is the leader. He has rushed for 1,679 yards with 20 touchdowns and has caught 33 passes for 473 yards and six scores.

"I don't like to put the pressure on me … but all the accolades put on me, all the yards and all, it's got to be contributed to the other receivers blocking and the (offensive) line blocking," he said. "I couldn't do it without them. I know in the playoffs teams have been focusing on me. But, you've got to just keep playing."

Coach Chris Hentges, who is finishing up his fifth season at Helias, noted his offense is "the most explosive" the Crusaders have had in school history breaking the record for total yards (5,647).

"We're doing it with a lot of big plays," said Hentges, whose team averages over nine yards a play. "We've been striking people with big plays and racking up a fair amount of yards. It's just by design. We're fairly aggressive on offense."

The Crusaders will be going against a Bulldogs defense that has given up just 95 points this season, including only 20 in the postseason. Offensively, Kearney has posted 597 points — 170 in the postseason.