The 1 matchup to watch as Rock Bridge hosts Helias: Boone County football Week 5 predictions

Last season, the CMAC regular-season championship came down to one game: Rock Bridge-Helias. That game was decided by gutsy calls and clutch plays.

This season should be no different.

Rock Bridge and Helias are both 3-1 with close losses to teams outside of Columbia and Jefferson City. Both average well over 30 points per game on offense and allow less than 20 points per game on defense.

On Friday, the winner between the Crusaders and Bruins will come down to the Rock Bridge defense.

Helias' quarterback Sam Wyrick leads a Crusaders passing attack that has amassed 1,091 passing yards this season. Last week, Wyrick passed for 325 yards and four touchdowns against No. 1 Cardinal Ritter in an almost upset on the road.

The boon for Rock Bridge is the Bruins have the means to defend that high-octane passing offense.

Rock Bridge boasts defensive backs Cullen Snow, Donivan Taylor and Kenyon Minnis, and that's just three players in the defensive secondary. Those players are fast, in a word. Beyond that, Snow, who plays free safety, is one of the best ballhawks in the state. Snow already has an interception returned for a touchdown this season.

Combine that with the linebacker lineup Rock Bridge has, which is an all-state lineup of Grayson Cutchlow, Elijah Morton and Spencer Irvin, that the Bruins have.

If defending the passing game might come down to the second and third levels of the Bruins' defense, the tale of the tape stacks up well for Rock Bridge. That's a boon considering the other side of the ball.

The Bruins' offense has shown little sign of slowing down. Junior quarterback Brady Davidson led the Rock Bridge offense after senior quarterback Sam Kaiser left the game against Jefferson City with an injury after throwing just three passes.

Davidson, one of the most gifted athletes in Boone County, played the entire game against Capital City and threw three touchdowns. If either Kaiser or Davidson are under center Friday, Rock Bridge's offense has a playmaker that can get the ball to Drevyn Seamon, Devin Holt and the other weapons Matt Perkins' offense has.

This game will come down to a defensive play. Luckily for Rock Bridge, the Bruins have the players who can make those plays.

Boone County High School Football Week 5 game predictions

Helias at Rock Bridge

This is the game that will most likely decide the CMAC regular-season champion. The Bruins and Crusaders played a thriller last season in Jefferson City, and will most likely reprise that performance at RBHS Friday. It's hard to pick against the defense with three all-state-caliber linebackers.

The Pick: Rock Bridge

Smith-Cotton at Hickman

At 0-4, the Kewpies are in need of some momentum that goes their way. Hickman has a chance for that against Smith-Cotton, which has allowed 56 points and 66 points to CMAC teams this season.

The Pick: Hickman

Battle at Kapuan Mt. Carmel (Kansas)

Going on the road, further than the other CPS schools will go, will be a challenge for Battle. Another challenge is Kapuan's offense, which averages 50 points per game.

The Pick: Kapuan Mt. Carmel

Father Tolton at Bishop DuBourg

The Father Tolton machine keeps rolling, and that's thanks to quarterback Jake Ryan. The Trailblazers' defense keeps rolling, too, and that's thanks to the likes of Cam Lee and Cayden Roark. Until Tolton shows a sign of slowing down, assume the team won't.

The Pick: Father Tolton

Hallsville at Eldon

Hallsville has responded well to its challenging road test as its new turf field gets its finishing touches. A big reason why is quarterback Brayden Matheney, who has continued to lead the Hallsville offense, throw touchdowns and take care of the ball. Assume that he continues that this week.

The Pick: Hallsville

Centralia at Monroe City

The Panthers' chance to go 5-0 rests in its defense's hands. Monroe City allows 30 points per game, but its offense averages 28 points per game. Centralia's offense should have little issue producing.

The Pick: Centralia

Quincy Notre Dame (Illinois) at Southern Boone

Welcoming a team from out-of-state, the Eagles will aim to keep their offensive game rolling. That bodes well against Quincy Notre Dame, which allows 31 points per game.

The Pick: Southern Boone

Harrisburg at Salisbury

Harrisburg's offense is clicking. A 44-point outburst against Milan was proof the Bulldogs can hang offensively with anyone. Salisbury allowed 54 points against Tolton in Week 1; Harrisburg matches up well in that regard.

The Pick: Harrisburg

Tribune's Week 4 Player of the Week

Harrisburg may not have won last weekend, however the Bulldogs had arguably the best player. This week's Player of the Week vote sealed that discussion.

Harrisburg's Hunter Cole, who starred playing both ways last week, is the Tribune's Week 4 Player of the Week after earning over 73 percent of the vote. There were over 11,000 votes.

Cole's final stat line nearly included every kind of stat possible: he caught six passes for 198 yards, scored three touchdowns, recorded five tackles, notched one tackle for loss, forced a fumble and recovered a fumble.

Just a light day at the office.

Cole is the first Player of the Week winner from Harrisburg this season and is the fourth winner from a different school. He's the second receiver to win Player of the Week, joining Hallsville's Isaac Stinson who won last week's honor.

Tribune's Player of the Week Winners

Week 1: Joey Scardina, Rock Bridge

Week 2: Austin Evans, Southern Boone

Week 3: Isaac Stinson, Hallsville

Week 4: Hunter Cole, Harrisburg

This article originally appeared on Columbia Daily Tribune: The 1 matchup to watch as Rock Bridge hosts Helias