High School

Lutheran North beats Festus in Missouri high school football Class 4 final: Live updates recap

Jonathan Moore throws 5 TDs for Crusaders -- 4 of them to Bass in 44-7 victory

Cody Thorn

Lutheran North's Michael Clark runs away from a Kearney defender in a Class 4 semifinal game.
Lutheran North's Michael Clark runs away from a Kearney defender in a Class 4 semifinal game. / David Smith

Festus and Lutheran North are about 45 miles away from each other in the St. Louis metro area. 

However, dating back to 2004 they have not played each other but that changes Friday morning at Faurot Field.

Festus (11-2) will look to win its first-ever state championship — in its first-ever state finals berth.

Meanwhile, Lutheran North (12-1) is in the finals for the eighth time overall, the first since 2019. The Crusaders have won in six of the previous seven trips to the finals.

This will mark the second time in the last three years that two St. Louis-area schools have met in the Class 4 finals. In 2022, St. Louis Southside beat St. Dominic in the finals.

Festus and Lutheran North both have solid defenses, giving up 13.2 points per game and 14 points per game, respectively.

Lutheran North, winners of 11 in a row, has the edge on offense averaging nearly 50 points. The Tigers score 31 points per game. 

MISSOURI HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL SCOREBOARD

About Festus

Key players—QB Essien Smith (68-for-126, 1,083 yards, 9 TDs); RB Leauntae Williams (1,048 yards, 11 TDs); RB Kamden Yates (737 yards, 11 TDs); WR Trey Lacey (16/438/6); DE Owen Gardner (74 tackles, 7 sacks); LB Mason Schirmer (142 tackles, 4 sacks, 3 INTs/Missouri baseball signee)

About Lutheran North

Key players—RB Martez Stephenson (1,300 yards/16 TDs), QB Jonathan Moore (101-for-171, 2,008 yards, 36 TDs); WR Mike Clark (41/791/12); WR Trey Bass (38/752/14); LB James Bryant (99 tackles, 4 sacks); S/LB Karvon Jefferson (96 tackles, 3 INTs)

Follow along below for live updates from the Class 4 Missouri high school school football state championship game, which is scheduled to start at 11 p.m. CT Friday, Dec. 6

You can also watch Lutheran North vs. Festus on MSHSAA.tv (purchase required).

Lutheran North vs. Festus, Class 4 championship game live updates

Lutheran North gets the ball first

1ST QUARTER

TOUCHDOWN Lutheran North! Jonathan Moore hits Trey Bass for a touchdown on the first play of the game for the Crusaders. 2-point conversion good by Jevon Blackman. Lutheran North 8, Festus 0

TURNOVER ON DOWNS! Festus goes for it on fourth down and comes up short on a run.

TOUCHDOWN LUTHERAN NORTH! Martez Stephenson on the first play after the turnover scores on a 43-yard run. 9:26 left in the 1st. Two-point conversion fails. Lutheran North 14, Festus 0

Moore passes to Stephenson to convert on a 4th-down-attempt deep in Festus territory.

Lutheran North facing another 4th down and gets it thanks to Festus jumping offsides. 1st and goal from the 4.

TOUCHDOWN LUTHERAN NORTH! Moore to Bass again on a pass to the corner of the end zone on the first play after the penalty. Blackman scores on 2-point conversion. Lutheran North 22, Festus. 0. 3:04 to go in 1st

Festus moves into Lutheran North territory on a pass from Essien Smith to David Russell Jr. Ball at Crusaders' 30.

END OF 1ST QUARTER: Lutheran North 22, Festus 0

2ND QUARTER

TURNOVER! Smith gets hit on a carry and the ball is loose. Booby Bryant picks it up for Lutheran North at the 11-yard line.

TURNOVER ON DOWNS! Lutheran North goes for it on 4th down near midfield and comes up short. 9:13 left in 2nd.

TURNOVER ON DOWNS! Festus goes for it near midfield and Mike Hall tackles Smith at the Lutheran North 42-yard line. 7:14 left in 2nd.

A run followed by a late hit has the Crusaders at the 7-yard line.

TOUCHDOWN LUTHERAN NORTH! Bass is wide open after a criss-cross route and scores on a 7-yard TD. It is his third score of the day from Moore. 2-point fails, but we have a flag.

Nice catch by Jaquiveon Whitfield on 2-point conversion. Lutheran North 30, Festus 0. 6:20 left in 2nd.

TOUCHDOWN LUTHERAN NORTH! Moore to Stephenson for 56-yards. Moore hits Mike Clark on the 2-point conversion. Lutheran North 38, Festus 0, 2:43 left in 2nd.

TOUCHDOWN FESTUS! Trey Lacey from Smith to get the Tigers on the board. Flag on the play for pass interference against Lutheran North. 33-yard score with 11 seconds left in the 2nd. Not a single official signaled touchdown, but it was confirmed after penalty announced. Lutheran North 38, Festus 7.

HALFTIME: Lutheran North 38, Festus 7

3RD QUARTER

TURNOVER ON DOWNS! Festus inside the red zone and goes for it but the pass is incomplete. Lutheran North ball with 6:04 left in 3rd. That ended a 5 minute, 56-second drive that ends without points for the Tigers.

TURNOVER ON DOWNS! Mason Shirmer with a pass breakup and Lutheran North turns the ball over. 3:10 left in the 3rd. Festus ball.

END OF 3RD QUARTER: Lutheran North 38, Festus 7

4TH QUARTER

TOUCHDOWN LUTHERAN NORTH! Another from Moore to Bass. Short pass and Bass does the rest on a 37-yard touchdown catch. 9:26 left. Crusaders are successful on a 2-point conversion as well. Lutheran North 46, Festus 7.

Bass now with 9 catches for 157 yards and 4 TDs. MSHSAA doesn't give MVP awards in title games, but he's got my vote.

TURNOVER ON DOWNS! Lutheran North sacked on 4th down. 2:20 left in the game.

INTERCEPTION! Barry Benson for Lutheran North. That should do it.

FINAL: Lutheran North 46, Festus 7

Some postgame numbers: Bass finishes with 10 catches for 190 yards and 4 TDs. Moore was 17-for-23 passign for 342 yards and 5 TDs, while rushing for 48 yards on 7 carries.

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-- Cody Thorn | @sblivesports

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Cody Thorn
CODY THORN

Cody Thorn is a veteran journalist who covers high school sports across the state of Texas and Missouri. He is based in the Dallas-Fort Worth area and has covered sports and news since 1999.

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