Feature /// Helias Hall of Fame


Helias Baseball Enters Missouri Sports Hall of Fame


Story By: Kary Booher, MSHOF Photography By: Helias Catholic High School


             And for good reason.


The Crusaders had been building toward the elite of prep baseball  


“I think we all knew we had the potential to get back to the Final


Four if we caught some breaks,” Brian Francka said. “After making    The Crusaders roared to the top, winning three consecutive state championships in Class 3, and that’s why the Missouri Sports Hall  School Baseball with the Class of 2024. Only six high schools in Missouri have won three consecutive state baseball championships. The Crusaders are among them.  the way.


 a close game until Helias took advantage of Dexter errors, scoring


52 /// January 2025


 by Chad Barnes. Brent Schneiders got the win. That team’s seniors were Brian Francka, Phil Rackers, Matt Kem- na and Rob Bernskoetter. Juniors were Brent Schneiders, Mike No- blett, Chris Rackers, Rob McCurren, Chris Vieth, Chad Barnes and Kevin Weaver. Sophomores were Chris Wyrick, Wes Higgins and Glen Versleus. Francka, Rackers, Schneiders and Wyrick went on to play at the University of Missouri, and Wyrick spent time in the St. Louis Cardinals farm system.


“We just played each game as it came and, in each game, our opponent wanted to beat us. We have a solid baseball tradition at Helias, and we played with confidence.”


— Rob McCurren


The team had a 1.60 earned run average with 209 strikeouts and,  game. Its on-base percentage was .501.


Helias meandered through the state tournament by beating


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