Often when a team reaches a state championship for the first time, it expends all of its senior capital and four years of building to that game graduates the next spring.
That’s not the case at St. Pius X. Quite the opposite. The Lancers are coming off of their first trip to the Show-Me Bowl last December with their starting quarterback, record-breaking running back, most pieces of the offensive line and five players who were Class 2 all-state selections in 2025.
Given the new Championship Factor formula from the Missouri State High School Activities Association, St. Pius could be moving up to Class 3 based on last year’s success. MSHSAA releases class and district assignments on Friday, Aug. 28. Since the Lancers began playing as an independent, their schedule often includes larger schools. That was the case last year when they started the season 0-3 and had a losing record going into the District 1 tournament. But five wins later – including memorable quarterfinal and semifinal wins at Father Dalton Stadium – and St. Pius found itself overmatched in a 59-0 defeat to undefeated juggernaut Blair Oaks.
A spike in temperatures just as practice began for fall sports on Aug. 10 forced football teams to dodge the heat during the hottest part of the day and alter when the players could safely be outside.
“The practices are what we hoped they’d look like in the fourth year,” said St. Pius head coach Frank Ray, who enters his fourth season with a record of 22-15. “Pace is right. Energy is up. We’re not having many wasted reps. The learning curve is shorter because we have older kids helping younger kids. That’s where we want to be right now.”
Back at Spratt Stadium in the Show-Me Bowl, no matter the class, is where the Lancers expect to be given their talent on both sides of the ball.
After taking his sophomore lumps early in his first duty as a starter last year, junior QB Evan Eckrich passed for more than 2,000 yards and tossed three touchdowns in the semifinals against Monroe City. He’s got two bruising senior running backs, Cody Shaver (5-11, 205) and Brody Ervin (6-3, 215), who’ve both gained 20 pounds of muscle in the offseason, and one of the biggest, most experienced deep threats at wide receiver in junior Harrison Ray when Harrison’s dad wants to peel the top off of a defense.
Coach Ray said football has become a year-round pursuit for Eckrich.
“From a team standpoint, that spotlight is bright on Friday nights, and last year he let the older guys lead, and he took on more of a role player, which isn’t the way you see that position,” Ray said. “This year it needs to be his offense. Evan is serious about what he wants. He texts me about playing the position late at night.”
Shaver (all-state, honorable mention) carried the ball and played linebacker last season with a broken thumb. It didn’t keep him from breaking the school record in rushing, and then qualifying for the Class 1 state wrestling championships at 190 pounds. But Shaver played football with a cast, limiting his ability to stiff-arm defenders on the perimeter, and he wasn’t used in the passing game. That will change, Coach Ray said.
“The normal answer everyone expects is he’s stronger and faster, but the best way to put it, is he’s going to look different,” Ray said. “One thing that doesn’t get showcased is he’s a terrific receiver out of the backfield. He’s more elusive than he gets credit for. He was a banger between the tackles, but people will see broader talents. He did a lot more damage out on the perimeter the last few games of the season. He’d been a downhill bruiser all season.”
In the 14-0 quarterfinal shutout over Montgomery County, Shaver scored the second TD, and Ervin scored the first. Ervin and Shaver also were leading tacklers on defense in the game. Ray compared Ervin’s running style to Greg Cain, who’s one of the all-time best RBs ever at Hillsboro.
“(Ervin) averaged about 10 yards per carry in the back half of the season,” Ray said. “We’re going to use a lot of two-back sets.
“I made the comparison watching Brody run to Greg Cain because I was younger (than Cain), but remember seeing him play. Brody has a good lean and gets behind his pads like Greg. I’m excited to see what more carries looks like for Brody.”
Harrison Ray (all-state HM) is 6-2 ½, 175, which puts him in the top one percent for size for high school wide receivers and cornerbacks. Ray is equally capable of making big plays at either position. He caught 10 TDs and averaged 26 yards per catch on offense, and was one of the leading ballhawks in the St. Louis area with six interceptions. Harrison’s dad said there’ve been improvements.
“He has stronger hands,” Frank said. “He’s always been good at tracking the ball, and he puts his body between the defender and the ball from playing basketball. You’re going to see stronger hands out of him to get a couple more contested balls. His route running is better. His speed off the ball is the same, whether it’s a run or a pass and he’s getting into the art of being at wide receiver.”
Senior Dawson Litterall has good hands and is a four-year starter at fullback. Sophomores Javi Pulido and Cole King will give Ervin and Shaver a rest in the backfield.
The Lancers have two returning all-state linemen in senior Jackson Jercinovic (second team, offense) and junior Hunter Hylton (second team, defense). Senior Lucas Reitzel and junior Carter Cain started on the OL last year. Hylton is the center on the OL, and is switching from defensive end to linebacker on defense. Senior Gabe Baez is on the OL and is the long snapper. Colin Spink is a guard and DE. Nose tackle David Schulte, a senior, is 6-7, 320. Junior Karter Smith is at outside linebacker.
The only sophomore starter on either side of the ball is Jaden Lewis, who joins Harrison Ray as the other cornerback.
“When spring (work) started, I had him penciled in as JV again, which isn’t a knock on him, we just have a lot of guys returning. He’s competing so hard,” Coach Ray said. “Like they say, ‘Be that kid who they can’t ignore,’ and that’s what he did. He had the coaches talking about him, ‘Man, that kid’s filled with fire.’”
Senior Nathan Heredia made 45 extra points last season, but an injured foot has him sidelined at the start of practice, and sophomore Quinten Choate has taken over the kicking duties.
St. Pius travels to Fort Branch, Ind. Aug. 28 to play Gibson Southern High in the season opener.