SPRINGFIELD, Mo--The Evangel Crusaders improved to 3-0 on the season Saturday with a 38-14 win over Sterling.

The Valor remain number 16 in the national NAIA poll.

Chuck Hepola's team will host St. Mary Saturday night at Nixa's Eagle Stadium.

Hepola has now won 56 games in his nine year career, and is second on the all-time list just ten behind Keith Barefield.

For the second straight week, the Valor will be playing a team that has not won a game in 2024.

The competition may not be stiff, but Hepola says at this point of the season he's not necessarily looking at the scoreboard to mark improvement.

"We work on the process of things. And I use the phrase, I coach the game not the scoreboard. And you have to honor and respect the game. And every play something good happens and something bad happens. We have to be able to, we're fighting against human nature. If you want to know the truth. And we're trying to get guys to succeed at a high level. And be elite. That takes time, and effort, and intensity, and focus and commitment," said Hepola.

News Source : https://www.ozarksfirst.com/sports/valor-comes-home-3-0-ranked-16th-in-naia-poll/