Hannibal soccer team displays resiliency in battling back to take third in own tournament

September 10, 2022 | By Muddy River Sports

Hannibal’s Pearson Parker, left, and Bodie Rollins jump to head the ball on goal during the Pirates’ game against Parkway Central in the semifinals of the Pirate Shootout on Saturday morning at Veterans Field in Hannibal, Mo. | Photo courtesy Mathew Kirby

HANNIBAL, Mo. — The Hannibal boys soccer team caught a glimpse of what a potential postseason opponent looks like and proved it can be right in the mix.

Better yet, the Pirates also showed how to bounce back from adversity.

Hannibal lost 1-0 to Parkway Central on Saturday morning in the semifinals of the 2022 Pirate Shootout at Veterans Field before rebounding with a 4-1 victory over Saxony Lutheran in the third-place game.

Parkway Central and Hannibal are both Class 3 programs and funnel into the same side of the state tournament bracket. The Colts will be in District 3 with the Pirates in District 4. The winners of those districts will meet in the state semifinals.

The Colts’ Robbie Alexandrov scored the game-winning goal off a Davis Brown assist in the second half.

Against Saxony Lutheran, the Pirates got goals from Bodie Rollins, Drew Porter, DaeShon Glasgow and Karson Westhoff. Colton Dryden and Kevin Westhoff both had assists.

Hannibal is 3-3 with five of its next six games at home, including three of the four North Central Missouri Conference games it will play in that stretch.