‘It’s the playoffs’: Hannibal clicks on all cylinders to leave no doubt in district-opening victory

HANNIBAL, Mo. — What leaves remain on the trees around Dr. E.A. Porter Stadium are flashing a cornucopia of color.

And those evening temperatures hovering across Northeast Missouri now provide more than just a hint of the cooler weather that is coming.

But Hannibal football coach Jeff Gschwender hardly needs such reminders about how deep into the calendar autumn has reached. He knows very well what time of the year it is.

“It’s the playoffs, and you have to be at the top of your game,” he said.

And Hannibal was just that Friday night.

The Pirates completely smothered Wentzville Holt 50-14 in front of a Class 4 District 5 quarterfinal crowd of about 900.

Hannibal, now 7-3 and riding a four-game win streak, led 21-0 before Holt barely had time to blink.

At the half, the Pirates were in full control, leading 36-14. 

The final two quarters were a mere formality.

“By the start of the second half, we felt the game was ours,” said Hannibal senior wide receiver Karter Reed, who caught five passes for 95 yards and a pair of touchdowns.

Holt ended its season 3-7, having lost its final five games.

Third-seeded Hannibal will tackle seventh-seeded Mexico (5-5) in the district semifinals, scheduled for 7 p.m. Nov. 8 at Porter Stadium. Mexico stunned previously unbeaten and second-seeded Kirksville (9-1) on Friday night, earning a 21-14 victory in double overtime.

Hannibal defeated Mexico 40-0 during the regular season, and has beaten the Bulldogs in their last eight meetings.

Hannibal will begin preparation for Mexico on Monday, but late Friday evening, it was time to enjoy the spoils of victory.

“We had a few hiccups early, but we adjusted,” said Gschwender, who picked up his 40th win as Pirates coach (in 49 games) since taking over the program prior to the 2021 season.

Gschwender said every aspect of the Hannibal game plan clicked, and it was hard to argue that observation. Consider that:

• Senior running back Mike Ferreira ran for two touchdowns and 195 yards — 167 of that total coming in the first half. Hannibal rushed for 326 yards behind the offensive line of Noah Brown, Jarren Landis, Jonathan Green, Patrick Arthaud and Nick Thomas.

• Quarterback Waylon Anders, another senior and a third-year starter, was near-perfect in coordinating Hannibal’s offense, which rolled up 458 yards. Anders completed nine of 13 passes for 132 yards and two touchdowns.

• Darrion Washington, only a sophomore but already a multi-purpose weapon, scored three touchdowns, including one on a 53-yard punt return. His other scores were from short, but powerful blasts near the goal line.

• The Hannibal defense, which has held seven consecutive opponents to 18 points or fewer, forced seven Holt punts, recorded four sacks and limited the Indians’ ball possession to 15 minutes, 12 seconds. Hannibal had the ball more than double that figure.

“Our defense was outstanding tonight,” Washington said. 

Ferreira, who has run for 1,281 yards this season, pushed his career standard to 3,385 yards, which moves him to No. 6 on Hannibal’s all-time leaderboard. Next up is No. 5 Jerry McBride with 3,437 yards. Shamar Griffith is No. 1 with 6,046.

Anders boosted his career totals, too. He now has thrown for 4,362 yards and 62 touchdowns, second only to Courtland Watson’s 4,825 and 65.

“Waylon was a freaking stud tonight, from the way he was seeing the field to how he took charge,” said Gschwender, whose Pirates have scored 50 or more points 20 times in their last 49 starts.

Reed, too, had high praise for Anders.

“Me and Waylon have a very deep connection, we’re always out working together,” Reed said. “Our connection plays a big role in the success we have.”

Reed leads Hannibal in receptions (23), yardage (404) and receiving touchdowns (6).

Washington, who has produced 343 rushing yards, 283 receiving yards and scored nine touchdowns in a backup role, admitted his 53-yard punt return for a touchdown currently sits as the highlight of a career that will likely begin to take off in 2025.

“That (punt return) was exciting, for sure,” he said. “I knew I was capable, and I just gave it everything I had.”

Hannibal’s victory boosted its postseason record to 29-12 since the Missouri State High School Athletics Association adopted its current football tournament format in 2012.