Ladue’s relentless pressure disrupts Hannibal’s flow, results in loss that ends historic campaign

HANNIBAL, Mo. — The Hannibal High School soccer team entered the Missouri Class 3 state quarterfinals with momentum on its side.

The Pirates were riding a 21-game winning streak, including a dramatic overtime victory over long-time nemesis Fort Zumwalt South to secure their first district championship since 2013. They had shut out all three postseason opponents, allowed one goal in their last nine matches and were undefeated (9-0) at home.

An overflow crowd turned out to Veterans Sports Complex on Saturday afternoon with hopes of seeing Hannibal reach the final four for only the second time.

Ladue Horton Watkins had other ideas.

The Rams, ranked No. 1 for much of this season after a second-place state finish a year ago, applied relentless offensive pressure and bottled up the Pirates’ potent attack from the start to claim a 2-0 victory and earn a semifinal date with Independence Van Horn on Friday at Lindenwood University in St. Charles.

For Hannibal, it was a sudden and disappointing end to the winningest season in school history.

“We knew it was going to be a tough game coming into it, but we played some really tough teams this season,” senior forward Bodie Rollins said after his team bowed out with a 26-3 record. “They were a big, physical team and we couldn’t get a lot of offense going. It just wasn’t our night.”

Ladue outshot the hosts 19-7 and put 12 of those attempts on goal. The winners continually pressed the attack, controlling the flow of the ball to send waves at the Hannibal defense and putting stress on defenders and senior goalkeeper Clayton Neisen, who had allowed just 14 goals and had recorded 17 shutouts this season

The Rams got on the board with 12 minutes, 57 seconds elapsed when forward Ahmad Shebl went high in the middle of the box to redirect a crossing pass from the left wing from Tommy Edrington with a header that found the back of the net.

Only five saves by Neisen in the opening half prevented the deficit from being larger.

“I think the numbers that they put into the attack, we were so worried trying to snuff that out that it kept our guys from getting where we needed to be when we got the ball and we were on attack,” Hannibal coach Eric Hill said. “Their offense, honestly, is a big part of what caused us problems on our attack.

“I don’t know if it took us out of our flow or what, but we couldn’t get anything going offensively. The wind in our faces (in the first half) affected us a little bit. We were having a tough time getting our goal kicks cleared out of midfield and they did a great job of taking advantage and keeping the pressure on.”

Hannibal’s best opportunity came with a little more than three minutes left in the first half when Ladue keeper Seaton Thompson mishandled a free kick from 40 yards out trying to win it in the air. Two Pirates had cracks at knotting the score during the ensuing scramble, only for a defender to clear both off the line.

“That could have made it a different game,” Hill said.

Hannibal had another golden opportunity 90 seconds into the second half when midfielder Austin Salerno gained control and threaded a through ball into the box to an unmarked Rollins coming in from the right. But Thompson went down to smother Rollins’ low shot just inside the post.

“We had some moments in the second half when it looked like it was starting to click,” Hill said. “There were some chances, but they did a nice job of clearing everything out.”

Keegan Cody made it 2-0 with 19:16 elapsed in the second half by knocking in a loose ball in the box after the Pirates failed to clear a crossing pass.

Both Rollins (27 goals) and Maddox Tharp (19 goals) had opportunities when Ladue had trouble clearing a ball from the box seven minutes later, but neither could convert from close range.

Ladue, which needed two overtimes to outlast Westminster Christian Academy in its district title match, improved to 21-6 with its ninth straight victory. The Rams lost the state championship match 2-0 to Kansas City East last season. They also finished second in 2021.

Hannibal finished fourth in its only state finals appearance in Class 2 in 2006.

“I told the guys at the end of the game that this hurts, and it should, because we really felt like we could have gotten (to the finals),” Hill said. “But as they get over this pain, I want them to look back and realized what they’ve done.

“It was a great year. It’s disappointing the way it ended, but it’s disappointing for every team except one at the end of the year. They put us on the map, and they definitely need to be proud of that.”