Pirates get right back down to business, bulldoze way into district title game

By Don O’Brien

HANNIBAL, Mo. — The ebb and flow of the Hannibal High School football season was interrupted last week thanks to an opening-round bye in the district tournament.

As the undefeated No. 1 seed, the Pirates certainly earned the break. Hannibal’s coaching staff could tell they had a monster on their hands during practice this week.

“Our kids really deserved a couple of days off,” Hannibal coach Jeff Gschwender said. “With having that Friday off, by God they were ready to play this week. We could tell by about Wednesday or Thursday that they were ready.”

Hannibal showed no rust. The Pirates jumped on Warrenton early, building a 35-0 lead after one quarter en route to a 76-6 victory at Dr. E.A. Porter Stadium on Friday night. With the win, the Pirates earned a rematch with Jefferson City, a 61-19 winner over Kirksville on Friday. Hannibal handed the Jays a 40-13 loss in Week 2. The rematch, which will have a district title on the line, will take place at Porter Stadium.

While the Hannibal (10-0) offense will get the shine for its output, the Pirates’ defense helped set the tone against the Warriors (3-7). Hannibal limited Warrenton to 9 yards of offense in the first quarter. Senior Rommel Pinner recorded two sacks early, including a strip sack and recovery that set up Hannibal deep in Warrenton territory.

“That is how our defense has been,” Gschwender said. “Not only is it stopping their offense, but it is also giving our offense the ball in some really good field position. Whenever that happens, our offense scores quick.”

Hannibal has a number of weapons to choose from on offense. The most explosive of which is sophomore Aneyas Williams. Williams touched the ball five times in the first half. The only time he didn’t score a touchdown on those touches came on a diving interception in the final minute of the first quarter.

His first touch resulted in a 46-yard touchdown run and a 6-0 Hannibal lead just over three minutes into the game. Touch No. 2 came when he caught a beautifully thrown ball by senior quarterback Courtland Watson and took it 63 yards for a score.

Williams intercepted the first of his two passes with just over three minutes left in the first half. He caught the ball near midfield and flicked off would-be tacklers with ease on his way to a 51-yard return for a score. That made it a 28-0 Hannibal lead. 

His final touch in the first half came when he took a shovel pass from Watson and scampered 41 yards around left end with just over three minutes left in the first half. By that time, the Hannibal lead had swelled to 56-6.

Told after that game that he hadn’t been tackled in the first half – and just once all game – Williams wasn’t too impressed.

“I’ve gotta stay humble and get better,” he said.

Gschwender was not surprised by Williams’ answer.

“He wants the ball in his hands and just wants to be a part of everything,” the first-year Hannibal coach said of Williams. “He truly gets the whole philosophy of what we are trying to do as a team. He could care less how many touches he gets. He just wants to win.”

That victory was never in doubt on Friday night. Watson had two touchdown runs of his own – of 22 and 7 yards – to go along with the two touchdown passes to Williams. Tyler Hardy had a nifty 12-yard touchdown run to follow up Pinner’s strip sack. 

The Hannibal defense also got in on the scoring fun in the first half as Kane Wilson picked up a Warrenton fumble and nearly took it into the end zone before fumbling the ball at the 3-yard line. Fortunately, teammate Ashton Watts was there to pick up the loose ball and take it in for the score. 

A.J. Thomas and Markahl Humphrey had TD runs in the second half and Kaiser Greenwell returned a punt 55 yards for a touchdown.

“Our kids have done a really good job of playing clean and executing the plays the way they should be and not letting the score get to their head at all,” Gschwender said. “They love to play the game.”

Williams finished with 185 total yards – 79 yards rushing on two attempts and 104 receiving yards on two catches. Watson finished 5 for 6 passing for 130 yards and added another 58 yards on the ground for Hannibal. 

“This is a big first step to our end goal,” Williams said. “We knew we had to come out and play well. I don’t think we’ve reached what we are capable of yet. We want to make history by going all the way.”