Schuck on a Truck: Hannibal’s Rollins discusses soccer season, summer success with J.B. Marine

HANNIBAL, Mo. — Graduation losses are inevitable, but the Hannibal boys soccer program braced for that with a sizable junior class gaining valuable playing experience the past two seasons.

Depth is still a concern with only two seniors on the roster and the need for freshmen to fill reserve roles, but quality over quantity is going to make the Pirates dangerous.

“It’s a talented group,” junior forward Bodie Rollins said. “We have a lot of guys who played minutes in the past and are going to be getting a lot of minutes in the future. Everyone is ready for that.”

It’s why the Pirates see themselves as district contenders.

Hannibal finished 20-6 last season, won its third straight North Central Missouri Conference championship and fell in the district semifinals for the second straight year. The experience defensively of seniors Thomas Janes and Graysen Crabill and the explosiveness of Rollins and others up front make this a district title-caliber team.

So does the emergence of junior Clayton Neisen in goal. Parker Terrill graduated after spending the last four seasons as the starting netminder, and Terrill was as good as any in Hannibal history, setting the career record for shutouts. Neisen has length, athleticism and an aggressive nature that should allow him to be as savvy.

Meanwhile, Rollins will get help offensively from the return of junior midfielders Colton Dryden and Maddox Tharp, who missed all but three games last season with an injury. Rollins showed what he was capable of this summer, helping his J.B. Marine club team reach the USYS national championship game at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex in Orlando. Fla.

Rollins scored a goal in the national semifinal victory and teamed with Quincy Notre Dame’s Rylan Fischer to give the St. Louis-based club team some area flair.

Rollins joined Muddy River Sports Editor Matt Schuckman on the tailgate of his pickup to discuss the upcoming season and the summer success for this episode of “Schuck on a Truck,” brought to you by Area Distributors.