Pirates uses Westhoff’s goal to gain upperhand in intense NCMC battle with Marshall

Hannibal forward Bodie Rollins pushes the ball around Marshall defender Tyler Martinez during Saturday's North Central Missouri Conference game at the Veterans Sports Complex in Hannibal, Mo. | Shane Hulsey photo

HANNIBAL, Mo. — Kevin Westhoff knows how intense and physical the Hannibal soccer team’s games against Marshall can be. “Playing them all four years of high school, it’s always been like this,” Westhoff siad. “It just gets crazier and crazier each year.” And in a game that featured three red cards, several hard fouls, and…

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Staying aggressive enables Pirates to gain measure of revenge, take third in own tourney

Hannibal senior midfielder Maddox Tharp moves the ball forward during Saturday's third-place game of the Hannibal Tournament against Rolla at the Veterans Sports Complex in Hannibal, Mo. | Shane Hulsey photo

HANNIBAL, Mo. — The Hannibal boys soccer team may not have earned the opportunity to play for a championship in its own tournament, but Kevin Westhoff and the Pirates relished the chance to exact revenge on Rolla — the team that, until Saturday, had handed Hannibal its only loss of the season. Westhoff’s penalty kick…

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At the center of things: Hannibal’s Westhoff changes position to bolster Pirates’ defense

Hannibal's Kevin Westhoff is moving to center back and should form a dominant duo in back with Cooper Scott. | Shane Hulsey photo

HANNIBAL, Mo. — Kevin Westhoff has welcomed the change. Primarily a midfielder in his first two seasons with the Hannibal boys soccer program, Westhoff began playing center back for JB Marine, his club team based in St. Louis, last December and is moving to the back line this fall for the Pirates. “It’s a much…

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