Pirates brace for opportunity to experience deja vu and end Warriors’ undefeated season

Hannibal sophomore running back Darrion Washington looks for yardage during last Friday's district semifinal victory over Mexico at Porter Stadium in Hannibal, Mo. | Mathew Kirby photo

HANNIBAL, Mo. — Same round, same foes. For the second straight season, the Hannibal and Warrenton football teams will clash for the district championship. “We expect to be in this position every year,” Hannibal coach Jeff Gschwender said. Gschwender and the Pirates hope it’s deja vu all over again. A year ago, Hannibal took a…

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Crim: Intriguing matchups await area football teams still alive in postseason play

The captains of the Camp Point Central football team await the coin before last Saturday's 40-0 victory over Toledo Cumberland in the second round of the Class 1A playoffs in Camp Point, ill. | Photo courtesy Mike Pritchard

QUINCY — It’s getting down to nitty-gritty time in the high school football postseason. Now that preliminary playoff rounds are out of the way, three area teams have advanced to the quarterfinals in Illinois and three Missouri teams will play for district championships this week. Reigning Illinois Class 1A champion Camp Point Central has been…

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Pirates grind out game-clinching possession to advance to district championship game

Hannibal quarterback Waylon Anders looks for running room during Friday night's Class 4 District 5 semifinal victory over Mexico at Porter Stadium in Hannibal, Mo. | Mathew Kirby photo

HANNIBAL, Mo. — Hannibal High School football fans may hereafter refer to it as “The Drive.” Taking over at their own 12-yard-line after an interception by linebacker James Wetton with 11:49 remaining and nursing a precarious seven-point lead, the Pirates methodically bled 10 minutes, 29 seconds off the clock with 16 straight running plays. The…

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Pirates look to continue trend of being locked in both offensively and defensively against Bulldogs

Hannibal running back Mike Ferreira is healthy after dealing with some nagging injuries during the regular season and is expected to carry the load against Mexico in Friday's Class 4 District 5 semifinal at Porter Stadium in Hannibal, Mo. | Mathew Kirby photo

HANNIBAL, Mo. — Seventh-seeded Mexico beating No. 2 seed and previously undefeated Kirksville in the Class 4 District 5 football quarterfinals may have looked like a significant upset on paper, but Hannibal coach Jeff Gschwender did not necessarily see it that way. “I can’t say that I was super shocked,” Gschwender said. “Mexico is a…

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Scott’s key catch sets up Anders’ game-winning touchdown run as Pirates rally at Porter Stadium

Hannibal running back Mike Ferreria fights for yardage during Friday night's game against Fort Zumwalt West at Porter Stadium in Hannibal, Mo. | Mathew Kirby photo

HANNIBAL, Mo. — The anticipatory smile on Aden Scott’s postgame face indicated he knew what question was coming. Minutes earlier, the Hannibal tight end had reeled in a dramatic 48-yard reception from quarterback Waylon Anders. The catch had moved the ball to the Fort Zumwalt West 1-yard line, setting up what proved to be Anders’…

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‘Landyn Essig is really fast’: Essig returns two kickoffs for touchdowns, scores four times in Pirates’ rout of Spartans

Landyn Essig had two kickoff returns for touchdown, a rushing touchdown and a receiving touchdown in Hannibal's 56-18 win over Moberly. — Photo by Shane Hulsey

HANNIBAL, Mo. — Landyn Essig’s encore performance was just as impressive as his opening act. With the Hannibal football team leading Moberly 41-18 at the start of the fourth quarter of Friday’s North Central Missouri Conference game at Porter Stadium, Essig had already run the opening kickoff back for a touchdown, rushed for a touchdown…

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Washington creates role for himself within Hannibal’s offense by ‘really understanding the game’

Hannibal's Darion Washington outruns the Mexico defense for one of his two receiving touchdowns during Friday night's game at Porter Stadium in Hannibal, Mo. | Mathew Kirby photo

HANNIBAL, Mo. — Darion Washington hasn’t had many chances to touch the football offensively this season, but he’s making the most of his opportunities. The junior running back caught two touchdown passes and set up another score with a 29-yard run Friday night to help state-ranked Hannibal roll to a 40-0 victory over Mexico at…

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Countdown to kickoff: Pirates ready to ‘make a path for ourselves’ with array of talent

Hannibal senior running back Mike Ferreira, left, is the Pirates' top returning rusher and expects to build on a 1,817-yard, 18-touchdown season from a year ago. | Shane Hulsey photo

Coverage of the Hannibal football program brought to you by: HANNIBAL, Mo. — No Aneyas Williams, no problem. This is the prevailing attitude within the Hannibal football program. “With Aneyas or without Aneyas, we’re still going to win,” senior running back Mike Ferreira said. As Williams, who rushed for 4,255 yards and racked up 3,249…

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Schuck on a Truck: Hannibal’s Waylon Anders discusses leading Pirates’ lethal offense, chasing state championship

HANNIBAL, Mo. — Waylon Anders has quarterbacked the Hannibal football team to 20 victories in two seasons as the starting signal-caller. His experience and understanding of the Pirates’ offense is a critical reason Hannibal is considered a viable state title contender in Class 4. Anders joined Muddy River Sports Editor Matt Schuckman on the tailgate…

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Expectations rising as Pirates head into fall ranked among Missouri’s top 25 football teams

Hannibal quarterback Waylon Anders is considered one of the top 30 returning quarterbacks in the state of Missouri, according to SBLive Sports. | Mathew Kirby photo

HANNIBAL, Mo. — The most celebrated player in the history of the Hannibal High School football program begins his first collegiate football season in three days as the University of Notre Dame kicks off fall camp with Aneyas Williams in the backfield. So what does that mean for the Pirates? Opportunities abound. There’s an opportunity…

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Four-peat: Unstoppable offense carries Pirates to fourth consecutive district championship

Hannibal quarterback Waylon Anders dives into the end zone for one of his three touchdown runs during Friday night's 55-32 victory over Warrenton in the Class 4 District 4 title game at Porter Stadium in Hannibal, Mo. | Mathew Kirby photo

HANNIBAL, Mo. — Who’s next? Hannibal continued its scorched-earth approach to postseason football with its third straight one-sided victory Friday night. The Pirates won their fourth straight Class 4 District 4 championship in record-breaking fashion, torching previously unbeaten Warrenton 55-32 before a crowd of about 1,700 at Porter Stadium. Fueled by all-purpose back Aneyas Williams’ …

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Pirates win eighth consecutive game with another dominant effort spearheaded by Anders

Hannibal quarterback Waylon Anders, right, celebrates with lineman Trenton Cowden during Friday night’s game against Columbia Battle in Columbia, Mo. | Mathew Kirby photo

COLUMBIA, Mo. — The Hannibal football team looks primed for a postseason run. The Pirates, ranked sixth in the Class 4 state poll, finished off the regular season Friday night with their consecutive victory, beating Columbia Battle 42-7. Hannibal scored 34 points in the first half and put it on cruise control in the second…

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Sophomore QB engineers another NCMC blowout as Hannibal closes in on league crown

Hannibal’s Waylon Anders hands off to Markahl Humphrey during the Pirates’ 53-7 shellacking of Moberly on Friday night at Porter Stadium in Hannibal, Mo. | Photo courtesy Mathew Kirby

HANNIBAL, Mo. — When those early autumn breezes began to turn cold, the Hannibal Pirates were something to behold. Especially quarterback Waylon Anders. The sophomore enjoyed his finest game to date, accenting what had already been a breakout season. Anders led high-scoring Hannibal to another one-sided victory, this one a 53-7 dismantling of Moberly in…

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