Second to one: Pirates see dream of state title dashed by Warriors’ shut-down defense

COLUMBIA, Mo. — That No. 1 ranking was no exaggeration.

Smithville demonstrated exactly why it sat atop the Class 4 high school football poll the entire season when the Warriors overwhelmed Hannibal 31-0 in the state championship game played Friday afternoon at Faurot Field.

Smithville, located about 21 miles north of Kansas City, dominated the game on both sides of the ball en route to winning its first state championship — and denying Hannibal the same.

“We had worked hard all summer (to prepare for a championship game), but Smithville played a great game,” said Pirates senior safety/wide receiver Kaiser Greenwell, shrugging his shoulders in a what-are-you-going-to-do motion.

It didn’t ease the sting.

“The kids played their hearts out, and we played until the last whistle,” first-year Hannibal coach Jeff Gschwender said. “It’s tough, but that’s the way it goes sometimes.”

Smithville completes its season 13-0, while Hannibal closes 13-1. The Pirates established a school record for victories on the way to reaching their second title game in school history. 

Hannibal fell to Webb City 26-0 in the 2006 championship game at the Edwards Jones Dome.

There was not an aspect of the game Smithville did not control. The Warriors outrushed, outpassed and, most importantly, out-defended the Pirates.

Hannibal’s normally explosive offense — averaging 49.7 points a game heading into Friday — threatened to score only twice and saw all of its major weapons virtually silenced. Running backs Aneyas Williams and A.J. Thomas were held in check, while quarterback Courtland Watson was under heavy pressure all day and wound up throwing three interceptions. 

Two of Watson’s picks snuffed out scoring threats inside the Smithville 15-yard line in the second and third quarters.

Williams, the explosive 190-pound sophomore who had scored 47 touchdowns, was limited to 4 net yards rushing and 16 receiving.

“We knew (Williams) was their guy, and we were able to shut him down,” said Smithville linebacker/running back Cody Simonic, who had 15 tackles and scored on a 6-yard touchdown run late in the third quarter.

Gschwender had nothing but praise for a Smithville defense that notched its fourth shutout of the season.

“They were able to take away a lot of our outside stuff,” Gschwender said. “It was hard for us to move the ball.”  

Hannibal entered the game having scored 30-plus points in 16 consecutive games, but wound up being shut out for the first time since early in the 2019 season.

“Our defense came up big all year,” Smithville coach Jason Ambroson said. “When we needed a stop, they made a stop.”

The Warriors led 14-0 at halftime, and not only did they systematically lengthen that advantage in the second half, but they kept Hannibal at bay. The Pirates converted just one third down over the final two quarters.

Smithville’s only other trip to a state championship game in 1969 when it lost to Cass-Midway.

“This is a pretty big deal,” said Ambroson, who squared off against Hannibal in North Central Missouri Conference action while coaching at Moberly from 2002-15. “I had an absolute blast today. I wanted our kids to enjoy the process. i wanted them to have memories. High school is a once-in-a-lifetime thing.”

Smithville’s first two touchdowns were compliments of quarterback Andrew Hedgecorth, who teamed up with receiver Rhett Foster on a 54-yard strike in the first quarter and then found fellow wideout Keltin Nitsche in the second quarter with a 4-yard toss.

Following Simonic’s third-quarter run, Noah Schuetz kicked a 24-yard field goal in the fourth quarter. Preston Rash ran 15 yards for the Warriors’ final score late in the game.

Hedgecorth, a junior, displayed a polished release and above-average touch in putting together a 13-for-21 day. Hedgecorth threw for 173 yards, giving him 2,298 for the season. He also threw for 28 touchdowns.

Watson led Hannibal rushing with 66 yards. He was also 6-for-15 passing for 48 yards. Thomas rushed for 38 yards, giving him 1,106. Hannibal has produced a 1,000-yard rusher in 19 of the last 21 seasons.