HANNIBAL, Mo. - The Helias Crusaders wanted to get off to a fast start Friday night. Or at least quicker than they did the first time they played the Hannibal Pirates this season, when they fell behind 35-0 at the half.
Unfortunately for the Crusaders, it didn't happen.
Hannibal scored the first four times it had the football in the Class 4 District 7 semifinal on its way to a 35-14 victory against Helias.
"It was sort of similar, but I think we played a lot better this time," Helias coach Tim Rulo said. "I want to credit the kids for playing hard."
Helias got the ball first Friday and picked up a first down before fumbling the ball to Hannibal. The Pirates needed just two plays to find the end zone - a 30-yard run by Shamar Griffith followed by a 6-yard jaunt by the speedy junior and the extra point made it 7-0 just 1:26 into the game.
The Crusaders put themselves into a hole early on their next drive with an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty. But a pair of Alex Faddoul completions - 17 yards to Dylan Gaines and 14 yards to Jacob Storms - got the Crusaders out of danger and near midfield.
But on fourth-and-1, the Crusaders were stopped for no gain.
Hannibal then went 50 yards on 14 plays, 13 of which were runs, to take a 14-0 lead. Griffith scored on a fourth-down play from the 6.
After a 53-yard punt by Helias' Nash Harvey, Hannibal took over at its own 33. Ten plays later, the Pirates found the end zone again on a 3-yard run by Griffith and it was 21-0 with 8:26 left in the first half.
"Credit Hannibal for executing their game plan, they did a good job of accomplishing what they wanted to accomplish," Rulo said.
Helias got on the board on the ensuing possession. Starting at their own 35, the Crusaders got a 17-yard pass from Faddoul to Adam Bax to get into Pirate territory. A 25-yard run two plays later by Alex Werner got the Crusaders to the 16, when Faddoul hooked up with Dalton Weaver in the back of the end zone for the touchdown. Sam Heckart booted the PAT to cut Hannibal's lead to 21-7.
But Hannibal had a quick answer. After the Pirates were flagged for a personal foul to push them back to their own 10, runs by Griffith of 13 and 17 yards got them out of their own end of the field. On the next play, Hannibal quarterback Jerry McBride was nearly tackled in the backfield before breaking down the right side of the field for a 60-yard touchdown run and a 28-7 Pirate advantage at the half.
Helias had a couple of chances early in the third quarter to cut into the deficit.
Nolan Sachse of Helias picked off a McBride pass near midfield on the first possession of the third quarter. Sachse then picked up 37 yards on a pass from Faddoul on first down to get the Crusaders deep into Pirate territory. Three runs left the Crusaders facing a fourth-and-three at the Pirate 4. Hannibal was flagged for pass interference in the end zone to make it fourth-and-1 at the 2. But a run was stopped at the line of scrimmage to give the ball back to the Pirates.
Helias forced a Hannibal punt on the ensuing possession and Sachse returned it to the Pirate 21. But a holding penalty set back the Crusaders and they were stopped again on fourth down.
"It was just a matter of execution," Rulo said.
Jordan Kemple of Helias intercepted a McBride pass on the next possession, but the Crusaders could only get to midfield before punting the ball back to the Pirates.
Hannibal got its final score on a 4-yard run by Griffith with 3:56 left in the game.
Helias scored with :09.5 remaining on an 18-yard pass from Faddoul to Nathan Bax.
"I think the future is bright for this team," Rulo said. "We're going to put in a lot of hard work in the off-season and be ready go next season."
Helias, which had won eight straight district championships, ends its season at 4-7. Hannibal (11-0, ranked No. 6) will host Mexico (10-1, ranked No. 9) for the district title next Friday.