HANNIBAL, Mo. - The Helias Crusaders needed a yard. They missed it by about six inches.
The Hannibal Pirates stopped the Crusaders on a fourth-and-1 in the final minute Friday night to edge Helias 19-14.
"You never want to lose a game, winning is why you play," Helias coach Tim Rulo said. "But I am so proud of our effort tonight. "It just came down to a handful of plays."
Helias, which trailed 35-0 and 28-7 in two games at Hannibal last year, took a 7-0 lead on its first possession of the season.
Helias marched 74 yards on 14 rushing plays. The touchdown came on a 1-yard run by Chandler Luebbert and Sam Heckart's PAT made it 7-0.
Hannibal answered on the next series, going 80 yards in 16 plays. The TD came on an 8-yard run by Trevor Watson and his PAT kick tied it early in the second quarter.
That was the first of three second quarter touchdowns for the Pirates.
Shamar Griffith scored on a 27-yard run to make it 13-7, then hooked up with Watson on a 74-yard scoring pass.
Helias trimmed the deficit to 19-14 late in the third quarter when Jacob Storms scored on a 27-yard run.
The Crusaders finished with 247 total yards to 266 for Hannibal.
Helias will host Kansas City Southeast next Saturday to open its home schedule.