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The final regular season football game here Friday at Dr. Larry K. Noel Spartans Stadium should have emotions and incentives of Moberly winning its football game to reach a higher level than normal despite that its Senior Night and a second place finish in the 2011 North Central Missouri Conference standings is at stake.
That’s because a victory against District 13 opponent Hannibal would allow Moberly to host a Class 4 state playoff game on Nov. 2 against the loser of the game between District 14’s No. 5-ranked Harrisonville (8-1) and Grain Valley (6-3). A loss sends the Spartans to the Kansas City area to play the winner of that District 14 match up.
Moberly (5-4, 4-1 NCMC, 2-0) is coming off a 22-7 win against Kirksville that clinched them a playoff berth.
Likewise, Hannibal (6-3, 4-1 NCMC, 2-0) is riding on a 49-6 home win against Mexico on Oct. 21. The Pirates are also hungry to host a first round playoff game in lieu of making a very long trip west to the Kansas City area next week.
The 2007 season was the year of the Spartans and the only time in the past 10 years that the Pirates lost to Moberly; a 39-22 Spartans win en route to a perfect 10-0 regular season record and winning a district title when the school was a Class 3 program.
Moberly is hoping to snap its 4-game losing streak against Hannibal tomorrow night.
The Pirates have sunk the Spartans nine of the last 10 meetings between these conference rivals with the average score being 37-10.
“Hannibal traditionally has had a very good football program for many years and they have had our number. They are well coached (Mark St. Clair) and they have several very good athletes. The (Logan) Hicks kid stands out in my mind the most. He is strong, very quick and he plays defense very well too,” said Moberly football coach Jason Ambroson after the Kirksville game. “Our kids have really battled through some different kinds of adversity since the start of the season. But you know what, they have fought through those battles and met challenges along the way to get to this point.”
“We’ve had a very bumpy road of football this season. But at least we got to this point of playing for a district championship. We are in the playoffs, knowing that we get to play at least one more game after the Hannibal game.”
Moberly recognize nine football players on Senior Night, along with seniors from the Spartans Marching Band and cheerleading squad tomorrow night.
Football seniors are QB/DB Ben Stoecklein, TE/LB Rhett Hardwick, WR/LB Dakota Halley, WR/LB Anthony Cedillo, OL/DL Zac Vomund, OL/DE Garrett Foote, OL/DL KevinKoenig, OL/DL Matt Kliewer and OL/DL Brandon Palmer.
A look at the past decade
Spartans vs. Pirates
2010: Hannibal 57-0
2009: Hannibal 25-0
2008: Hannibal 41-14
2007: Moberly 39-22
2006: Hannibal 12-7
2005: Hannibal 48-0
2004: Hannibal 35-14
2003: Hannibal 39-21
2002: Hannibal 61-7
2001: Hannibal 37-0
The final regular season football game here Friday at Dr. Larry K. Noel Spartans Stadium should have emotions and incentives of Moberly winning its football game to reach a higher level than normal despite that its Senior Night and a second place finish in the 2011 North Central Missouri Conference standings is at stake.
That’s because a victory against District 13 opponent Hannibal would allow Moberly to host a Class 4 state playoff game on Nov. 2 against the loser of the game between District 14’s No. 5-ranked Harrisonville (8-1) and Grain Valley (6-3). A loss sends the Spartans to the Kansas City area to play the winner of that District 14 match up.
Moberly (5-4, 4-1 NCMC, 2-0) is coming off a 22-7 win against Kirksville that clinched them a playoff berth.
Likewise, Hannibal (6-3, 4-1 NCMC, 2-0) is riding on a 49-6 home win against Mexico on Oct. 21. The Pirates are also hungry to host a first round playoff game in lieu of making a very long trip west to the Kansas City area next week.
The 2007 season was the year of the Spartans and the only time in the past 10 years that the Pirates lost to Moberly; a 39-22 Spartans win en route to a perfect 10-0 regular season record and winning a district title when the school was a Class 3 program.
Moberly is hoping to snap its 4-game losing streak against Hannibal tomorrow night.
The Pirates have sunk the Spartans nine of the last 10 meetings between these conference rivals with the average score being 37-10.
“Hannibal traditionally has had a very good football program for many years and they have had our number. They are well coached (Mark St. Clair) and they have several very good athletes. The (Logan) Hicks kid stands out in my mind the most. He is strong, very quick and he plays defense very well too,” said Moberly football coach Jason Ambroson after the Kirksville game. “Our kids have really battled through some different kinds of adversity since the start of the season. But you know what, they have fought through those battles and met challenges along the way to get to this point.”
“We’ve had a very bumpy road of football this season. But at least we got to this point of playing for a district championship. We are in the playoffs, knowing that we get to play at least one more game after the Hannibal game.”
Moberly recognize nine football players on Senior Night, along with seniors from the Spartans Marching Band and cheerleading squad tomorrow night.
Football seniors are QB/DB Ben Stoecklein, TE/LB Rhett Hardwick, WR/LB Dakota Halley, WR/LB Anthony Cedillo, OL/DL Zac Vomund, OL/DE Garrett Foote, OL/DL KevinKoenig, OL/DL Matt Kliewer and OL/DL Brandon Palmer.
A look at the past decade
Spartans vs. Pirates
2010: Hannibal 57-0
2009: Hannibal 25-0
2008: Hannibal 41-14
2007: Moberly 39-22
2006: Hannibal 12-7
2005: Hannibal 48-0
2004: Hannibal 35-14
2003: Hannibal 39-21
2002: Hannibal 61-7
2001: Hannibal 37-0
