Opening Night for Hannibal Pirate Football

Each year, it's one of the most anticipated football match ups in the area.. Hannibal and Quincy Notre Dame.

Both are regulars in November football...both are smart..physical football teams.. both want to get the 2013 season off to a good start..

Once upon a time, this was a conference match up. Hannibal and QND were members of the Greater Midwest Conference along with Macomb, Jacksonville and Chatham Glenwood from 1983 through 1985. That league came apart when Hannibal joined the NCMC for the 1986-87 school year.

A year ago, Hannibal picked up their first win over QND since 1985 with a 33-23 win. The Pirates took control by opening the third quarter with a 78 yard touchdown drive. Pirates scored on their next two possessions as well en route to a 33-23 win.

Hannibal went on to a 10-2 season that ended here with a disappointing loss to Class 4 runner-up Helias. QND went 5-5 and 4-1 in their last season in the MS-6. Raiders enter a new league this year as a member of the West Central Conference. That puts two additional highly anticipated games on the Raiders schedule with Illini West and
traditional arch rival Pittsfield.

Raiders return QB Joe McCaughey. He threw for 156 yards in the opener a year ago.

Hannibal has a new QB this year. Lijah Harrison will be under center.. we know him for his defense and special teams play where he racked up 110 tackles and blocked a school record three punts last season. Mitch Nichols headlines the returnees.. He ran for 125 yards and a pair of TD's vs QND en route to over a thousand rushing yards.

Terry Ahern and I will have the play by play on KHMORadio.com. Our NX Level Pregame Show begins at 7:45 p.m. CDT. Note: Upgrades to our sports streaming service should now allow you to listen on mobile devices, including the iPhone.