The River Pilots opened their 2025 hig school football season on a winning note Friday evening in Hannibal at Martin Flannery Field with an impressive 36-12 win over highly touted Perry Traditional Academy from Pittsburgh, Pa.

The Pilots took an early 7-0 lead on a 28-yard pass from senior quarterback Trail Thompson to junior Ayson McBride to cap an 80-yard, 8-play series to open the contest.

The visitors came right back with a big play of their own, a 90-yard TD pass to Jaden Washington, but the bonus pass failed to leave it 7-6 at the 7:41 of the first quarter.

Coach Mike Flannery’s crew then made it 14-6 to start the second quarter when Wyatt Stalder followed a Jayden Jones block into the end zone from the four-yard line. The extra kick made it 14-6.

The visiting Commodores moved the ball to River’s 40 yard line on a 34-yard QB run by Chaz Jackson on their next possession, and then scored on the next play on a pass from Jackson to Devonte Moore to make it 14-12 River with 10:17 to go in the half. However, neither team would find the end zone again before the halftime break.

In the third quarter the home town Pilots added 14 points to the scoreboard on a Stalder two yard burst and a big defensive play by Gunner Bennett resulted in a 30 yard T.D. when he blocked a Perry punt and returned it for the score.

River added a final TD when Larrick crashed the end zone from four yards out at 9:46. Thompson ran the PAT to make it give River the win with a final result of 36-12.

“Our line did an extremely good job blocking to open some holes for Wyatt (Stalder), Braden (Johnson) and Trey (Larrick),” said veteran coach Mike Flannery, who was able to play some of his younger players in the fourth quarter.

Stalder led all rushers with 104 yards on 17 carries. Bennett had 12 totes for 95 yards and Larrick added 20 yards on five carries. The Pilots totaled 195 yards on 42 carries on the ground for three T.D.’s. Passing they were 7-10 and a T.D. all from Thompson.

River led in first downs 13-5 and were penalized 4 times for 35 yards, while the visitors drew 20 penalties for 180 yards.