Photo by Aubrey Fetty Monroe Central’s Corbin Farnsworth (42) awaits the football as a River defender closes in Friday night at Martin Flannery Field in Hannibal. The Seminoles rallied from a 14-0 deficit to top the Pilots, 21-14.

HANNIBAL — Desperate to remain alive in the Division VI Region 23 playoff race, Monroe Central turned in a textbook second half defensive effort to stun host River High, 21-14, Friday night at Martin Flannery Field.

The host Pilots dominated the first half and led 14-0 behind an effective ground game as junior halfback Wyatt Stalder found holes to help move the chains.

The second half, however, belonged to coach Jonathan ‘Fin’ Calder’s defense, led by junior linebacker Owen Howard, who spearheaded a Monroe ‘D’ with three sacks as the ‘Noles reached the win column for the first time.

“(Monroe) was able to make adjustments in the second half and we weren’t able to move the ball like we did in the first,” said Pilot coach Mike Flannery, who saw his crew slip to 2-1.

River opened the scoring with an 11-play, 77-yard drive behind Stalder, who led the winners with 135 yards as the O-line of Jayden Jones, Wyatt Jones, Michael Schultheis, Cooper Roberts and Aiden Milhoan were winning the battle in the trenches.

Stalder ran it on from 32 yards and Carson Jones’ PAT made it 7-0 at 2:02.

After a lightning delay River reached the Seminole one-yard line highlighted by Stalder tote of 44 to the MC 9-yard line. Three plays reached the one, but a motion call on the Pilots moved the ball to the six and a 4th down run came up short.

River made it 14-0 with 27 ticks left before half as Braden Johnson found paydirt from the four-yard line. Trail Thompson’s 21-yard toss to Stalder set up the TD.

The second half was a different story as junior QB Cooper Howell found Max Demchak wide right near the Seminole sideline, and after the junior wideout slipped a tackle, he darted 54 yards to paydirt on the fourth play of the third.

Wyatt Cohen’s PAT made it 14-7 as Calder’s tribe broke the ice.

After an exchange of punts, Monroe pulled even and swung momentum when senior AJ Rutter darted 16 yards for a TD at 7:40 Howell’s 33-yard pass to frosh Jett Kaiser set up the score. Cohen’s PAT was perfect.

Central’s D forced another Pilot punt and the ‘Noles began their decisive drive at the hosts’ 44.

Calder went to his back of tricks with a halfback option pass from Rutter to a wide open Demchak in the end zone for a 23-yard touchdown at 4:52.

River had two more opportunities, but Demchak sealed it with an interception at his 45 in the waning ticks.

Ashton Lumbatis, Gabe Eing and Corbin Farnsworth stood out on ‘D’ for MC, while Johnson, Aiden Milhoan, Peyton Weese, and Michael Schultheis shined for River.