Box Score DANVILLE, KY.- Hanover opened the 2021 fall season on Saturday evening as they traveled to Centre College taking on the Colonels. The Blue and Red dropped a hard-fought battle 56-34.
 
The Hanover offense was led by junior Hunter Eads (Batavia, Ohio) and senior Shawn Coane (Evansville, Ind.), while senior Kyle Treber (Mishawaka, Ind.) and senior Kiefer Askew (Warner Robins, Ga.) paced the defense.
 
The opening stanza would see Centre strike first as they forced a Panther three an out that led to the first touchdown of the evening. Centre took the ball 42-yards on three plays for the 7-0 advantage. Hanover looked to put a drive together with 10:15 to play in the opening quarter as senior Shawn Coane (Evansville, Ind.) rushed ahead for seven yards before a Panther miscue forced a stalled drive.
 
However, Hanover responded at the 5:12 mark as senior Walt Ballinger (Beech Grove, Ind.) went to work on the ground pulling HC within Centre territory. Ballinger would take care of the rest as he rushed for 22-yards and the score pulling Hanover within 7-6.
 
The Colonels opened the second quarter with the early score traveling 80-yards on three plays to push the difference to 21-6. But the Panthers refused to say die as Weimer connected with senior Jared Frank (Louisville, Ky.) for a 26-yard hook up that pulled HC within 28-19 at the intermission.
 
The second half would see HC force a Centre punt on the opening drive before traveling 77-yards on 11 plays to pull within 28-26. Junior Hunter Eads paced the drive as Weimer found him for a 12-yard pick-up that landed the Blue and Red just outside the Centre 20-yard line. They would score moments later following a Weimer to Coane hook up cutting the difference to 28-26.
 
However, Centre tacked on another score that pushed the lead back to 35-26. They would tack on one more score in the third stanza to expand the contest to a 42-26 difference.
 
Hanover entered the fourth quarter with some momentum as Weimer and Eads connected for a 62-yard hook-up that landed HC within the 20-yard line. Weimer took care of the rest as he rushed ahead for three yards and the score, 42-34.
 
Centre secured the victory midway through the final stanza tallying the final score of the evening en route to the 56-34 victory.
 
The Blue and Red return to action on Saturday, Sept. 11 when they welcome Adrian to Alumni Stadium. Kick-off is scheduled for 1:30 PM.