Hanover's Varsity Boys opened their campaign with a methodical 4-0 victory at Bishop Guertin on Friday, scoring twice in each half and dominating in every statistical category. The Marauders outshot BG 14-0 in the first half and had a 3-0 advantage in corner kicks. Cardinal goalkeeper Michael Poulblon made seven saves in a busy first half, several of them spectacular.
It didn't take the Marauders long to setting into the work at hand. After a good stretch of possession, Charlie Adams sent Christo Dragnev in alone on the BG goal, and only a good diving save by Poulblon kept Hanover off the board. Adams, Matty Gardner and Latham Allison were dominating possession at midfield, and wingers Aiden Rowley and Blake Palmer were doing a good job creating openings with their wide play. Matty Gardner nearly gave Hanover the lead at the 10 minute mark, running onto a back pass from deep in the box, following a short corner kick and burying the ball in the bushes behind the goal. Dragnev and Adams each authored a number of decent shots, and kept the heat on the defense.
Midway through the half the Marauders subbed four fresh attacking players, and each one of them almost immediately imposed themselves on the Cardinals. Caleb Benjamin authored a sweet left footed cross from deep on the flank, only to have Poulblon come off his line to cut it out. Amane Matsuoka made a deep run into the box and after some good combination play he took a hard shot that clanged off the crossbar. Toño Correa also penetrated on the right side for a good shot on goal, and then Eli Stack replicated Gardner's shot, crushing a sitter from six yards that sailed over the bar and cleaned out several species of intrusive plant life.
With ten minutes remaining in the half Dragnev checked back into the game, and shortly afterwards helped the Marauders take the lead. Poulblon, who had been flawless to this point, miss-hit a goal kick that went straight to Christo, lurking outside the penalty area. Dragnev almost apologetically passed the ball into the vacated net, and Hanover led 1-0. Two minutes from the interval the Marauders doubled the lead. Dylan Kotlowitz, impressive in his first Varsity start (for Hanover) at right back, sent a long, high ball into the box. Dragnev flashed in front of Poulblon, and neither of them touched the ball, which settled into the back of the net. Kotlowitz got his first Varsity goal, and the official awarded Dragnev an assist. Two points in six minutes.
Bishop Guertin could have been deflated, but they came out in the second half and continued to work hard. Hanover's defense was equal to the task. Center backs Dillon Bradley and Kyle Doucette continued their strong work in front of Joey Perras in goal, who did an outstanding job all game coming off his line to pick off BG's hopeful through balls. Wing backs Brendan Brigham and Judd Alexander, spelling starters Noah Pikielny and Kotlowitz, were outstanding.
Hanover continued to exert a significant edge in play, and they finally wore BG down. Charlie Adams, who had been experimenting with a new style of play in which he held the ball for long stretches, inviting hard tackles and fouls from the opposition, received a gift when substitute goalkeeper Ryan Blow misplayed the weakest of Adams' ten shots, allowing a long floating free kick to wiggle through his five hole for a 3-0 Hanover lead.
Bishop Guertin still had some juice left, and actually managed a few long shots on goal that Perras handled effortlessly. The Hanover keeper had to work harder on two other plays, coming well off his line in a hurry to win a 50-50 ball that he played out of bounds, and then smothering another semi-breakaway, absorbing a late hit from BG striker Trent Porcelli, who was carded on the play.
With less than two minutes to play, Adams reverted to the combination play that will keep him healthier and more productive, taking a lead pass from Nathan Subrahmanian and finishing clinically for this second goal of the day, with the help of a nice run off the ball by Eli Stack. The assist was Subrahmanian's first, in his first Varsity game. In all ten Marauders saw Varsity action for the first time, and without exception they all demonstrated that they belonged. A total of 24 players got into the game for Hanover.
It would be unfair to call Hanover's 4-0 victory perfunctory. They missed a number of well-crafted scoring opportunities, and were a little sheepish about accepting two tainted goals, but their effort was businesslike and particularly strong on the defensive side where they limited BG to three shots, and no corners. They closed down shooters, tackled well, and made life miserable for a decent team. There is clearly room for improvement, but Coach Grabill termed Hanover's effort and attitude "very satisfactory". "We have a lot of work to do, but we took a step forward today. We are continuing to make progress."
Next up for the Marauders, after their annual Labor Day training session on the turf at 6:30 is their home opener against Merrimack. Kickoff is scheduled for 6:00 in the second game of a doubleheader with the Varsity girls. The Marauders will be collecting non-perishable food items for the Haven, and hope that all players and parents help make this collection a big one.
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