Central Beats Marauders 4-0 in NHIAA Semifinals

Hanover's season ended on Wednesday with a 4-0 defeat at the hands of a very strong Manchester Central team.  The Marauders played well, and were withing striking distance well into the second half, trailing 1-0 after an early first half goal.  Two quick Central scores in the 54th and 55th minutes poured cold water on Hanover's hopes, although they kept battling to the end.  Central, now 18-1, will advance to the finals to face Bedford, 2-0 winners over Concord and also 18-1. The loss was a downer for a Marauder team that harbored higher hopes, but it will do little to diminish the luster of a 15-4 season full of highlights.  The Marauders grew as a team, won a number of exciting and well-played games and developed a closeness and chemistry that were second to none.  The tears at the end of match were about the loss, sure, but were more accurately because the end of the season by definition breaks up the team.

Kicking off on under bright, sunny skies, the Marauders and Little Green spent the first ten minutes feeling each other out at midfield, although both Rahul Drupka and the wonderfully talented Josue Assantha were able to leave calling cards, ripping shots from outside the 18 that zoomed just wide of the left post.  Soon, the clouds gathered, figuratively and literally.  Just 13 minutes into the match, two small breakdowns on the left side of the Hanover defense gave Central the penetration needed to force a third, more telling missed tackle, and this time Drupka had the time and space to rip a shot past Hans Williams for a 1-0 lead.

Crucially, Hanover responded well to this setback, and avoided the fate which had befallen so many of Central's opponents, letting the Little Green break the game open.  The Marauders doubled down on defense, and although they were unable to muster much in the way of offense against the middle of a Central defense headed by the imposing Thamba Mbungu (rumored to be a bit older than 22).
The match became more of a typical playoff match, with both teams playing for either a mistake or a moment of brilliance.  There were no mistakes, but with five minutes to play on the half there was a moment of sheer brilliance.  Charlie Adams took the ball at midfield and send a pass down the right flank to a streaking Amame Matsuoka.  Matsuoka beat Silva Matimano to the baseline and ripped a cross across the face of the goal to David Stoffel, who had anticipated the play and made a great run of his own, meeting the ball beyond the far post and hitting a first-time pass to Liam Collins near the top of the box.  Collins hit a wonderful one-touch shot of his own.  Somehow, Arkan Traore scrambled back in time to get just a piece of the shot, deflecting it out for a corner.  Eli Stack got a decent look at the end of Collins' suusequent corner kick. Hanover had a lifeline.  They had shown themselves and everyone else at Bill Ball stadium that they could get back in the game.

Trailing 1-0 at the half, the Marauders were confident that they could continue the momentum from the first half.  For the first ten minutes, everything went exactly as they hoped.  The Hanover defense kept a lid on the dangerous Central front six, and Charlie Adams shook loose for a shot from the top of the 18 that forced Hayden Walker to make a diving save. This was what they hoped.

Just like that, Central struck like a serpent.  Hanover started an attack up the right side, and lost the ball at midfield with a defender out of place.  That's all a great team like Central needs.  Two quick passes later, and Samuel Assantha, who will be around for two years to haunt Hanover after older brother Josue graduates, fed the ball to Drupka for another unerring ripper.  With the score 2-0, Central did what they have done all year, and grabbed a third goal within a minute when a long ball up the middle landed in no man's land between Dillon Bradley and Hans Williams.  Suddenly, Samuel Assantha was there first, and his opportunistic goal gave the Little Green a 3-0 lead.

Hanover had 20 minutes to play, and they didn't give up.  Liam Collins and Charlie Adams continued to probe the Central defense tirelessly.  Defenders  Noah Pikielny and Gary Li showed off both Hanover's depth and their resolve to get the Marauders back in the game.  Patrick Osborn was relentless up front, nearly getting on the end of a great Adams through ball that resulted in the ball being cleared off the goal line.  Both Osborn and Adams had successive close calls at close range following a Collins corner with five minutes to play.  Central, understandably, kept their starter in the match, and shortly afterwards Josue Assanthe notched Central's fourth goal.  Insult added to injury.  Wait.  More insult/injury.  Charlie Adams was tripped on the box, clearly, and the game just kinda went on.  The whole team had been practicing penalties, too.  Chances are a wild-eyed and GU-deprived Colm Seigne would have stepped up for that one.  Or maybe the incredibly-deserving Gary Li.  But no, the Marauders ran out of time,  and sadly, unhappily, their great season was over.

There will be ample time for celebrating the season, beginning on November 12 at the all-team gala. For now, the Marauders will lick their wounds, file their college applications by midnight, wash their uniforms, complete their school assignments, and ease into that dark time with no more soccer.

Tuesday and Wednesday Soccer Schedule

HHS Tuesday and Wednesday Soccer Schedule, October 30-31

Tuesday, October 30

JV1 Soccer Team Meeting - HHS Library                                  3:00 p.m.
Bring laptops or chrome books.  Bring remaining uniforms

Varsity Training - HHS Turf                                                        3:15 - 5:00 p.m.


Wednesday, October 31

Varsity Game vs. Manchester Central at Exeter -  1:00 dismissal      4:00 p.m.

Marauders Beat Salem 2-1; Head to Semifinals Wednesday

                  Junior defender Judd Alexander scored his first career goal with less than three minutes to play in regulation to give the Hanover boys a 2-1 victory over upstart Salem.  The Marauders had taken a 1-0 30 minutes into the match on a goal by sophomore Matty Gardner, but the Blue Devils tied the match with five minutes to play, setting the stage for Alexander’s heroics.

                  The win sends Hanover, now 15-3 on the season, to the NHIAA Division One semifinals on       Wednesday against Manchester Central at Exeter at 4:00.  The Marauders lost 1-0 to Central (17-1) earlier in the season.

                  Hanover dominated play in the first half , and put the ball into the net on a free kick eight minutes into the match, only to have the play ruled offsides.  Four minutes later, Dillon Bradley got his head on the ball in close on a free kick from Liam Collins, but the ball was headed off the line by a defender. They came closest to scoring 15 minutes into the match on a spectacular volley by Liam Collins, only to have Salem goalkeeper Anthony Bellomo make an equally spectacular save to keep the match scoreless.  The Hanover defense did an exceptional job limiting the Blue Devils to two shots in the entire half, long drives that were easily handled by Hans Williams.

hhh           The Marauders got on the board at 30:38 when Charlie Adams, fouled several times to this point, was again clumsily fouled outside the Salem penalty area.  Adams quickly placed the ball and sent pass to Gardner, who made a genius run into space and went in along on goal, flicking the ball past an onrushing Bellomo into the corner for his fourth goal in as many games.  Hungry for more, the Marauders came close when a Gardner header was blocked at the far post, and when Bellomo made a nice save on Amane Matsuoka after a great run from the wing put him on the end of a Liam Collins pass.

                  The Marauders came close several times in the second half.  Bellomo made a nice diving save on a Charlie Adams free kick in the 48th minute for a corner, and two minutes made a ridiculous diving save to deny another drive by Collins.  Seven  minutes later super subs Eli Stack and Amane Matsuoka made their presence felt yet again, as Matsouka broke free on the right flank and sent a cross to Stack that just missed connecting.  Salem, playing without their top striker, benched for disciplinary reasons, was nevertheless not going away.  With 18 minutes remaining midfielder Kyle Chute got loose at the top of the box and ripped a low drive that just missed the left post.  It was a harbinger of things to come.

                  Matsuoka was back in business  in the 65th minute, hitting a hard shot from a bad angle that creted a juicy rebound.   Having knocked on the door by failed to add to the lead, the Marauders paid the price with less than five minutes left to play. Salem tied the score on one of their few forays into the Hanover end when a cross into the box was cleared to the feet of junior Brian English, who buried a hard, accurate shot into the lower left corner.

                  Hanover went ahead for good just two minutes later, calmly working the ball around in the Salem end and earning a free kick  30 yards out.  Liam Collins lifted a cross into the penalty area, and the ball was cleared to Alexander, who made no mistake, hitting a shot that deflected off a defender's foot and looped over Bellomo and into the goal, setting of a wild and well-deserved celebration.  The Marauders calmly saw the match off in the final two minutes, and punched their ticket to the Final Four at Bill Ball Stadium.

                  The Marauders, winners of nine games in a row, will play Manchester Central at 4:00 on Wednesday in Exeter, the scene of a frustrating loss earlier this year, one that triggered their current run of success.  The other semifinal will pit top-seeded Bedford against defending champion Concord, the 4^th seed.  Bedford’s only loss was a 2-1 decision to Hanover earlier in the year.

            “This was one of the best games of the year for us,” commented Hanover Coach Rob Grabill.  “We kept our composure after giving up that late tying goal, and didn’t rush things as time was winding down. Our patience rally paid off for us all afternoon.  We’re excited to be going back to the semifinals for the first time in three years.  The top four seeds are all there, and it should be pretty entertaining."

Varsity Playoff Game Moved to Sunday at 2:00

The Marauder Varsity playoff game with Salem scheduled for Saturday at 2:00 has been moved to Sunday at 2:00 at the high school.  See you then!

Friday and Saturday Schedule

Friday:

JV2 Meeting after school in the Library.  Bring chrome book or laptop

Varsity practice on the HHS turf 3:30 - 5:00.  Be on time and ready to go at 3:30 sharp.

Last chance to bring in Uniforms to the Gym during Activity period.  We will bill parents for missing uniforms beginning Monday.

Saturday:

Varsity Playoff Game vs. Salem at 2:00.  Locker room open for dressing at 12:45.  Players on the field no later than 1:15.

Marauders Beat Timberlane 2-1 in Playoff Opener

Hanover's first step on their playoff journey was a successful one Wednesday, as the Marauders controlled the match from start to finish and advanced to the Quarterfinals on Saturday with an efficient 2-1 victory over Timberlane. The Marauders will now host upset winner Salem in a 2:00 match at Merriman-Branch Field.

The Marauders were not fooled by Timberlane's 14th seed, and prepared hard for the match, taking the Owls seriously.  As a result,  Hanover's work rate and patience gave them control of the match from the opening kickoff.  The Marauders outshot Timberlane  12-1 in the first half,  and their territorial edge culminated in a 1-0 lead in the 36th minute on a textbook goal by Charlie Adams, who headed in a Liam Collins corner kick for a 1-0 lead.  It was Adams' 21st goal of the season, and Collins' team-leading 11th assist.

Adams, Collins and Matty Gardner dominated the match at midfield, winning balls defensively and orchestrating the offense with ball control in tight spaces and superb field vision.  This is the best midfield in all of Division One.  Gardner got the game winning goal 13 minutes into the second half, corralling a loose ball at the top of the box and floating a shot over the defense and into the upper left corner.  It was his fourth goal in six games. The boy is hot.  Timberlane pulled a goal back six minutes later to make the match interesting, but the Marauders turned up the hear defensively to see the game off and get a critical result.

Hanover was on the front foot from the outset, but they didn't rush into things, striving to patiently swing the ball back and forth, probing for openings.  They also made sure to get a strong footing defensively, and the back four of Dillon Bradley, Kyle Doucette, Dylan Kotlowitz and Judd Alexander took care of business, and also played key roles in supporting the offense.  Slowly, Hanover found their openings.  Matty Gardner had the first strike on goal in the 14th minute, shooting on the run to force a save from Timberlane goalkeeper Connor Newman.  Three minutes later Charlie Adams had a shot blocked to earn Hanover's first corner kick.  Eight minutes later, Liam Collins lined up a free kick that just missed the far post.

The pressure built as the half wound down.  Adams made another penetrating run and looked like he was in alone, only to be blocked at the last minute on a great play by defender Ben Seager. Collins had another free kick form his sweet spot at the edge of the box, and his dipping shot was on target, only to be palmed past the far post by a diving Newman.  Hanover had not fully utilized their first three corner kicks, but they had one more coming, thanks to a great hustle play by Eli Stack, whose angled shot forced a defender to block it over the end line.  Collins lined his kick up and hit a tight drive that connected with a remarkably uncovered Adams at the near post.  For the second time. in two matches against Timberlane, Adams' header was their kryptonite.

The Marauders were eager to press for a second goal after the interval, and again exerted a solid territorial edge at the start of the second half.  Twelve minutes in, a long Dillon Bradley throw into the penalty area created a scramble in the goal mouth, and the ball rebounded out to Gardner, who coolly lofted a shot that looped over everyone and under the bar on the left side.  Christo Dragnev almost scored, getting a close in shot that forced Newman to make yet another save.

Timberlane refused to fold, and they pulled a goal back with 22 minutes remaining when a Cameron Ross shot from outside the penalty area pinballed off one and maybe two players, giving Hans Williams no chance to make a stop.  The Owls continued to press, but Hanover demonstrated great composure, not panicking on defense for the most part.  They erred a few times when they were too eager to dive in on midfield tackles, handing Timberlane some dangerous restarts, but they also defended well on the ensuing kicks. 

The Marauders also pushed for another goal, always the best way to hold a lead. Adams had an absolute ripper from distance blocked by a defender, and both Collins and Gardner had good looks.  With time winding down, though, Timberlane had a few more chances to tie the game.  Cameron Ross had a free kick from just outside the box, but he hit it wide.  Big Jacob Stewart got his head on a corner kick, but he also sent to over the bar.  Hanover shut the door in the final minutes, and celebrated their 14th win of the season, and 8th in a row.

Only eight teams are left in Division One, and all of  Saturday's quarterfinal games promise to be tight.  The Marauders will entertain Salem, who upset 6th seeded Nashua South, tying their match in the last minute and finally winning on penalties.  Their 11th seed will hardly be a source of overconfidence for any of the more astute Marauders.  Salem has a string of quality wins, including Timberlane, Nashua North, Londonderry and Exeter.  They boast a strong striker in All-State selection Josh Fichera, and will come in with no fear.  If the Marauders take the game seriously, they should be fine.  The weather forecast of steady rain should not be a factor.  Hanover loves playing in the rain, and they will welcome the chance to be together for the next few days, preparing for their most critical game of the season.

Postseason Meetings, Game Time Change

The end of season meetings for the JV2 and Freshmen teams will take place as follows:

Freshmen - 2:30 in the Library on Wednesday

JV2 - 3:00 in the Library on Friday

Players should bring chrome books of laptops to take a survey.

The Varsity Playoff Game on Wednesday will begin at 4:30 p.m.
Players, parents and fans are asked to bring non-perishable food items for The Haven.

JV2 Close the Season With a 4-1 Loss at Cardigan

It was a beautiful afternoon,  some of the best conditions the Marauders had played in this fall.  There was no mud, cold rain, or 88 degrees with heat and humidity.   Though it was a loss, it was a complete game consisting of hard work, some tough breaks, and a beautiful goal.  A good final game.

The team opened up with a slightly different formation.  There would be an extra defensive marking midfielder as well as two other inside midfielders to win the middle of the pitch. Eli Cowie was first tasked with this new position.   It was one of hard work and little glory, but one he took to very well especially playing it for the first time. Even though Hanover had fewer players forward, the small field played to their advantage and they found themselves in the Cardigan from the first moments of the game.   Mark Ralston-Daniel and Max Patyk-Finkel both pressed and created close 

opportunities on goal, and Matthew Fenner and Eli both worked hard to keep possession of the ball in the middle.  Cardigan managed to get down the field a few times, but Matt Alibozak and the defense reacted well to the threats.  It turned into a back and forth game with near misses for both teams.   There would be one goal made by Cardigan where they caught Hanover out of position during a transition.  Though Cardigan was leading at the half, Hanover definitely felt like they were still in the game. 

 

     The second half started similar to the first, and the click moment for the group finally happened with a goal that was befitting for the final one of the season.  The play once again turned into an undecided advantage for either side.  Though Cardigan did manage another goal on a breakaway down our right flank, Hanover stayed right with them,  The first tough break came with an injury to Mark Ralston-Daniel. He had truly come to life in the middle,  winning loose balls, making quick accurate passes putting Cardigan on its back foot or simply driving through with the ball when needed.  He was the linchpin for in the goal previously mentioned.  After he was carted off the field, the team took a while to gain its focus, but it found its way back into the game again.  This would be tested again though when a very apparent handball by Cardigan made the entire defense instinctively freeze and Matt A. put his hand up, and by the time they had recovered Cardigan had capitalized on the hiccup and moved in on the goal.  

  

   Down 3-1, and a little dazed.  Hanover stayed in it though, and threw players forward.  There was some strong play with good pressure and passing from Charlie Bell and Aidan Tomlin, and Matt Fenner was the ultimate everyman this game by playing four different positions in one game.  It was pure hustle.     Though there were some setbacks in this game, I thought the team played some it's best soccer as a team on both sides of the ball.  The loss was a bummer, but as a coach I saw a lot of growth out there.  

 

   As stated above, this game was one of their better ones, and the team should be recognized for that.  Matthew Alibozak played well, and made many saves to keep this team in the running for the majority of the game.  The defensive line of Caleb Callaway, Aiden Peterson, Finn Seville, and Eli Cowie played up to the vaunted Cardigan offense under the the command of Noah Phipps who has emerged a real leader in the backfield, making any team against them work for a goal.  The subsequent substitutes of Jared Licht, Declan Flynn, and Van Bailey also held the line well with hustle and discipline.  Van Bailey made several critical stops and reversed the direction of play in the second half.  The midfield of Matt Fenner, Erik Blix, Boris Devitisky,and Maxwell Lutz presented a constant threat when they were on the field, and were a dominant line.  The midfielders of Jackson Liu, Charlie Bell, Aiden Tomlin, Koa Schuette, Ayaan Ahmad, Ben Brooks,Simi Obomsawin and Peirce Siegne also showed great movement and passing with some slick moves thrown in as well that are hopefully a good sign in the seasons to come.  

 

  Though there were many highlights, the goal alluded to earlier should have more notable attention and served well as parting image for this season.  It began when  Matt Fenner won the ball and played it to Mark Ralston-Daniel where he took a few moves and passed perfectly to Maxwell Lutz in motion who just needed a touch to play it across the goalbox leaving the ball for Max Patyk-Finkel who had made a quick move away from his defenseman and finished with a clean strike into the goal.  This whole play left the defense and goalie on their heels.  It was a great highlight reflecting the individual skill and teamwork of this senior group.  

 

      The season is over, but this team was a great group to work with, and as a coach it was really fun watching these guys grow together as a team.  

All Players and Parents - Please Read This Post

Players and Parents -  The most important item on the schedule which follows is a mandatory meeting for all players on all four teams in the HHS Auditorium on Tuesday during activity period.  Players unable to attend should contact Coach Grabill in advance.  All subvarsity players are required to return all game and practice uniforms (socks included), including items that have been loaned on game days when uniform items have been missing.  Uniforms should be washed, folded, bagged and labeled clearly with the players's name and number.

We are looking at Monday, November 12th as a possible date for our four-team end of season celebration.  I would love feedback if there are significant conflicts with school or large-scale civic events.  Look for a confirmation later this week.

Game and Practice Schedule

Monday, October 22

Varsity Training  - HHS Turf                                                             6:00 – 7:30

Tuesday, October 23

Mandatory Team Meeting For All Players – Auditorium               Activity Period

All Subvarsity players must return uniforms at the meeting

(Washed, folded, bagged, labeled)

Varsity Training – HHS Turf                                                           3:30 – 5:00 p.m.

Wednesday, October 24

Varsity Tournament Game – HHS Turf                                       4:00 p.m.

Thursday, October 25

Varsity Training at HHS Turf  (Tent.)                                            7:15 – 9:00 p.m.                                                             

Friday, October 26

Varsity Training at HHS Turf (Tent.)                                             TBA

Saturday, October 27

Varsity Quarterfinal Game – HHS Turf.  (Tent.)                          2:00 p.m.

Marauders Beat Londonderry 4-0; Seventh Win in a Row

Hanover closed the regular season with a clinical 4-0 won over Londonderry on Senior Night, clinching third place in NHIAA Division One with a 13-3 record.  The Marauders will open tournament play with a home game on Wednesday, against an opponent to be named later.  The victory was the seventh on a row for Hanover, and their third consecutive shutout, backed by a strong team defensive effort.  The Marauders are peaking at the right time.

Charlie Adams led the scoring with two goals and one assist, giving him 20 goals and 10 assists on the season.  In the process, he passed Assistant Coach and former All-American Eric Jayne on the alltime HHS scoring list.  Further discussion of individual player records will have to wait, however, as the Marauders focus on improving their team play and preparing for the playoffs.

After 16 seniors from the Varsity and JV2 programs were honored with their parents before the game, Hanover wasted little time asserting themselves.  Blake Palmer tested goalkeeper Alex Huffard with a shot from the left side, and then striker Christo Dragnev had two bids.  He faced an open shot from long distance after he beat Huffard to a loose ball well outside of the penalty area, but he was forced to rush his long-range left footed shot.  His next take, on a feed from Adams, drifted wide from closer range.

The Marauders broke on top in the 16th minutes when Adams slipped a short pass to Blake Palmer, who had made a run into the box from the left flank.  The junior winger hit a hard right footer past Huffard, and Hanover had the lead.  Londonderry was unable to counter, stifled by an outstanding team defensive effort.  Center backs Dillon Bradley and Kyle Doucette were superb in stepping up to challenge shooters and win head balls.  In front of them, midfielders Liam Collins and Matty Gardner were tireless in winning and possessing the ball, and putting pressure on the Lancers, who were only able to muster a single shot.

Seven minutes after Palmer's goal had given the the lead, Adams doubled the advantage, taking a pass from Gardner and running from left to right as he advanced across the top of the penalty area. Having drawn Huffard to his left,  Adams hit a hard shot across the grain and back to the opposite post, making the score 2-0.

Eager to improve their patience and possession in the second half, the Marauders created an early goal after Patrick Osborn's hard work pressuring a Londonderry defender earned them their first and only corner kick of the afternoon.  Liam Collins teed the ball up in the corner and sent a ball across the face of the goal, where it found a lurking Matty Gardner, whose excuse-me header drifted up and over Huffard and dropped under the crossbar on the far side.  It was Gardner's fourth goal, and third in his last five games.

Hanover made it 4-0 with 15 minutes to play when Eli Stack slipped a short pass to Adams, who raced in on goal and beat substitute goalkeeper Colby Dimaggio who a sassy flick that rolled into the right corner for 20th goal of the season and 40th of his career.

Soon afterwards, goalkeeper Hans Williams, who had seen little action, was forced to make a pair of brilliant saves to earn his shutout.   Bisan Gurung hit a long, high shot from 40 yards out, and it was targeted to sneak under the crossbar before a backpedaling Williams drifted back and pushed the ball over the bar. No more getting chipped for this savvy senior.  Three minutes later a hard shot from the left side by Tyler Vanavey forced Wiliams to make a good diving save to keep the clean sheet.

It was a satisfying Senior Day.  Parents and teammates celebrated a group who have helped the program be successful in many ways.  There was a multiple Gallino sighting! The team played steady, intelligent defense, and the quality of play remained high despite massive substitutions. Now the Marauders will rest up over the weekend, learn the identity of their first-round opponent, the 14th seed, and prepare for Wednesday's home game.  A win in that match will produce a quarterfinal home game against very strong opposition.  First things first, however.  These are the days that the Marauders have worked toward for months, and the approach will continue to be a day at a time, a half at a time, a play at a time.  Better than yesterday.

JV1 Loses a Tight 1-0 Match to Londonderry

The home finale for the JV1 team resulted in a frustrating 1-0 loss for the Marauders.  Hanover surrendered a 1-0 lead in the 16th minute on a high, crossing shot, and were never able to find the equalizer despite considerable pressure in the second half.

The Marauders had a promising opportunity by Henry Aspinwall on a counterattack go just wide two minutes into the game. Londonderry countered a few minutes later, and after making a fairly easy save after a cross, CJ Wheelan was tested by a much more challenging shot, which he saved.The Lancers took a 1-0 lead on the only goal of the game when a long shot from the edge of the box that may have been intended as a cross came floating out of the sun and under the crossbar.

Hanover had a few opportunities before the end of the half, including a free kick by Owen Stannard in the 36th minute that resulted in a deflected shot.  Hanover established a good territorial edge in the second half, and came close to scoring when Tucker Monson sent Henry Aspinwall in alone with a great through ball, but the resulting shot was just wide.  Several other shots were blocked or deflected by the Londonderry defense, and the Marauders were unable to equalize.

Hanover heads to Nashua on Sunday for the annual statewide JV Tournament at North and South high schools.  The Marauder will play all of their games at South, beginning with an 8:50 match with Exeter, followed by a 9:40 game with Alvirne and a 12:10 game with host Nashua South.  The top two teams in each group will advance to the semifinals in the afternoon at Nashua South.  Hanover players should bring both color uniforms. They will wear Maroon in the first two group games.
The bus will leave HHS at 6:30 a.m.

Freshmen Stay Unbeaten With a 2-1 Win Over Central

On the coldest day of the season thus far, with temps hovering in the mid 40s the young Marauders took to the Dresden pitch for the final time as freshmen. Their opponents, The Manchester Central Little Green were intent on spoiling Hanover's perfect home record and they fielded a team that was more than capable of doing just that. 

     

From the opening kickoff the Little Green showed they wanted to dictate play by possessing the ball and building out of the back, something they did quite well. Unbeknownst to them, Hanover's freshman squad has some of the best pressing strikers in the business and it caught them off guard quickly. In the second minute of the game Eric Tysinger and Johnny Reznek were all over the back four of the Little Green, when Eric nicked the ball away from the Center back and was left with only the keeper to beat but the ball squirted away from him just enough that the Central keeper was able to pounce before Eric could get his shot away. 

     The next ten minutes were spent mostly in Hanover's defensive half as the talented Central team controlled the ball. The Little Green managed a few harmless attempts at goal before, in the 12th minute, the Central winger tip toed down the goal line from a wide position, making a couple Marauder defenders miss along the way and drawing more defenders to him. The overload on defense allowed the far side winger to creep in right in front of goal unseen and the ball carrier found him with a will placed pass and he finished in to an open net. It would be the only mistake the Marauder defense would make all day. 

     At the 20 minute mark, Oscar Miller and Alex Rockmore entered the game and the Central defense must have assumed that the good high press of Eric and Johnny left the game with them because they switched off for just a moment. That allowed Oscar to win the ball from The Central defender and break away on goal but the first touch was just a bit too heavy and the fast Central keeper sprung off his line and smothered the opportunity. 

    The next 20 minutes would become a physical battle for possession in the middle of the pitch, with both teams fighting to gain control of the game. The final eight minutes of the half allowed Hanover to flaunt their depth, with nine different players on the field from the ones who started the game. Meanwhile, Central had only made a couple substitutions and their energy started to drop while Hanover's stayed high for 80 minutes. That allowed the Marauders to finish the half with a flurry of opportunities in the Central end. However, none would find the back of the net as The Little Green goalkeeper stood strong in net and would not be beaten. Even though Hanover was unable to break through, they would go in to the half full of confidence from their strong play in the final eight minutes. 

      

Hanover would make no halftime adjustments but would rather look to build on their first half play and keep the energy level high. As the second half started they did just that but the break also allowed Central to recover and catch their breath and the first 13 minutes of the second half saw the battle for the midfield resume. In the 63rd minute The Marauders were able break into Central's defensive third and win a corner kick. The ensuing kick managed to fly and then bounce and then roll through the box untouched by either side and find a waiting Jacob Kubik-Pauw who was on clean up duty at the far post for just such a reason and he would not miss his opportunity to draw this game level as he hit a screamer that no keeper could have stopped from that distance. 

     

The game-tying goal seemed to deflate the Central Little Green a bit and it appeared from their response that this was not a position they had often found themselves in. The next five minutes Hanover capitalized on Central's disorganization and continued to put pressure on the Little Green but Central"s keeper stayed strong and kept them in the game by making several saves in those following minutes but none bigger then when a deflected ball landed at the feet of Jacob again and again he hit a screamer at net. The keeper, in a scramble,  managed to find his feet and position himself perfectly to stop what most at Dresden surely thought was to be the go ahead goal. That save seemed to give Central the boost they needed to get back in the game and the two teams took turns mounting attacks but with no real threat to goal. 

    Eric Tysinger,  who had played the first 18 minutes of the second half before being subbed out, was told to stay warm and stay loose as his day was most likely not over when he came off the pitch. With six minutes left in a tie game Eric was called on to return to the field and use his pace against a tiring central defense. He made an almost immediate impact. In the 76th minute Isak Larusson played a well placed pass into space for Eric to use his speed to run onto. He won the foot race against the center back and made Central's fullback and last defender miss when he committed too early. The Central keeper did a great job cutting off the angles but Eric would not be denied as he tucked it home low and into the corner. 

      Central attempted to draw the game level in the dying minutes but strong fullback play all day from Captain Luke Ives as well as Mason Gantrish and Connor Hamlin cut off their ability to get the ball out wide to cross it in to the box and they would find no better luck trying to breach through the center of Hanover's line as the every sturdy and unbreakable combination of Captain Palmer Okai at Center back and Jackson Fisher in goal frustrated them for 80 minutes. If a ball happened to get past Palmer, Jackson, quick off his line as ever was there to squash any Hope's of a comeback. 

      Not making the score sheet but just as instrumental in the win were Captain Jack Ross and Augie Oberting, both working extremely hard in the central midfield all day in the battle for possession in the middle of the pitch, playing solid two way soccer, shutting down Central attacks before they could materialize and bridging the transition to the wings and forwards on attack. Zane Schiffman and Murphy Hunt took turns in their attacking midfield roles, demanding that the Little Green defense pay them a lot of attention, which allowed the field to open and provided space for the wingers and strikers to operate. 

     Eric's game winning goal in the waning minutes marks the third time this year that Hanover found themselves with a 1-1 scoreline and less than ten minutes remaining. In all three of those games Eric entered as a late sub with under ten minutes to play and was the difference maker. Prior to today's heroics, in Concord, Eric scored two goals in the final eight minutes of the game to give the Marauders a 3-1 win. Against Londonderry, it was Eric's breakaway and shot on goal that was parried out of bounds by a diving lancer keeper that gave Hanover the corner kick with 30 seconds left that Jack Ross ultimately headed in to give Hanover the 2-1 win. It would seem he has a flair for the dramatic. 

     As Hanover did not get an invitation to the Freshmen tournament in Concord, despite being defending champions, they will instead wrap up their season this Saturday, paying a visit to another tough opponent, Cardigan Mountain School at 1pm.  It is Cardigan's Parent Weekend, so the stands will be full.  Players are asked to bring non-perishable food items to donate to Cardigan's Food Drive.  Hanover wil wear white, as always.  The bus leaves at 11:15.

JV2 Loses a Close 2-1 Contest at KUA

    A cold gray Wednesday afternoon greeted the players as they stepped onto the manicured KUA fields and prepared for a game to be played in conditions that were a severe contrast to the previous week's contest.  The warm up temperature was cool and getting cooler.  When the game began, a rain started to fall creating a slippery pitch, frozen hands, and numb feet as well.  Yet this seemed to be playing to Hanover's strengths though as they soon started to win the midfield and start pressuring and earning corner kicks and chances on goal.  The best opportunity of the half would come from a cross into the box where Koa Schuette made a well timed run to get on it, only to have the ball just barely elude him. The conditions though would strike against us for the first goal of the game. A  KUA forward took a low shot that Matt Alibozak stopped with ease, but as he grasped the ball, it slipped through his hands and into the goal.  Matt regrouped himself though, and would go on to make several critical saves in the half. 

   The second half started similar to the first, and this time it would bear fruit.  Once again it would be Aidan Tomlin who would be the scorer.  The Marauders were moving the ball around well and eventually put it to Aidan's feet where he made his patented chip over a defenseman and goalie.

The game was not over and it fell into a back and forth affair.  Hanover seemed to do well in the midfield, but KUA had a good counter, and managed to earn a point. They capitalized in a slightly confusing situation after a free kick.  KUA got into the box where the ball wasn't immediately cleared, and a KUA player got a shot off into the side netting.

   Hanover would continue to attack and more chances would be created with Matt Fenner and Max Patyk-Finkel on a run and near collision with the goalie.  It was not to be though as the sun set and time ran out to the shivering players on both the field and bench.  

 

   It was a game that didn't break Hanover's way, but there was definitely solid play throughout.  Aidan Tomlin's goal and midfield play elicited respect from both benches alike, and  Finn Seville really stepped up not only playing tough defense, but also showed composure with the ball and consistently making on-point passes throughout the game.  Eli Cowie also has started to take to the position of holding midfielder, both with his understanding of the position as well as his usual zeal for the game.

 

    Only a couple days left till the annual Cardigan game, and the weather looks good for the final match.  Let's hope it's a good one.  The team will have a short practice on the HHS turf right after school on Friday, and then watch their Senior Class teammates be honored at 4:00 along with the Seniors from the Varsity.  Kickoff for the Varisity game with Londonderry is at 4:00.

The team will leave for Cardigan at 11:15 on Saturday, wearing white uniforms.  Players are asked to bring non-perishable food items for the Cardigan Food Drive.

Volunteer Referees Sought For Sunday

The Hanover Recreation Program is sponsoring a youth soccer tournament on Sunday, Oct. 21, beginning at Noon, and all HHS players are invited to volunteer some time as referees. Games are 30 minutes long, and players may referee as few as one and as many as six.  Games are every 35 minutes:  (12:00, 12:35, 1:10, 1:45, 2:20, 2:55).  If you are interested, please contact Coach Grabill
(coachgrabill@gmail.com) and tell him what times you are planning to officiate.  Help give back to the game?

Freshmen Draw 0-0 With Exeter in Match Shortened by Darkness

      Monday's trip to Exeter was a frustrating day across the board for the young Marauders. The boys where full of confidence and eager for the challenge that The Blue Hawks always bring, as one of the top programs in the state.  The Marauder struggles began before they even stepped off the bus. A large accident on Route 101 caused the bus to be delayed for an hour and the boys arrived at Exeter High school shortly after the scheduled start time for the match. The boys stretched as quickly as they could to hasten the start time of the game. It was a chilly, rainy and grey day and that certainly wouldn't help to extend the game once the sun went down. Due to all these factors the officials decided it would be best to play an abbreviated game of two 30 minute halves as opposed to the normal 40 minute halves. In the end it was the correct decision by the officials as the game concluded in near darkness but would prove to be detrimental for Hanover's hopes of leaving Exeter with a win.

 

     The first half started with Exeter coming out flying. In the first 30 minutes the Blue Hawks found themselves with several chances, playing the ball to the wide areas and finding some pacey wingers. Meanwhile, Hanover was having a hard time finding their legs. If not for Hanover's man of the match, Jackson Fisher in goal, the game would have easily been 4-0 at halftime. Jackson saved a total of seven shots on net in the first half alone, while the Mauraders only managed one shot on frame in the first half. 

 

      The second half started much like the first except the Marauders slowly but surely started loosening up their legs and playing Hanover soccer. Ten minutes into the second half the momentum started to shift. Hanover was penetrating deep in to the Exeter half but still lacking that final pass or threatening shot on net. At the 50 minute mark the Marauders came alive. After a dangerous cross in to the box off the left foot of Alex Rockmore wasn't cleared properly, Oscar Miller put a shot on goal from 12 yards out, it beat the keeper, hit the bottom of the crossbar and came "straight" down. It originally appeared to have crossed the line but with the darkness growing and the official not in the best spot to definitively see, he could not give the goal, much to Hanover's dismay. However, with the conditions, it was probably the correct call. After the near miss the Marauders poured men forward for the next ten minutes, putting ball after ball in to the Exeter box. The Blue Hawks had parked the bus and were working hard to keep any shot from reaching the keeper when an Exeter defender made an attempt to clear the ball, it glanced off the side of his foot and was headed for the side netting but just missed the post by mere inches. The ensuing corner kick from Connor Hamlin was placed perfectly in the box but with 20 men in there it was near impossible to get a ball through the tangle of bodies and the ball deflected just outside of Exeter's 18 yard box. As Hanover regained possession and were about put the ball back in towards the net at the 60 minute mark, the whistle blew and the game was over. 

    It was the first time all year that Hanover had dropped points and the first time they had been held to no goals. It was a disappointing end to the game especially after such a long bus ride. However, both teams played extremely hard for 60 minutes and left it all on the field. 

 

    The young Marauders will regroup in time for their rescheduled Wednesday matchup at Dresden field at 4:00 p.m. against a perennial Division One powerhouse in Manchester Central.

JV Tournament Schedule For Sunday

Here is the Schedule for the JV1 Soccer Tournament in Nashua on Sunday.  The bus will depart for HHS on 6:30 a.m.

Nashua Boys JV Soccer Tournament Sunday October 21, 2018 FIRST TEAM LISTED WILL WEAR WHITE UNIFORMS FOR POOL PLAY
All games will be one 40-minute half – no overtime

Group B @ South upper field

Alvirne

Exeter

Hanover

Nashua South

Group A @ South lower field

Concord

Dover

Londonderry

Winnacunnet

Group A Schedule
8:00- Concord vs Londonderry
8:50- Dover vs Winnacunnet
9:40- Concord vs Winnacunnet 10:30- Dover vs Londonderry
11:20- Dover vs Concord
12:10- Londonderry vs Winnacunnet

Group B Schedule
8:00- Alvirne vs Nashua South 8:50- Exeter vs Hanover
9:40- Alvirne vs Hanover
10:30- Exeter vs Nashua South 11:20- Exeter vs Alvirne
12:10- Hanover vs Nashua South 

Point system for group play

•   Win =
  
•   Tie =
  
•   Loss =
  

3 points 1 point 0 points

Tie Breakers – ties will be broken after group play following these tie breakers in order

•   Head to head
  
•   Goal Differential (3 goal max)
  
•   Fewest goals allowed
  
•   Coin Flip
  PLAYOFFS:
  Top 2 teams from each group advance
  

 Quarterfinal Games: 1:00
o South – Teams from group A wear white uniform
 Group A winner vs Group B runner up on lower field
 Group B winner vs Group A runner up on upper field o North - Teams from group C wear white uniform
 Group C winner vs Group D runner up on upper field  Group D winner vs Group C runner up on lower field
Quarterfinal winners at North will travel to South
Teams from groups A & C wear white uniform
 Semifinals: 2:30 (We left time for travel from North and rest) o Group A & B winners – lower field
o Group C & D winners – upper field
Immediately following the semifinal games, coaches will determine which team will wear white uniform
 Final: approximately 3:20 (10 minutes after conclusion of the semifinal games)
Quarterfinals & Semifinals – tie will be broken with penalty kicks
Championship game – tie will be broken by 2 ten minute overtimes, then penalty kicks (if necessary)

Final Week of the Season Begins With a Bang

The final week of the regular season (and the final, final week for the three subvarsity teams) began with a bang on Monday, as three of the four teams took long road trips to face challenging opponents.
Longer reports will follow, but here are some brief summaries:

The Freshmen crammed onto a bus with the Reserve Girls and headed to Exeter.  Because of heavy traffic, they got a late start, and were only able to play sixty minutes, battling the Blue Hawks to a 0-0 draw.  Coach Dan Robel's report will be forthcoming.

The JV1s traveled to Nashua for a game with Nashua North at Stellos Stadium.  Dodging occasional raindrops, the Marauders held a significant territorial advantage for most of the match, and settled for  a 1-1 draw.  Hanover scored first, getting a goal midway through the second half on a hard shot by Jack Maynes that glanced off a defender and gave the Marauders a 1-0 lead.  The Titans tied the game with 10 minutes left on a far post finish after a dross for the corner pulled the defense out of position.
Hanover had a great chance in the dying minutes when Henry Aspinwall broke free down the left side.  The North goalie came off his line to make a challenge, and collided with Henry outside of the box.  He got all man, no ball, and after Henry scrambled to his feet and tried to continue, there was no call.  The Marauders kept their composure and had several other close looks, but were unable to break through.

Immediately after the JV match, the Marauder Varsity took the turf at Stellos to face a Nashua North team enjoying their best season in history.  The Titans had been in the top four of the NHIAA standings all season, until recently ahead of the Marauders.  A couple of recent losses have dropped North to seventh, as the Marauders have surged into third.  The game at Stellos, nevertheless, was betweeen  two serious playoff contenders.

The first serious scoring bid of the match was the North's.  Pumped up after Senior Night festivities, the Titans had a break into the Hanover end at the five minute mark, and Joseph Morse had a clear shot on goal from close range.  Hans Williams made a diving save to his left to deny the goal, changing the course of the game.  Morse had two more shots after the ensuing corner kick, and both were blocked by Marauder defenders. No one knew at the time that this was North's last significant scoring opportunity.  The rest of the game belonged to Hanover. 

The Marauders soon established a one-sided territorial edge, thanks in particular to the midfield troika of Liam Collins, Matty Gardner and Charlie Adams.  Blake Palmer had the first good shot on goal, and then center back Dillon Bradley who had an even better scoring bid, heading wide on a corner kick from Liam Collins, a harbinger of things to come.  Just before the 20-minute mark, the Marauders took the lead.  Charlie Adams took a ball on the right side, beat his defender to the baseline, closed on the goal, and fed the ball to an onrushing Matty Gardner, who crushed the ball into the net from short range for his third goal of the season.

Nashua North goalkeeper made the first of several spectacular saves a few minutes later, robbing Charlie Adams, but it wouldn't be long until the full force of the Marauder offense kicked into gear.
With a new strike force of David Stoffel, Pat Osborn and Amane Matsuoka in the game, the Marauders doubled the lead in the 27th minute. Stoffel carried the ball down the left side and slipped a pass to Adams, who carried it to the baseline and slipped a perfect pass to Osborn, whose perfectly-timed run into the box gave him an easy tap-in for his second goal in three games and a 2-0 Hanover lead.  90 seconds later, the Marauders put the game out of reach.  Adams and Collins triggered a short corner kick, and Collins closed toward the goal before sending s cross to the middle of the box, where Dillon Bradley headed him his long-awaited first goal of the season.  It was a coup de grace.

Eager to maintain their edge after the half, the Marauders continued to push hard into the Titan end of the pitch, completely taking the pressure off of their defense.  Midway through the half, Adams took  a free kick from the edge of the penalty box near the baseline.  Very much like a short corner, it gave Adams the opportunity to find Bradley at the far post, and the Marauder Captain headed home his second goal of the day.  A minute later, Titan goalkeeper Norris made an excellent diving save to deny a second goal by Gardner, who hit a hard drive from the top of the box.

The Marauders continued to sub throughout the half, until every field player got game time a total of 24 players in all.  The level of play remained high, thanks to excellent play by every one.  Williams was never threatened in goal, collecting his third shutout of the season. With time winding down, Senior Colm Seigne scored a well-deserved second goal, taking a long lead pass from Nathan Subrahmanian and breaking into the Titan box before unleashing a hard shot into the net.

Hanover has now won six games in a row, and have a firm hold on third place in the NHIAA standings with a 12-3 record.  Their final regular season match will be Friday against Londonderry at 4:30.  They will celebrate Senior Night, honoring an impressive total of 15 players, nine from the Varsity and six from the JV1 team.

Game and Practice Schedule October 14-21

Sunday, October 14

Varsity Training at HHS Turf                                                            3:30 - 5:30  p.m.

Monday, October 15

Freshman Game at Exeter – Dismissal 2:00 p.m.                                4:30 p.m.

JV1 Game at Nashua North at Stellos – Dismissal 1:30 p.m.              4:00 p.m.

Practice Bus departs for Dresden                                                         3:45  p.m.

JV 2 Training at Dresden                                                                      4:00 – 5:30 p.m.

Varsity Game vs. Nashua North – Stellos Stadium – Depart 3:00        6:00 p.m.  

Tuesday, October 16

Practice Bus departs for Dresden                                                        3:45 p.m.

Freshman, JV2, JV1 training at Dresden                                            4:00 – 5:30 p.m.       

Varsity Training – HHS Turf                                                               3:00 - 4:15 p.m.

Wednesday, October 17

Practice Bus departs for Dresden                                                         2:45 p.m.

JV1 training at Dresden                                                                        3:15 – 4:45 p.m.

Freshman Game vs. Central at Dresden                                                4:00 p.m.

JV2 Game at KUA  -  Bus Departs at 3:00                                           4:30 p.m.

Varsity  Training – HHS Turf                                                               3:45 - 5:15 p.m.

Thursday, October 18

Practice Bus departs for Dresden                                                       3:45 p.m.

Freshman, JV1, JV2, Training at Dresden                                         4:00 – 5:30 p.m.

Varsity Training at HHS Turf                                                            5:00 – 6:30  p.m.

Friday, October 19

Practice Bus departs for Dresden                                                         3:45  p.m.
JV2 practice - HHS Turf                                                                 3:00 - 3:45

 Freshman Training at Dresden                                                   4:00 – 5:30 p.m.

JV1 Game vs. Londonderry – HHS Grass                                           4:00 p.m.

Varsity Game vs. Londonderry – HHS Turf – Senior Day                   4:30 p.m.  

Saturday, October 20

Freshmen Game at Cardigan – Bus Departs at 11:15                           1:00 p.m.

JV 2 Game at Cardigan  -  Bus Departs at 11:15                                   1:00 p.m.
***Please bring non-perishable food items for the Cardigan Food Drive.****

Sunday, October 21

JV1 at Nashua Tournament – Bus Departs at 6:30 a.m.                         9:00 a.m.