The Marauder Freshman Boys opened their 2019 season with a solid 4-2 road win at Merrimack on Monday. Hanover jumped out to a fast 3-0 lead and never trailed, outshooting the host team and nailing down the win with Jack Gardner's third goal of the game with 10 minutes remaining. All 23 players saw action in each half, and the two-way effort could be characterized as a team victory.
The team was businesslike from the start, following a smooth dismissal and routine, well-catered bus ride. After a brisk warmup, the Marauders jumped out to an immediate 1-0 lead when Jack Gardner jumped on a loose ball and found plenty of room to rip a shot into the goal three minutes into the game. Merrimack almost responded after a pass out of the back was intercepted, by Owen Smith came sailing in the clear the ball. Hanover enjoyed a significant edge in possession and was winning most of the contested balls at midfield, with Jack Stadheim, Soren Stettenheim and Jack McGrath providing a lot of the pressure. The match was barely nine minutes old when Gardner stole a pass on the Hanover side of the center circle and blew past the Merrimack defensive back four, breaking in alone for his second goal of the afternoon. Two minutes later, Jack McGrath launched a long, high ball from the left flank that sailed over the Merrimack keeper's head for a 3-0 Hanover lead.
Merrimack had some success in counterattacking, and may have missed a chance to climb back into the game when the official missed a classic Hand 'o God on the box by Tom Mosdal. As the match went past the midway point, the Marauders featured an entirely new lineup, and the results were excellent. The fresh legs at midfield, particularly Theo Joseph, Simon Taenzer and Will Taylor, helped maintain Hanover's territorial edge. Having acquired his newest skin (his away uniform), Gilbert Gordon took a lead pass and broke in alone on goal, just missing to the right with a well-taken shot. In the Marauder defensive end Ty Nolon did a spectacular job coming off his line to meet through balls, and received more than a dozen back passes from trusting teammates.
With several of the starters back win the match for the final five minutes of the half, Gardner's pass to Stadheim at the top of the box almost resulted in a 4-0 lead. Instead, out of nowhere, a long Merrimack shot from the left side took a downward dip at the near post and snuck into the goal. Strong at the end, Stadheim hit a ripper from distance that just slid past the left upright.
Hanover was back on attack at the start of the second half, with Gardner lashing a shot that missed, although not as badly as his first-half moonshot. Minutes later, Ian Smith made an excellent pass from his own half, springing Gardner into space. Berkeley Chamberlain jumped on a loose ball at the edge of the box, but his right-footed strike turned into a moonshot. The Merrimack goalkeeper came off his line and made a superb save, keeping his team within striking distance. Nolon returned the favor a moment later, making a nice diving save on a shot that developed from a Merrimack fast break.
Hanover conceded an unnecessary corner kick with 18 minutes left in the match, and Merrimack punished the mistake converting the ensuing kick with a sweet header, and they were back in the match at 3-2. This was a critical test for the young Marauders, and they responded like champions. Instead of panicking, they produced some of their best possession and offense of the match. Ethan Munson and Cam Forbush provided some excellent defense, and the Marauders got good misfield play from Jack Blaisdell, Liam Wordon and August Krawitt. Up top, Stadheim and Gardner both came so close to scoring, with Stadheim missing high and hard on a good shot from distance, and Gardner watching his shot being saved off the line. Alex Brackett, a two-way force at center midfield, hit a nice shot across the face of the goal from the edge of the penalty area. With 11 minutes to play in a match that still could have gone either way, August Krawitt put the ball on Gardner's foot and watch as he drove into space and struck for his third goal of the afternoon.
The Marauders kept playing well at both ends as they saw the game off. Cam Bonner showed a lot of promise up top. Wyatt Sklarin put on a one-on-one defensive clinic with a big stop one a dangerous striker, and even Chou continued to demonstrate solid tackling ability.
The Marauders return to action on Wednesday, with a home match at Dresden at 4:30 against Manchester Memorial.
*** Bedford Game Note for Tuesday: All JV Players who need uniforms should meet with Coach Grabill in the Gym during Activity period.
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