Two Marauders Named to the Lions Twin Team

Hanover Captains Charlie Adams and Kyle Doucette have been named to the the New Hampshire Lions Cup team, and will be part of the 23-man senior all-star team that will play the Vermont seniors  this July 17th.  Their participation continues a long tradition of Hanover players  making the team, which draws from all four divisions.  They will see a number of familiar faces, with Bedford, Timberlane and Winacunnet also sending two players each.  Division Two finalists Lebanon and Con-Val will also contribute two players each, with Logan Falzarano and Cooper Bourne representing Lebanon.  Sunapee scoring star Michael Mullen and Mascoma leader Ben Schwartz, who each helped their team make deep playoff runs, will represent their team, giving the Upper Valley excellent representation.

Coach Rob Grabill, who shared D1 Coach of the Year honors with Bedford's Stuart Pepper, will be one of the four New Hampshire coaches.  Grabill was New Hampshire Head Coach in 2008.  The Lions Twin game has helped raise thousands of dollars for Lion charities in New Hampshire and Vermont.

Hanover High School Soccer Awards 2019

Hanover High School Soccer Awards 2019

Varsity Team Awards

Offensive Player of the Year – Charlie Adams

Defensive Player of the Year – Kyle Doucette

Rookie of the Year – Eric Ringer

Most Improved – Latham Allison

Unsung Hero – Judd Alexander

Goal of the Year – Charlie Adams (Free kick vs. Winnacunnett)

Sportsmanship Award – Noah Pikielny

Most Valuable Player

NHSCA All-State – Division One

First Team:  Charlie Adams, Kyle Doucette

Second Team: Eli Stack

Honorable Mention: Blake Palmer

Coach of The Year – Rob Grabill

United Soccer Coaches

All-American – Charlie Adams

All-New England – Kyle Doucette (Alternate)

NISOA Soccer Officials

Championship MVP – Joey Perras

Lions Twin State Cup

NH Senior All Stars – Charlie Adams, Kyle Doucette

Twin State Cup Assistant Coach – Rob Grabill

Junior Varsity One Awards

Most Valuable Player - Palmer Okai

Golden Boot – Oscar Miller

Coaches Award -Tom Lyons

Most Improved – Teddy Ruth

Goal of the Year – Pierce Hamlin

NHSCA Coach of the Year – Willie Johnson

Junior Varsity Two Awards

Offensive Player of the Year – Eli Bush

Defensive Player of the Year – James Kirkpatrick

Most Improved – Jackson Liu

Rookie of the Year – Asa Wise

Golden Boot – Archer Judd

Golden Gloves – Jared Licht

Coaches Award – A.J. Ristino, Henry Bernard

Sportsmanship – Henry Bernard

MVP – Henry Bernard

Freshman Awards

Golden Gloves – Ty Nolon

Golden Boot – Jack Gardner

Sportsmanship – Owen Smith, Jack Stadheim

Most Improved – Kevin Choi, Soren Stettenheim

Defender of the Year – Owen Smith

Coaches Award – Ty Nolon, Ethan Munson

MVP – Jack Gardner, Jack McGrath, Jack Stadheim

Varsity Banquet Puts a Cap on the Season; Final All-Star Games

This is the final weekend of the soccer season.  We will be holding office hours in the Gym during Activity Period on Friday.  Players who missed the Soccer Celebration Tuesday night may pick up their team certificates.  We will do a final collection of uniforms and practice gear, and hand out Hanover Soccer shirts to players who have not yet received theirs.

Friday night, the Varsity will gather to celebrate their championship season.  In addition to team honors, All-State and All-Region results, awarded by the NH Soccer Coaches Association, will be announced.  There will be several of them!  These and all team awards for all teams will be published Saturday.  (We said today, but it makes more sense to publish them all together).

On Saturday, the top senior players in NH from all divisions will gather in Concord to try out for Lions Twin State Soccer Cup team.  The top 22 seniors will play against their counterparts from Vermont in July.  The team will be named on Saturday night, and Hanover players selected will be announced Sunday here in the blog. Hanover has a long, proud history of having players selected, and excelling in the game.  Last year, Marauder Captain Liam Collins was the winner of the NH Team Sportsmanship Award.  Amazingly, Hanover has had six Sportsmanship winners in the past 14 years.

On Sunday, Hanover Captains Charlie Adams and Kyle Doucette will travel to Exeter to play in the annual Senior All-Star game.

Between now and the start of Thanksgiving break, all players on all teams are asked to find Coach Grabill for a five-minute conversation.  This is very important for players interested in participating next year.  The feedback received is very important for the continuing functioning of the program.  Players can message Coach Grabill to make an appointment.  Coach Grabill will be available during Activity Period, for one hour after school, and during selected periods to be announced. Interviews start on Monday.

Players interested in playing in the Hartford Futsal League are encouraged to organize teams.  The League begins December 1 and play continues through March.  Games are Sundays at the White River School.  There is room for several teams. The best format is organizing on class lines.  The juniors are pretty far ahead on this.  Here is the contact information for Hartford Rec:

https://hartfordvt.myrec.com/info/activities/program_details.aspx?ProgramID=30085

Please keep checking the blog through Monday, before we disappear.  New material every day!

Willie Johnson is Named JV Coach of The Year

On Wednesday, the NH Soccer Coaches Association met in Concord for their annual awards meeting.  Over 70 coaches from across the state, boys' and girls', all divisions, met to learn the results of the All-State voting.  They also then gathered in smaller groups to vote on the United Soccer Coaches All-Region awards, deciding the five All-New England and All-American  players from NH.  Several Marauders were honored, and these will be announced on Friday at the Varsity Banquet.

One honor is announced now:  Marauder JV1 Coach Willie Johnson was elected by the Division One coaches as the D1 JV Coach of the Year.  This is an incredible honor for Willie and his players, acknowledging not just the team's quality of play, but also their sportsmanship.  Willie's dedication to his players is evident in everything he does:  planning and organization of training sessions, team selection, game management, communication with players and parents, and his care for his athletes as students.  A well-deserved honor!

The sub varsity team honors will be published in tomorrow's blog.  Saturday's blog will contain all of the Varsity team awards as well as All-State and All-Region honors.

Hanover Soccer Family Celebrates; Marauders Nationally Ranked

If there was any doubt that it's time to close the fall soccer season, look outside.  But while the roads froze and the wind howled, the Hanover soccer family gathered in the cozy HHS gym and celebrated the journeys of four Marauder teams.  More than 80 players we're joined by coaches, parents and siblings to sample the sumptuous dessert buffet, receive team certificates, applaud the many winners of team awards.  The award winners will be listed in full detail in Thursday's post.

The Freshmen received their certificates from Coach Chris Dawes, whose addition to the coaching staff in mid-September helped every player improve individual technique significantly and grow tactically.  The young Marauders were constructed with the specific goal of peaking for the Concord Division One Tournament at the end of the season.  Coach Dawes led the squad to the NH D1 Championship, beating Exeter and Dover in pool play, and tying Londonderry.  Hanover beat host Concord 3-0 in the semifinals, and won a thrilling 2-1 game against Winnacunnet to take the title.  The lads then reunited with Coach Grabill to play a superb match against the Hanover girls, helping them prep for postseason.  That well-matched scrimmage relationship  was a highlight of the season for the Young Marauders, was was their in-house rivalry with JV2.

The JV2 awards focused on the outstanding leadership of Henry Bernard, Eli Bush, Archer Judd and Aidan Ristino, who helped the Reserves play their strongest soccer in years.  Although disappointed that several season-ending contests were cancelled by the hosts, Hanover showed their prowess in late season games with Sunapee, Fall Mountain and Cardigan.  Coach Erik McEwen presented the certificates, and everyone saluted Coach Yosef Osheyack, whose U.S. National Deaf Soccer team had just won a 3-2 decision over Mexico in the Pan American Games.  Training for the Games was a priority for YoYo all fall, but he was still able to help the Marauders with a number of training sessions and game coverage.

JV1 Coach Willie Johnson, a finalist for NH Division One JV Coach of the year, presided over the most entertaining segment of the night, honoring a feisty squad that didn't need a cancelled postseason tournament to certify them as the best sub varsity squad in the state.  The Marauders, with a record of 14-1-1, took care of that in their final regular season game, beating undefeated Londonderry in their own house, and leaving no doubt.  The JV players did a wonderful job honoring Coach Willie, and his haiku game was top-notch.

The Marauder Varsity are still trying to process the amazing two-week run in the NHIAA Tournament, four crazily-competitive games against the best teams in the state that led them to their second D1 title and 18th in program history.  Soon, there will be time to hear the extended stories about the three penalty kick shootouts, the back-to-back triumphs over Central and Bedford, the division's two heavyweights, the #2 and #1 seeds in the tournament. Now, the Marauders are in the conversation at the top of the table, and don't plan to cede that spot any time soon.  They will gather as a team to celebrate on Friday, and the tales will keep flowing.

In the meantime, the Marauders received word late Tuesday that they have been ranked as the #2  team in the final United Soccer Coaches New England Regional poll.  Wait, there's more.  Hanover is also ranked 16th nationally in the final national poll. In Region One (NE),  Hanover was second behind 16-0-2 Nauaset, the perennial Massachusetts powerhouse.  Fairfield (CT), 13-0-3, was third, and Lincoln-Sudbury (MA), Coach Grabill's alma mater, came fourth at 15-1-2.    VT power Champlain Valley was seventh with a mark of 16-0-1.

In the national poll, Hanover was 16th, just behind 23-2-0 George Washington, from Charleston, WVA, and just ahead of  #17 Elizabeth, NJ, with a record of 20-0-4.    Check out the link to the polls:

https://unitedsoccercoaches.org/rankings/high-school-rankings/boys-fall/

There is more to come.  Stay tuned to the blog.  Thanks to all for a wonderful season.

Hanover Soccer Schedule November 11-17

Hanover Soccer Schedule Nov. 11-17

Tuesday, Nov. 12

4:30 p.m.     Mandatory meeting for all Varsity Players and Coaches - Ramunto's

5:00 p.m.     All coaches Meeting at Ramunto's

6:00 p.m.     Four-Team Soccer Celebration - HHS Gym.  Potluck Dessert Buffet

Wednesday Nov. 13

6:00 p.m.     NHSA Coachers Meeting

Friday. Nov. 15

6:00 p.m.     Varsity Banquet

Saturday, Nov.  16

11:00. a.m.    Lions Cup Tryouts - Concord

Sunday, Nov. 17.

Senior All Star Game - Exeter

There will be a new blog post every day this week.  Please stay tuned.  I have a lot to say and a lot to share.

Marauders Win NHIAA Title; Beat Bedford in PK Shootout

Hanover completed a magical playoff run by playing their best defensive soccer all season, beating undefeated and defending champion Bedford 3-2 in a penalty kick shootout after 100 scoreless minutes of regulation and sudden death overtime to win the Division One Championship, ending a four-year quest for the team's seventeen seniors.

Goalkeeper Joey Perras was Hanover's Man of the Match, making 14 saves to shut out Bedford for the first time in years, and then stopping three consecutive penalty shots in the shootout, the final save clinching the victory for Hanover.  The gleeful Marauders swarmed  their hero, and then almost immediately veered toward the stands to rush their fans, who cascaded onto the field after providing critical support for the entire match.

Hanover won three of their four playoff games in penalty kick shootouts, gaining confidence and expertise with each one. After winning the D1 title in 2013, the Marauders lost in shootouts three of the next four years.  That streak has now been officially buried.

The Marauders opened the game on the front foot, putting the ball into Bedford's net in the second minute, although the play that created the shot was ruled offsides. Charlie made a nice run into the Bedford box in the seventh minute, but was denied by an excellent tackle from a Bulldog defender.  David Stoffel, thrust into a starting role due to Eric Ringer's concussion, whistled a long left-footed shot over the bar in the 10th minute.  Bedford had several good looks, especially by the athletic Flanagan, but Hanover's defenders were doing an excellent job standing their opponents up and covering for each other.  18 minutes into the half, Adams hit a spectacular shot headed for the upper left corner that was tipped wide by Bulldog keeper Aiden Wisherd.  This is what a Division One Final was supposed to look like. Bedford had an edge win the latter stages of the first half, and Perras was forced to make several saves to keep the match scoreless.  The Bulldogs were warming to the task.

Hanover and Bedford had played on relatively even terms in the first half, but the Bulldogs dominated the second half, and only a series of saves by Perras on Bedford sharpshooters Zach Verow, Vitor Rodriguez, and Matthew Flanagan gave the Marauders a thread of hope.  Bedford outshot Hanover 7-0 and had five corner kicks.  Hanover had none, although in the closing minutes Alex Stevens came close to setting Adams up inside the Bedford box.

Surviving into sudden death overtime, the Marauders did what they had done in their semifinal win against Central, and recovered enough of their shape to keep play between the 18 yard lines.  Hanover's depth helped, as they struggled to make up for the absence of injured starters Amane Matsuoka and Eric Ringer.  The Marauders were not about to make excuses about missing players, however, and that attitude is what saw them through the match.  As the minutes ticked down in the second overtime, Zaach Verow broke once again into the Hanover box and his a low, hard shot to the right corner. Somehow, Perras dover to his left and stretched to his limit, pushing the certain goal wide of the post.

Hanover's shutout was spearheaded by Perras, but it would not have occurred without the amazing work of the Marauder back five of Kyle Dioucette, Judd Alexander, Noah Pikielny, Dylan Kotlowitz and Brendan Brigham, who played tenacious defense against a Bulldog squad that had been averaging four goals per game.

As the clock wound down toward the end of overtime, and penalties beckoned, the Marauders allowed themselves to hope.  It was still Bedford over there, however.  Victor Rodriquez stepped up first for the Bulldogs and buried his shot.  Adams led off for Hanover and went right, changing his target point successfully.  James Poshmann put Bedford ahead 2-1, but Blake Palmer equalized with a hard shot to the right corner.  Senior Nathan Statires was next, and saw his shot saved by Perras. Latham Allison gave Hanover a 3-2 lead with a hard, accurate shot past Wisherd's desperate drive.
Next up for Bedford was Flanagan, and again Perras denied the Bulldogs with a scintillating save.  Hanover had three match points in hand.  They could taste it.  Evan Nichols got his shot on frame, but Wisherd save it to keep his team alive.  Up stepped Bedford's Captain and talisman,Zach Verow.  His shot was too close to the middle, and Perras wouldn't be denied.  He dove left and got his body behind the ball, and it was over.  State Champions.

There will be other, better accounts of this dramatic, entertaining match, culminating a late-season run that saw the Marauders always under pressure, and always equal of the task.  Hanover had many, many heroes, including the squad members whose hard work and excellence in training continually raised the bar for their teammates.  One final name deserves mention before this account closes, early Sunday.  Hanover's precision, style and  superb possession game derived from the meticulous planning and sure vision of Associate Head Coach Sam Farnum. Coach Grabill did his usual work as gaffer, but Farnum's coaching this season is what put the Marauders over the top.  From the very start of the season, his fingerprints were all over.  His training sessions demanded a great deal, but their design was so engaging that practice became a high point for this team.  How very fortunate that the squad extended the season as long as possible, and soaked up every benefit of Farnham's marathon sessions.  Hanover last won the title in 2013.  Farnham was the Associate Head Coach that year.  Coincidence?  We think not.

A season like this one (17-2-1, State Champions) is a product more than just one campaign.  The seniors who graduated after the past two years, intermediate steps in this journey, can take heart that their contributions helped put the Marauders on the medal stand.  More than 100 players tried out this fall, and 96 hung around to play, and every of them owns a piece of this as well.  Hanover has more than a team. They have a program. All of those roads eventually led to the careworn turf of Manchester Memorial, where 17 seniors and their underclass mates closed out a dream season with medals and memories that will last the rest of their lives.

Be SURE to show up Tuesday at 6:00, dessert in hand, so that we can celebrate this and all of the amazing seasons enjoyed by all of the Marauders.  See you there!

Hanover Tttle Game Will Be Live Streamed

That NHIAA Division One Championship Game between Hanover and Bedford will be live streamed today:
https://www.nfhsnetwork.com/sports/soccer/new-hampshire

Be sure to join us Tuesday night at 6:00 in the HHS Gym for the four-team Soccer Celebration.  Dessert potluck buffet begins at 6:00, followed by player recognition and SHORT speeches.

Marauders Beat Central On Penalties 5-4 to Advance to The Finals

Hanover beat Manchester Central 5-4 in a penalty kick shootout to win the NHIAA Division One Semifinals 3-2 and advance to Saturday's Championship against unbeaten Bedford. The match will be at Manchester Memorial High School at 6:30 on Saturday.

Hanover had never beaten Central in postseason play, and had not been to a final since 2013. Central beat Hanover 4-0 in last year's semifinal.

The Marauders opened up a 2-0 lead in the first half on wonderful goals from Charlie Adams and Henry Aspinwall. Adams struck for his 23rd goal of the season less than three minutes into the game, heading home a deep, first time cross from Blake Palmer in his best moment as a Marauder winger. Central struck back hard, but the Marauders defense had its best half of the season, clogging the middle and blocking or deflecting a number of shooting attempts.

Hanover's bench played a big role after the midpoint of the half. David Stoffel gave the Marauders a lift with his midfield play, and rolled into the box for a dangerous left-footed take. Brendan Brigham came in a right back and made a number of big plays, winning a one on one battle with the dangerous Samuel Assantha.

Twenty-seven minutes into the half, Hanover was awarded a free kick inside on Central's half. Adams sent A perfectly-weighted ball into the box and Henry Aspinwall caught up to it at the end of a right-to-left run into the box. He turned and volleyed the ball back across his body and caught the upper right corner. It could actually be Hanover's goal of the season. Oh wait. The Marauders have another game. But it was good.

With a 2-0 lead, the Marauders owned the last 10 minutes, stifling the Little Green. Latham Allison, Kyle Doucette and Judd Alexander played superb individual defense, and the half ended on a high note.

Central came out steaming in the second half, and dominated. possession. An open header clanged off the crossbar, and the Little Green tacked in waves. Five minutes into the half, a rash high kick which was cautioned and could have warranted ejection injured Hanover's talismanic Amane Matsuoka, who had scored the previous two playoff game winners. Central continued to press, and nearly scored again in a scramble. Eli Stack had a chance to counter on a breakaway, but his shot rolled wide of the left post. Noah Pikielny had Hanover's best bid, rocket8ing a shot from the left side that was saved over th bar by Central keeper Alex Walker.

With 10 minutes to play Central broke through on a goal by all-world midfielder Sam Latona. There was blood in the water. Less than 4:00 minutes later Central tied it on a goal by the highly-recruited Samual Assantha, who broke past Hanover's center defense and tied the game with less than seven minutes to play. Marauder goalkeeper Joey Perras was injured on the play, and replaced by Senior Andrew Enelow. Somehow, with Enelow excelling, Hanover held on until the end of regulation, when conventional wisdom suggests that the game was gone.

Hanover rallied in overtime. Both teams were exhausted, but Hanover was deeper. Ringer, Stoffel, Correa, and Blinkhorn helped hold the midfield. The 20 minutes of golden goal overtime were mostly quiet. Enelow's kicking game helped Hanover stabilize things, and right near the end of overtime Adams almost made something happen, getting to the right baseline and shooting a ball across the face of the goal that just missed Aspinwall. Kyle Doucette closed overtime with a nice block on Assantha.

One the game got to penalties, Hanover had the advantage. Both the teams had advanced on sudden death penalties (Central last Saturday over Timberlane), but the Marauders were so deep that even losing Perras and three regular shooters didn't faze them. Hanover's first four shooters connected confidently: Adams, Latham Allison, Judd Alexander, and Blake Palmer. Central's fourth shooter, Haris Suljevic, missed over the bar, and sophomore Evan Nichols, ice water in his veins, nearly broke the net with the force of his thunderous shot. For the second time in a week, Nichols almost ruined a promising skiing career at the bottom of a celebratory pig pile.

Central is Division One Soccer royalty. They are the only team to win three times this decade (beating Hanover 2-1 tin the 2012 Final). They lost to Bedford last year in the greatest D1 final ever. This was Hanover's first postseason win ever over Central. Now the Marauders will face unbeaten Bedford, with an 18-0-1 record and a thirty-game unbeaten streak. They only lost once last year in a championship season. That was a 2-1 loss to Hanover on two amazing Charlie Adams goals. Saturday at Memorial is going to be wicked cool. Get your Carharts on and be there at 6:30.

Marauders Face Manchester Central in D1 Semifinals

Hanover steps onto one of the best stages for postseason soccer in the state, Stellos Stadium, and plays one of the best programs in D1 history, Manchester Central, in Tuesday's NHIAA Division One Semifinals.  It's the best possible scenario for the Marauders, pitting them against the team that ushered them out of last years semifinals by a 4-0 margin.  Has Hanover closed the gap?  The Marauders trekked to Gill Stadium a month ago and beat Central 4-3, but they have never beaten the Little Green in postseason play.

The Marauders advanced to the final four for the second year in a row (after a two-year absence) with a pair of scintillating contests at home.  Hanover beat Winnacunnet on penalties after a 2-2 regulation draw, and then dismissed 6th seed Keene 2-1 in Saturday's quarterfinal.  The top four seeds survived into the semifinals, with Concord and Windham advancing on penalties.  Now they will all square off at Stellos, which has seen a number of classic playoff games involving Hanover teams over the years.

The teams winning tomorrow will be rewarded with three days of training before the Saturday Finals at Manchester Memorial.  That time together is a precious commodity, especially when team chemistry tends to be strong at season's end.

Hanover Beats Keene 2-1; Advances to Semifinals

Senior Amane Matsuoka’s goal with 15 minutes remaining gave Hanover a 2-1 victory over Keene, advancing them to the NHIAA Division One Semifinals on Tuesday.  The third-seeded Marauders will face off with second-seeded Manchester Central, which advanced Saturday on Penalties.

Hanover is now 15-2-1, gaining the final four for the second year in a row and the sixth time in eight years.  The Marauders dominated the contest statistically, taking a 1-0 lead seven minutes into the game on a goal by sophomore Eric Ringer, and responding with a strong offensive display after Keene tied the game 1-1 five minutes into the second half. 

Adams shifted to center forward, making room for dangerous chances for wingers Matsuoka and Blake Palmer, and midfielder David Stoffel.  Twenty minutes into the half, Adams, who had also assisted on Ringer’s goal, penetrated the Keene defense and slid the ball to Matsuoka, who first timed a hard shot past the near post.

From that moment until the final whistle the Marauders dominated possession and didn’t allow Keene a single attempt, almost taking a two goal lead when sophomore Evan Nichols missed connecting on a far post header.

Adams’ two assists gave him 19 on the season, tying the single season record held by Asa Berolzheimer.

Senior Joey Perras had three saves for the Marauders and helped Hanover’s strong possession game with his accurate kicking.  Perras’ save on a free kick late in the first half was a critical one, and his vocal leadership was consistently good.

Hanover plays Manchester Central, who defeated the Marauders 4-0 in the Semifinals last year.  Hanover beat Central 4-2 earlier this season on a pair of second-half goals from Adams.  The Little Green advanced to the Semifinals by beating Timberlane in sudden death penalty kicks after a scoreless draw through 100 minutes.

Marauders Prep For Saturday Playoff

The soccer season at Hanover has boiled down to one game for one team:  The Varsity hosts Keene on Saturday at 2:00 at Merriman-Branch field.

The Marauders will train on Friday on the turf from 3:30 - 5:00.:00

We're taking this one game at a time.  But we need to list tentative training times in the even that Hanover wins on Saturday and extends the season.

Sunday: 5:00- 7:00 p.m. (Following the HHS Girls' playoff game at 3:00

Monday:  3:30 - 5:00 p.m.

Tuesday: Semifinal Game at Stellos Stadium, Nashua 4:00 p.m.  Bust Departs 1:10 a.m.  (after 5th period).

Wednesday:  Whoa.  That's way too far ahead.

Friday during Activity Period, all Hanover subvarasity players can return their uniforms to the gym and receive their Hanover Soccer Tee Shirts.

We are looking for volunteers to be ball runners during the Saturday game.  Please message CoAAch Grabill.  First Come, First Served.

Be sure to save the Date:  Four-Team Soccer Celebration and Potluck Dessert Buffet.  Tuesday, Nov. 12 at 6:00 p.m. in the NNH gym.

Marauders Survive and Advance, Breaking Penalty Jinx with Sudden Victory over Winnacunnet

The Marauder Varsity played one of the most dramatic and entertaining games in Merriman-Branch history Wednesday, beating Winnacunnet in a sudden death penalty kick shootout to advance to the quarterfinal round of the NHIAA Division One Tournament.  Trailing or tied for most of the game against a fired-up Warrior squad, the Marauders rallied to tied the game twice, and after dominating 20 minutes of scoreless golden goal overtime, they calmly won a nerve-shattering shootout in the seventh round.  The penalty kick victory was Senior Night, with Charlie Adams, Judd Alexander, Lathan Allison, Joey Perras and Amane Matsuoka each scoring a critical goal.  After Matsuoka's seventh-round shot, Winnacunnet shooter Ryan Murray sailed his shot one the bar, sealing the Marauder win and triggering a wild celebration as the victorious Hanover players were swallowed by the large and boisterous crown that had supported and listed them all game.

Hanover now advances to the Quarterfinal round of the tournament, and will host sixth-seeded Keene on Saturday at 2:00.

The penalty kick victory ends a bitter series of tournament losses via the shootout, four times in the past eight seasons.  Coach Grabill had never won on penalties until Wednesday.  The Marauders lost at home to Goffstown in 2011 in the infamous Lights Out game.  They lost to Pinkerton in the Semifinals in 2014, and lost again to Londonderry in thee semifinals in 2015.  Most recently, Hanover  lost a bitter shootout defeat in 2017 at Pinkerton after their overtime game winner was stolen.  Thus, this cathartic victory does a great deal for the franchise.  Plus, perhaps, it will send the Marauders into the game against Keene a bit hungrier.

Hanover certainly started on the right foot against Winnacunnett, taking a 1-0 lead 44 seconds into the match when Charlie Adams got the ball with Matsuoka's help on the right side of the box, and found time and room to tuck a ball inside the far post.  Winnacunnet was unfazed, and spend most of the next 30 minutes on the front foot.  The Warriors tied the game ten minutes into the match when speedy Chaz Ziolkowski found space on the right side and beat the slow-to-close Hanover defense to a spot where he had a unguarded shot from close range past Pewrras.  Eight minutes. later, they took a lead on a beautiful goal, with a long pass played to frontrunner Gavin O'Hara, who controlled the ball and slid a lateral pass to a speeding Ryan Murray, who ran past his defender and whipped a nice shot into the net.  Hanover had little success offensively until the waning moments of the half, when they finally earned their first corner kicks, and almost got a short-range shot from Henry Aspinwall, who got possession deep in the box but saw a shot blocked.

Not prone to panic, Hanover grew into the game quickly in the second half, and tied the score on a spectacular free kick fro the left side into the upper right corner by Adams, his 22nd goal of the season.  Winnacunnet stayed aggressive, and had a good attempt foiled moments later on a nice tackle in the box by Kyle Doucette.  The Marauders missed a chance when a long Adams free kick nearly connected with his favorite target, Doucette.  Joey Perras had to be at his best to keep Winnacunnet in check, coming off his line more than once to contest 50-50 balls, and making an excellent save after being shaken up.  Hanover had another near miss in the 63rd minute when a pass across the face of the goal was nearly converted by Blake Palmer.

Winnacunnet shocked the large and supportive home crowd in the 66th minute during a rare foray into the Hanover end when Ziolkowski took the ball in the box and made a quick left to right run to create space for a short, hard, accurate shot past Perras.  Hanover jumped right back into mix 90 seconds later when Latham Allison found room in a mosh pit in front of the Winnacunnet goal ti tie the game.  Hanover had a few more looks in the final 10 minutes, but the best shot before the end of regulation was a close-range Warrior shot that sailed over the bar. There was no inevitability in this contest. The game was up for grabs.

That said, Hanover dominated the to 10-minute sudden victory overtime periods.  Blake Palmer ripped a shot past the post, and Henry Aspinwall just missed connecting with it with a great far post run. Adams had a shot blocked for a dangerous corner.  In the second overtime, the chances were even more numerous.  Allison missed connenctions on a header. Palmer had another great shot slide just wide of the post.  Allison and Matsuoka each had great looks before the final whistle.

Losing all of the time in penalties means that  you're paranoid about penalties, and you tend to start practicing the second you reach postseason.  Hanover had devoted some time to penalties during each postseason practice, and their demeanor during the shootout was a confident one.  Adams led off for Hanover and cooly converted the leadoff penalty into the left corner.  Marauder fans rejoiced when Joey Perras made a great dive too his left to deny Ziolkowski.  Blake Palmer pulled his shot wide to the right and then Cam Hart converted, and the shootout was tied.

Eric Ringer's soft shot went right to Warrior goalie Nathan Today. but Hanover caught a break when Marcos Charlotte hit a shot that grazed the left upright and missed.  The next two shooters for each team made their shots, with Judd Alexander and Latham Allison cooly converting for Hanover.
With the score tied at 5-5. Perras dramatically doffed his gloves and coldly hit his shot into the left corner.  After Daniel Kim tied it for the Warriors, their third straight clutch shot, Matsuoka made no mistake for Hanover's fifth goal.  Ryan Murray's shot almost made a bid for the parking lot, and Hanover had their cherished win. They survive, they advance, and their season continues.

Busy Wednesday Ahead: Two Games, Uniform Return, Survey Completion , Shirt Distribution

Wednesday will be a full day for the soccer program.

First and foremost every player on every team must complete the post-season survey as soon as possible.  Many did yesterday, but far too many did not.  Here is the link:

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdi7T9NdcilnDZAJ7oa81FavuPep1OpIZB6HVNeduT7oUgJWQ/viewform

Please contact the Athletic Office if the link does not work for you.  It is important that you complete this survey. It is anonymous, but they are tracking the number of respondents per team, and our numbers have disappointed the office.  Please complete the survey.

Please return your uniforms.  Players for all three sub-varsity teams should bring their uniforms.
I cannot be available during Activity Period, but I will be in school for the last two periods, and after school.

I will also begin distributing the Hanover Soccer shirts that every player on every team will receive, once he has returned his uniform.

All Junior Varsity players are invited to play in today's final intrasquad scrimmage. Coach Willie Johnson will be organizing the game, which kicks off at 3:00 p.m. on the HHS grass field.  I will be at the game to collect uniforms and give out Hanover Soccer shirts.

The Varsity plays Winnacunnet High School in a first round NHIAA Division One playoff game hat 6:00 on the HHS turf.  Please join us!  Cash/check donations to the Haven will be doubled by an anonymous donor.

The Freshmen concluded their season with an exciting 3-1 victory over the Hanover Varsity Girls.  It is a great rivalry, and has produce three excellent matches.  The girls host a quarterfinal game on Sunday at 2:00, and would love our support!   After a scoreless first half, Coach Grabill fired the team up with a bag full of GU.  The already twitchy team began speaking and acting like higher primates, and swarmed the Marauder Girls.  Jack Gardner scored a pair of excellent goals, and Hanover played excellent team defense. Plans are afoot to celebrate the season in style.

Big Games Coming Up For All Hanover Players

As our fabulous fall weather continues, the games keep piling up on the Hanover Soccer calendar.  There are a number of compelling games in the coming days.
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First, the Freshmen will scrimmage the Varsity Girls at 3:30 until 5:00 on Tuesday.  The Freshmen will wear white tops, shorts and socks.

On Wednesday after school, all Junior Varsity players (1 and 2) will scrimmage on the HHS Grass Field, with a 3:00 p.m. kickoff.  Coach Willie Johnson will work with the JV2 Captains to finalize two even teams.  Spare freshmen may (and only may) be get a shot at subbing.

Wednesday evening, the Marauder Varsity hosts D1 foe Winnacunnet in a first-round NHIAA playoff game at 6:00 on the Merriman-Branch turf.  Hanover is the #3 seed, and Winnacunnet, beaten by the Marauders 5-2 in Hampton earlier this season, is #14.  If Hanover wins, they will host a Quarterfinal game on Saturday at 2:00.  The other side of the bracket has #6 Keene hosting #11 Londonderry.

We have finished collecting food for the Haven this season, but a generous donor has given us a wonderful chance to collect  cash/check donations.  This anonymous donor will match any gift turned in tomorrow.  Rob and Laura Adams and Deb Kennedy will be happy to accept checks or cast tomorrow. All donations will be doubled!

Please remember the meeting for ALL players on all teams on Tuesday at 10:45 during Activity Period.  JV1 and JV2 players should return their uniforms to the meeting.  Freshmen will return uniforms Wednesday after Tuesday's game.

Please remember the four-team Soccer Celebration on Tuesday November 12 at 6:00 in the HHS Gym.  Dessert Buffet (with gluten-free), Participation Trophies (We're all Winners), and limited pontificating by coaches. All family members welcome.

Practice and Game Schedule Oct. 28 - 30 All Players Please Read This!

HANOVER HIGH SCHOOL BOYS SOCCER

GAME AND PRACTICE SCHEDULE Oct. 28-30, 2019

Monday, Oct.  28

7:00 – 9:00  p.m.           Varsity Practice – HHS Turf

Tuesday,  Oct. 29

10:45 a.m.                     MANDATORY MEETING FOR ALL PLAYERS ON ALL FOUR TEAMS DURING ACTIVITY PERIOD.  THIS IS FOR ALL FALL ATHLETES IN ALL FALL SPORTS.  ATTENDANCE WILL BE TAKEN.

                                    

                                    All JV1 and JV2 players should come to the meeting with all game and practice uniforms , including socks-  washed, folded, bagged and clearly labeled.  All players on all teams who return uniforms (Freshmen are due Wednesday) get a great new piece of soccer gear.  

3:30 p.m.                      Freshmen Game vs. Varsity Girls – HHS Turf

6:30 – 8:30  p.m.           Varsity Practice HHS Turf

                  

Wednesday, Oct. 30

10:30 a.m.                       All Freshmen return uniforms to the Gym during Activity Period.  Return your uniforms and get sweet gear.  Return all gear, including socks.

*We are hoping to schedule an all-JV scrimmage this week (Both JV1 AND JV2 teams combined and then redrafted.  Maybe NH vs. VT).  Stay tuned.

SAVE THE DATE:  FOUR-TEAM SOCCER CELEBRATION AND DESSEWRT BUFFET – TUESDAY, NOV. 12 AT 6:00 P.M. IN THE HHS GYM.  ALL FAMILIES WELCOME

Freshmen Win State Championship Tournament

The Marauder Freshmen played their best soccer at exactly the right time, winning the Concord Freshman Tournament and claiming the distinction of being the best freshman program in New Hampshire.  Unbeaten in group play, Hanover beat the host Concord team 3-0 in the semifinals and then beat a tough Winnacunnet team 2-1 in the finals on a last-minute goal by Cam Forbush.  In the process of winning the Marauders faced three teams they had met earlier in the season, and in every case they improved on their previous efforts.  This was definitely the case in their opening group game, when they beat the Exeter team that had gashed them less than two weeks ago. After giving top five goals in the first 30 minutes against Exeter in the first encounter, the Marauders scored twice in the early going and limited the Blue Hawks to a single goal, winning 2-1.  Eschewing (ROT  alert)
their tendency to leak goals early, Hanover turned the tables with a pair of Jack Gardner goals in the first five minutes.  Gardner headed home a cross from Augie Krawitt and then converted a pass from Jack Stadheim to give the Marauders a lead they would not relinquish.  Exeter managed to score once, but could not crack the defense spearheaded by the firm of Smith, Munson and Watts, and backstopped by goalkeeper Ty Noon.

Hanover's next two group games ensured a trip to the semifinals.  They tied an excellent Londonderry team 1-1 on a goal by Soren Stettenheim, a header facilitated by Jack Stadheim, and then beat Dover 7-0.  Cam Bonner led the way against the Green Wave with a hat trick, with Gardner, Stadheim, Liam Worden and Tom Mosdal scoring single goals.  Theo Joseph had a trio of assists.

Hanover faced Concord in the semifinals, and they blanked a team that had scored three goals on them three weeks ago, while scoring three of their own.  Worden opened the scoring with a back heel, Stettenheim continued his hot streak, and Stadheim put the icing on the cake with a blast from outside the penalty area.

The Marauders were not about the let down in the finals against a strong, athletic Winnacunnet team.
The Warriors scored first on a penalty kick after an accidental hand ball in the box, but Hanover countered when Stettenheim took a pass from Worden and dribbled the opposition, tying the match and earning the distinction of being the only Marauder to score in three different games.  The team battled back and forth, and with time winding down they were given a corner kick and took full advantage.  As he has all season, Jack McGrath hit an excellent corner kick that found Cam Forbush at the back post for the winning score.

As has been the case all season, the tournament title was a product of team play.  Everyone contributed, and everyone owns a share of the glory.  One significant name needs to be mentioned, however. Coach Chris Dawes has been an integral part of this team's improvement, and his calm and capable management of this squirrelly bunch in both training and game settings has directly contributed to Hanover's victory.

Happily, the season will be extended for the young Marauders, who will scrimmage the Hanover Varsity Girls on Tuesday, probably in the afternoon on the turf.  There has been some friendly trash talking about this rivalry, but the focus of Tuesday's match is clear:  the objective will be helping the top-seeded Hanover girls prepare for their tournament opener next Sunday.  Everyone on the boys' side, this editor included, will refrain from referencing past results, and focus on being the best possible scrimmage partner.  The 16-0-0 Hanover girls have improved significantly since the start of the year, and it will be a good challenge for the Freshmen to see if they can demonstrate similar progress in their own play.

Marauders Top Londonderry 4-0, Finish The Season 13-2-1

Hanover finished the regular season on a high note, exploding for four second half goals in a ten-minute stretch to beat Londonderry 4-0 and end with a 13-2-1 record.  The Marauders clinched third place in Division One behind Bedford and Central, and will open the playoffs at home on Wednesday.

Coming off a disappointing 2-2 tie with Pinkerton Academy, the Marauders never looked back, dominating play in the first half and then quickly disposing of the Lancers early in the second, with a pair of goals by Kyle Doucette, and single scores by Eric Ringer and Charlie Adams, who assisted on all three of the goals he didn't score.

The Marauders took control of the match early, earning four corner kicks in the first ten minutes and a total of eight in the half.  They outshot Londonderry 11-1, and got closer and closer to scoring as the half unwound.  Adams hit a dangerous shot in the seventh minute, clanging it off the top corner of the
goal.  Blake Palmer got loose in the penalty area off of a free kick, but couldn't connect omg a close range attempt.   Kyle Doucette headed an Adams corner kick over the bar at the 20 minute mark, a harbinger of things to come.  Adams nearly flicked home a header five minutes later.

Five minutes from the end of the half, Hanover had their best look of all, as Henry Aspinwall fed Eric Ringer for a long shot that sailed just past the left upright. Doucette almost guided the eighth corner kick of the half into the net, but the half ended with the score tied at 0-0.

If the Marauders were worried or frustrated, they didn't show it after halftime, taking a 1-0 lead before three minutes had elapsed.  As has been the case several times this season, Adams took advantage of a long throw-ion by Ringer, controlling the ball on the right side of the penalty area and turning to fire a dart inside the left post.  Three minutes later,  the roles were reversed, as a perfectly placed free kick by Adams found Ringer in a perfect position for an easy tap-in and a 2-0 lead.  Is minutes later, Hanover's ninth corner kick struck pay dirt when Doucette looped an interesting looking semi-bicycle that floated over goalkeeper Colby DiMaggio. Hanover's stunning surge ended two minutes later when Doucette got his head on an Adams free kick and collected his fourth goal in the last four games.

There was work left to the done, and a host of Marauders were more than eager to see the match off.  Defenders Noah Pikielny and Brendan Brigham, on in relief of Dylan Kotlowitz, were excellent.  Doucette played a bit of defense, too, teaming with Judd Alexander to lock down the middle of the Marauder line.  Will Blinkhorn, Toño Correa, Nathan Subrahmanian and Jacob Kubik-Pauw all took the pressure off the defense with their quality two-way play.

Hanover's outstanding effort puts them the front foot heading into the playoffs.  They will train on the turf Monday and Tuesday, awaiting the announcement of the playoff brackets mid-day Monday.  They will host a first-round playoff game on Wednesday, and home to play it under the lights at 6:00. If they win against the 14th seed, they will host a quarterfinal match on Saturday at 2:00, perhaps against Keene.  Whoa, whoa, whoa.  Slow down, Sparky.   The Marauders have worked hard to prepare for the second season, and they will be well advised to take things a step at a time, perhaps recalling a pair of one-goal wins, one in overtime (Thanks, Judd) in last year's first two playoff games. This is the time of year that Hanover teams have lived for the past 55 years. Not their first rodeo.

JV1 Beats Londonderry 3-1, Finishes 14-1-1, Claims D1 Title

Boarding the bus for the trip to Londonderry, the JV1 team were handed the news that the culminating event of their season, the State JV Tournament in Nashua on Sunday, had been cancelled because of anticipated rain.  The Marauders knew that their toughest foe in the tournament would be undefeated Londonderry, interestingly placed with Hanover in group play.  There was a chance that the Marauders might play the Lancers (known to drop a Varsity player or two into the lineup) three times, with the final one for all the marbles.  With the tournament cancelled, the team quickly see-focused on the Friday game in front of them, and everyone agreed that this would be the dee facto state title game.  With everything on the line and 15-0-0 Londonderry waiting for them on their home field, Hanover played their best game of the year and beat the Lancers 3-1.  The Marauders are the 2019 State Champions.

The game started well for Hanover, who took a 1-0 lead after four minutes on a goal by Isak Larusson.  The Marauders almost doubled the lead two minutes later when Eric Tysinger almost headed in a cross from Larusson,  Hanover continued to have an edge in play, but the tall, athletic Londonderry squad threatened a number of times.  Marauder goalie CJ Wheelan made a good save on  a shot from the top of the penalty area, and the Lancers nearly connected on a corner kick, as the ensuing shot looped just wide of the right post.  With eight minutes to play in the half, the Lancers tweed the game, knifing through the middle with some nice combination play.

Hanover had a great look early in the second half on an attempt by Mitch Aspinwall off the back post. Eight minutes later, the Marauders thought they had earned a penalty kick when Oscar was cleaned out by the goalkeeper, but the call never came.  Then it was Londonderry's turn to come close.  In the 53rd minute, Wheelan was in the right place at the right time to save a header off of a corner kick.

With 20 minutes to play, Zane Schiffman scored the eventual game winner, connecting with a cross from Derek Lacy for a 2-1 lead.  Londonderry nearly re-tied the match in the 68th minute when a 30 yard shot clanged off the crossbar, but Hanover got the last word with two minutes to play, when Larusson collected his second score of the day on a funky side-foot pass from Thomas Glass.

Hanover's defense, led by Tom Lyons and Palmer Okai, was superb all afternoon, and Wheelan had his best game of the season in goal. It was in every sense a total team victory, with everyone on the squad playing significant minutes and demonstrating good communication and two-way play.  Congratulations to Coach Willie Johnson and the Boyz for a superb championship season!

Freshmen, JV1 Prepare for Weekend Tournaments

The JV1 and Freshman teams will conclude their seasons this weekend with Division One "State Championship" Tournaments.  The Freshmen will travel to Concord for and eight-team tournament, and the JV1s will play in a 16-team tournament in Nashua Sunday.  The Freshmen will depart at 6:00 a.m. SHARP on Saturday.  JV 1 will leave at 6:30 SHARP on Sunday.  Players on both teams need to bring both home and away uniforms.

The Freshman tournament will be played at the Rundlett Middle School in Concord on two adjoining fields.  Pool play will be begin at 8:00 with two four-team groups.  The top two teams in each group will play in the semifinals, followed by a Championship game.  The tournament will conclude by approximately 2:00 p.m.  Coach Chris Dawes will be in charge of the team.  Coach Yosef Osheyack will run training at Dresden at the regular time on Friday.  Remember:  players should bring both home and away uniforms.

The JV1 team will travel to Nashua North High School on Sunday for the opening rounds of the JV Tournament.  Hanover will play 40-minute games against Londonderry (8:50), Alvirne (9:40) and Merrimack (12:10).  Hanover will wear white in the first two games, and maroon in the third.
Quarterfinals games will be played at 1:00 at Nashua North.  If Hanover plays, there will wear white.
Winners of the quarterfinals at North High School will travel to Nashua South High School for the Semifinals at 2:30.  The Finals will be played at Nashua South at 3:20.

The weather forecast for Sunday calls for a good deal of rain.  We will update the status of the tournament whenever we receive information.  Players should prepare to play in the rain, with rain gear, a change of clothes, and (yes) the ubiquitous garbage bag.

Marauders Tied by Pinkerton 2-2

Less than 24 hours after a strong performance in their last regular season home game, the Hanover Varsity traveled to Pinkerton and played a frustrating 2-2 tie with Pinkerton, a fallen franchise that has a sole win over Spaulding.  The Marauders fell behind in the first half, scored two quick goals to take the lead early in the second half, and then surrendered a game-tying goal. Hanover dominated play in the remaining 27 minutes of regulation, and then were only able to play four minutes of the allotted 20 minutes of overtime due to darkness.  Frustrating.

The Marauders took the match seriously, starting their customary lineup, and had an edge in play in the first half, although their offense in the final third was tepid.  Eli Stack had the best Hanover attempt in the first half, taking a pass from Blake Palmer and hitting a shot that glanced off thee crossbar on the way over.  With less than seven minutes to play in the half, Pinkerton scored a shock goal when one of their long throw-ins bounced around in the penalty area, and was finally slotted home by Reilly Beaulieu

Trailing 1-0 at halftime, the Marauders stayed calm and quickly evened things up 1:20 after the interval when Kyle Doucette met a Charlie Adams corner kick with a perfect run, crushing a powerful header into the back of the net. The duo has been working on this set play all season, and it was gratifying to see it connect.  Three minutes later, Hanover took the lead when Stack controlled the ball at the edge of the penalty area and fed Adams, who found room the drive a hard shot that ticked off the inside of the far post for his 19th goal of the season. Five minutes later the Marauders almost grabbed a critical insurance goal when Amane Matsuoka got behind the defense with only the goalie to beat, but he couldn't find the handle and the keeper was able to smother the ball at close range.

Two minutes later, disaster struck when a Pinkerton striker eluded a stepping defender and got a good look at goal on the right side of the penalty area.  Giovanni Iob's shot toward the far post slipped through Joey Perras' hands, and the match was tied at 2-2.   With lots of time left in regulation, there was no need to panic.  Pinkerton pulled bodies back, but there was optimism that the Marauders would find the space and time necessary to score.  They had a number of looks, and a golden opportunity go by the boards when Eli Stack's breakaway shot was blocked by a desperate defender.
As time ran down, Hanover actually came closer to losing than winning, and only a sensational diving save by Perras on a close range shot from Dan Humphrey keep the score at 2-2.

Regular season high school games tied after regulation allow for 20 minutes of golden goal overtime. However, but the time that overtime started, darkness was already falling.  The officials allowed overtime play to begin, but it was clear from the very start that there would be no way for 20 minutes to be played.  Hanover started on the front foot and got shots from Adams and Eric Ringer, and several chances to play the ball into the penalty area.  With 15 minutes remaining, though, the officials correctly ended the game.

Responsibility for the situation rests solely with Coach Grabill, who allowed a 4:30 start time to be listed when the original Pinkerton match was rained out last Thursday.  Perhaps it was the assumption that overtime wouldn't be necessary against a one-win team.  Perhaps it was just careless not to consider the possibility.  There's no guarantee that Hanover would have scored with 15 more minutes on the front foot, but we'll never know.  There was little damage to Marauder playoff prospects.  Hanover still controls their own fate, and have the opportunity to lock down third place and a pair of home playoff games when they travel to Londonderry Friday for a game under the lights.  At least they get to play the whole match.

JV1 Beats Pinkerton 2-0; Now 13-1-1

The JV1 squad scored twice in the second half to break a scoreless tie and beat Pinkerton Academy 2-0 on Wednesday, pushing their record to 13-1-1 and setting up a showdown Friday with an equally strong Londonderry team in the regular season finale.

It took a while for the Marauders to settle into the game, and Pinkerton had several good chances, including a cross in the third minute that found a wide open Astro striker, who blasted the ball over the net.  Two minutes later Pinkerton created a similar scoring chance, but this time Palmer Okai was in the right place to defend it.  Hanover's first decent chance came in the 10th minute when Isak Larusson carried the ball deep into the attacking zone and fired a cross looking for Eric Tysinger, but the goalie gobbled up the centering pass.

CJ Wheelan made three saves in rapid succession 25 minutes into the match, diving to his right to deny a shot headed inside the right post, and then denying two rebound shots, one with another dive on a closer shot.  Hanover nearly scored five minutes from the end of the half when Thomas Glass slid a ball to Owen Stannard, whose shot was just wide of the post.

The Marauders began to exert more control in the second half.  Murphy Hunt nearly scored in the 55th minute, and ten minutes later Zane Schiffman finally broke the ice, cleaning up the rebound off the post from an Isak shot.  Five minutes later, Murphy Hunt got the vital insurance goal, hitting a strong one-timer from near the edge of the penalty area.

Hanover trains on Thursday at Dresden and then head to Londonderry for a playoff preview with Londonderry, paired with the Marauders in group play at Sunday's D1 JV Championship in Nashua.

Freshmen Beat Keene 5-3

Tightening up on defense and continuing to score more than enough, the Marauder Freshmen led from wire and earned a satisfying 5-3 victory over Keene on Wednesday at Dresden.  Hanover took a 1-0 lead when Jack Gardner played a nice through ball to Jack McGrath for an easy finish.  Gardner then earned his second assist, crossing the ball to Jack Stadheim, who volleyed it home to give the Marauders a 2-0 lead.  Gardner continued to create offensive opportunities, dribbling through several Keene players and drawing a foul in the penalty area, earning a penalty kick. Alex Brackett stepped up to take the kick and buried it, but the play was called back because the referee hadn’t didn't blow his whistle. Unfazed, Alex took the kick again and scored, giving Hanover a 3-0 lead

.

Keene made the game interesting, scoring back to back goals to cut the Marauder lead to one, but Hanover responded when Jack Gardner played a through ball to himself and blasted the ball into the back of the net. Keene scored again to cut the margin to one, but the Marauder responded once again when Ethan Munson played an excellent through ball to Gardner , who picked up his second goal and made the final margin 5-3.

The young Marauders will train Thursday at Dresden with Coach Dawes to prepare for the D1 State Tournament in Concord at Rundlett Middle School on Saturday.

JV2 Game Today Cancelled

Today's JV2 Game at KUA has been cancelled by KUA.  The JV2 will practice today at Dresden from 3:00 - 4:30.

Seniors Lead The Way Over Nashua North, 5-0

The Marauders celebrated Senior Night in fine fashion on Tuesday, exploding for four second-half goals to put away Nashua North by a 5-0 score.  Hanover is now 12-2 on the season and sits solidly in second place in NHIAA Division One with two regular season games remaining.

The Marauders started 11 seniors, and spent most of the first half camped in the Nashua North end of Merriman-Branch Field.  After six minutes of patient ball control, Hanover took a 1-0 lead when David Stoffel took the ball and penetrated into the North penalty area, dishing the ball to Eli Stack, who eluded two defenders and drove a hard left-footed shot into the back of the next from close range.  It was his sixth goal of the season, and fourth in the last six games.  Stoffel collected his first assist of the season.

The remainder of the first half saw the Marauders do everything but score, outshooting the Titans by a 17-1 margin.  Blake Palmer hit the post at the nine-minute mark, and Stack almost doubled the score at 14 minutes, pushing a shot just wide of the left post.  Three minutes later, a wild flurry saw Amane Matsuoka hit a hard shot that was saved,  with Stack collecting the ball and crashing it off the crossbar.  The rebound came to Charlie Adams, who whistled a shot over the bar.  So it went throughout the half.  Although Hanover wasn't able to find the back of the net. they exhausted the North defenders,  particularly as a number of subs rolled off the Marauder bench, including Henry Aspinwall, who had two dangerous shots in the closing minutes.

The Marauders stayed focused after halftime, and took a 2-0 lead after seven minutes.  Charlie Adams slid a pass to Blake Palmer on the left side of the box, and the senior winger ripped a hard left-footer  into the far side netting. for his seventh goal of the season.  Ten minutes later, Adams was tripped in the penalty area and converted the ensuing spot kick for a 3-0 Marauder lead.  Hanover's fourth goal was highlight reel quality.  Matsuoka collected the ball on the right flank and then cut into the penalty area, finding Adams with a deft pass.  Adams eluded a defender with a move reminiscent of Maradona and patiently waited for an opening to slot his 18th goal of the season.

Nashua North kept competing, and over the course of the half managed half a dozen shots, all of them from the edge of the penalty area and beyond.  Andrew Enelow, who started the second half in goal, made all of the routine saves  look routine, and shared the shutout with Joey Perras. All of Hanover's defenders played well,  with Senior Noah Pikielny standing out with his two-way play.

The final Marauder goal was another piece of work, echoing the earlier Matsuoka/Adams production.
Jackson Lake took the ball near the top of the North penalty area, and spun free with a nifty move, sliding the ball to Stoffel, who calmly eluded a defender and slotting the ball home for his third goal in three games.

All 17 senior players on the Varsity roster were honored at halftime, and all saw significant playing time.  JV2 callups Henry Bernard and Archer Judd were also slotted for some last-minute action, but the official with five minutes of time on his wrist decided that 3 1/2 minutes were enough, and left them twisting in the wind on the sidelines.  Lucky for Nashua North, and devastating for Judd's vocal supporters.  The Marauders will have little time to bask in their victory,  returning to action Wednesday with a trip to Pinkerton Academy

Freshmen Lose A Wild One 6-5 to Exeter

For the second game in a row the Freshmen dug themselves a huge hole against a strong opponent, and then proceeded to play superb soccer, staging a comeback before falling just short in a 6-5 loss to Exeter.  After falling behind to Cardigan 3-0 on S aturday before charging back in a 5-4 loss, they resolved to start more strongly.  So much for resolve.  Exeter played aggressively from the start, and the Marauders were careless in their own end.  Two minutes after kickoff, a Hanover defender missed on a clear, giving their deadly #25 an open shot. A well-intentioned back header to goalkeeper Ty Nolon was poached by Exeter’s talisman for a 2-0 lead at thee 14-minute mark, and three minutes later a soft  square ball in the middle lead to another easy Exeter goal.  When #25 made the score 4-0 at the 20-minute mark, it looked as though the game would be a complete runaway.  Hanover was actually not playing badly, and to their immense credit, they stayed calm, kept playing, and refused to stop trusting themselves and each other.   The Marauders were creating shots.  Liam Worden, Soren Stettenheim and Jack Gardner all had good shots before Jack Stadheim had an even better one, ringing a shot off the post. Despite the relief offered by. Alex Brackett, Will Taylor, and Ian Smith at midfield, Exeter scored AGAIN ten minutes before halftime on their one well-made goal of the afternoon.  It would have been so easy to give up, blame others, lose focus (a few tried), and spend the rest of the day wallowing in a promising game gone south.  Happily, the Marauders held fast and kept playing.  With five minutes to go,  Jack Stadheim broke into the box and was tackled, and the official who had been calling the game tightly continued to call the game tightly, awarding a penalty kick. Stadheim hit his spot kick right to the goalkeeper, who saved it.  Fortunately, Stadheim made it to the ball first and tucked it into the back of the net to stop the carnage.  Hanover wasn’t done.  A minute from the interval, Stadheim and Jack Gardner completed a series of accurate wall passes, giving Gardner the room to tuck a superb shot just inside the left post.

Having made the score  respectable by halftime, the Marauders lost no momentum after the break, completely dominating possession and territory.  Stadheim started the fun with a shot off the crossbar. Gardner had a great look from the corner of the box and hit a shot that may still be in orbit.  Following a free kick into the box by Jack McGrath five minutes into the half, right back Cam Forbush snuck into the fray at the edge of the box and looped a shot under the balk to make the score 5-3.  Game on.  Stadheim and Gardner kept hammering, and then the Marauders subbed well into the half.  Exeter extended the lead to 6-4, but even that wasn’t enough to throw the Marauders off.  The boys off the bench kept up the momentum, and with 13 minutes to play Theo Joseph was in the right place at the right time at the far post, jamming home rebound from Owen Smith.  First career goal for Theo, but not the last.

With the score 6-4, the Marauders continued to play with precision and confidence.  Berekeley Chamberlain had a number of excellent plays on the wing, and after several near misses Gardner pulled the team to within a goal,  converting a cross from Cam Bonner, who collected his first career assist.   With seven minutes to play, Hanover continued to play good position, moving the ball around and refusing to play “hero ball”.   With three minutes to play, a series of passes isolated Stettenheim at the far post, and he did everything right, getting a hard, low shot on goal that was blocked with a timely save.  Ty Nolon got to relieve one of the iconic moments for his favorite team, charging into the box on a corner like Manchester United’s Peter Schmeichel.  He didn’t score, but he didn’t get burned by his upfield adventure.  The Marauders had one more chance before time expired, as Alex Brackett connected with a header that sailed over to bar.

There is much to be learned from a game like this.  Falling behind 5-0 means there is a lot of work to be done.  Digging out with five great goals means that progress is being made.  Wednesday’s home game with Keene will give the Young Marauders a chance to show what they have learned.

JV2 Beats Fall Mountain 4-0

The JV2 squad continues to play its best soccer at the end of the season, going on the road Monday to beat Fall Mountain 4-0.  

Archer Judd picked up right where he left off, scoring two goals to give Hanover a 2-0 lead. Eli Bush got the assist with his corner kick on the first goal, and Archer hit a sick chip over the goalkeeper for the second.   Mitchell Rowley continued his excellent play with the third score, and Captain A. J. Ristino showed his offensive chops with the final tally after Coach Yosef Osheyack moved him off the back line.

The defense played a great job in front of goalkeeper Jared Licht, who made several diving saves to earn his shutout.  James Kirkpatrick, Asa Wise and Jackson Liu led a strong crops of defenders.

The JV2s train on Tuesday at Dresden and then close the season with a road trip to KUA on Wednesday.

Big Dates Ahead For Hanover Soccer

As we head toward to conclusion of the season, there are several significant dates for many of you to consider:

Tuesday, October 22 - Senior Night

At halftime of Tuesday's Varsity game against Nashua North (6:00 kickoff), we will honor every senior in the program, more than 20 of them!  Each senior will be introduced, and have a photo taken with family/host family/tribe.  All family members are invited.  Twenty-plus players, 10-minute halftime, so the speeches will be pretty brisk.  See you there!


Saturday, November 2 at 2:00 p.m. -NHIAA Quzarterfinal

If the Marauders continue to play well, they are likely to finish as one of the top four teams in Division One.  They are currently second. Should that occur,  Hanover will be scheduled to host a Quarterfinal game at 2:00 on Saturday, November 2.  Save the Date!

Four Team end of Season Celebration

All four teams will celebrate the end of the season in our annual gathering in the HHS Gym.  Players, parents, siblings, fans and friends are invited.  We will begin with our notorious all-dessert buffet, with gluten-free options, of course!  Following that, every player will be introduced and honored in a breathtakingly efficient operation, with brief comments by coaches. We look forward to having everyone together to look back on an exciting season.

Game and Practice Schedule Oct. 21-27

HANOVER HIGH SCHOOL BOYS SOCCER

GAME AND PRACTICE SCHEDULE Oct. 21-27, 2019

Monday, Oct.  21

2:00 p.m.                      Dismissal/Departure for JV2 at Fall Mt.

3:45 p.m.                      Busses depart for games at Dresden Fields

5:00 p.m.                      JV1 Practice at HHS Turf

4:30 p.m.                      JV2 Game at Fall Mt.

4:30 p.m.                      Freshman Home Game vs. Exeter

6:00 – 8:00  p.m.           Varsity Practice – HHS Turf

Tuesday,  Oct. 22

4:00 p.m.                      Freshman, JV2 Practices at HHS Grass

4:00  p.m.                     JV1 Home Game vs. Nashua North – HHS Turf

6:00 p.m.                      Varsity Home Game (Senior Night) vs. Nashua North

                  

Wednesday,  Oct. 23

2:00 p.m.                      Bus Departs for JV2 Match at KUA

2:00 p.m.                      Bus Departs for Varsity/JV1 Games at Pinkerton

2:30 – 4:00 p.m.            Varsity Practice at Huntley

2:45 p.m.                      Busses Depart for Practices/Game at Dresden

3:00 – 4:30 p.m.            Practice for JV1 Dresden

4:00 p.m.                      Freshman Match vs. Keene – Dresden

4:00 p.m.                      JV2 Match at KUA

4:30 p.m.                      Varsity/JV1 Games at Pinkerton

Thursday, Oct. 24

3:45 p.m.                      Bus Departs for Practices at Dresden

4:00- 5:30 p.m.              Varsity, JV1, Freshman Practices at Dresden

         

Friday, Oct. 25

2:00 p.m.                      Dismissal/Departure for JV/Varsity at Londonderry

3:45 p.m.                      Practice Busses Depart for Dresden

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

4:30 p.m.                      JV1 Game at Londonderry

6:00 p.m.                      Varsity Game at Londonderry

Saturday, Oct. 26

6:00 a.m.                      Bus Departs for Freshman Tournament at Concord

Sunday, Oct. 27

6:30 a.m.                      Bus Departs for JV1 Tournament at Nashua