Marauder Soccer Receives Top Rating For Sportsmanship in Division One

We announce with great happiness that Hanover Boys Soccer has been announced as the highest rated Division One team for Sportsmanship in 2014 by the NHIAA.

This year, the process involved each coach meeting with the Athletic Director to rate all opponents in four categories: 

School Climate
Coaches
Athletes
Spectators

In each of those categories, coaches were asked to grade one of three ways:

Meets Expectations
Exceeds Expectations
Below Expectations

When rating either "Exceeds" or "Below" the coach was required to comment.

Hanover's soccer rating was 2.250.  The next highest were  Pinkerton  (2.125) and Bedford  (2.120).  Hanover  had 18 total "Exceeds".  They had at least 4 "Exceeds" in each category, meaning that a minimum of five other schools rated them this way.  The next closest school had 8 total "Exceeds".

This is the seventh time in the last nine years that Hanover Boys Soccer has received the highest Sportsmanship rating from the NHIAA.  The Marauders are also receiving a Silver Ethics Award for receiving only 2 yellow cards in 19 games.  Over the past two years, Hanover has had a total of three yellow cards in 39 games.

Competing successfully at the highest levels of NH high school soccer
(Semifinals each of the past three years, One title, One Runner-Up)  is
something of which we are very proud.  But we truly believe that the players, parents and coaches are even prouder of our consistent rating (by opponents and officials) for exemplary sportsmanship.  The NHIAA works hard to produce champions in a number of sports, but they consistently cite sportsmanship as their highest priority.   "Winning is for a day.  Sportsmanship is for a lifetime".

Hanover Soccer Teams Sponsor Benefit Spaghetti Supper

The HHS Boys' Soccer Program is sponsoring a Spaghetti Supper on Wednesday, December 17 at the Norwich Congregational Church to benefit the Haven Food Shelf.  All of  the proceeds will be part of our continuing support for the Haven.

We have scheduled the supper in conjunction with the Martion Cross School's Holiday Concert at 7:00 that evening, and are working with Principal Bill Hammond, who will be suggesting this dinner as a pre-concert option for MCS families.

We have arranged for the planning expertise of the 2014 Captains' Parents.  The Strohbehns and Kazals have done this sort of thing before, and we are grateful for their help.  We would love to begin the process of enlisting the help of other parents and players for that evening.

We need volunteers to help!  We would love to have assistance from parents and players from any/all of the HHS boys' teams.  This is a busy time of year, but a few hours and/or a few dollars will help us raise a lot of money in a short while for the Haven.  Please be in touch with me if you are willing to help, or would like more information.  Thank you!

Varsity Players Honored at Banquet

The Marauders closed their season in appropriately celebratory fashion on Friday, honoring a number of players at their final banquet.  Those honored were eminently deserving, and all present also acknowledged that the highest accolades belonged to the team overall.  The Marauders started the season with many question marks and ended it playing the best soccer in the state.  They received just praise from neutral observers for both the quality and style of their play.  They became the third Marauder team in three years to reach the Division One Semifinals, and their 13-5-1 record included a number of signature wins.  More importantly, the team earned a reputation for sportsmanlike plan and community service, and grew into a cohesive unit.  The sense of family was palpable at the banquet.

Master of Ceremonies Kris Strohbehn thanked a number of people, praising the parents for their continuing support, and singling out a number for their help with the Snack Shack, scoreboard, program book, filming, snacks and team dinners.  He also thanked Trainer Jeni Frechette and Snack Shack Superhero Jin Kim.  Team Captains Andrew Kazal presented gifts to Coaches Toby Niles,  Dave Barlow, Ben Snyder and Rob Grabill.

Coach Grabill priased the work of Kazal and Strohbehn  as Captains, and also Captains Parents Lou and Rebecca Kazal and Judi and Kris Strohbehn, and particularly Kris for his work on behalf of the Friends of Hanover Soccer.  He cited the excellent work of Coaches Ben Snyder, Mike Callanan, Rob Edson, Willie Johnson, Toby Niles, Dave Barlow and Erik McEwen.  Coach Grabill said a few words on behalf of each player, including injured varsity players Sam Strohbehn, Reilly Decker and Jules Evens, and honored Manager Jacob Ahrendt.  He thanked Ann Greenwald and Claudio Pikelny for filming games and Rick and Max Greenwald for their tireless efforts editing the final highlight tape, which can be seen on several Facebook pages near you.

The following players were honored at the banquet, and also had previously given honors announced:

Goals of the Year:  Asa Berolzheimer, Ian Caldwell, Noah Kahan, Sam Strohbehn

Rookies of the Year:  Jake Acker, Seth Stadheim

Most Improved:  Max Greenwald

Defenders of the Year:  Konrad Mitchell, Luke Strohbehn

Unsung Hero: Max Greenwald

Coaches Award:  Josh Wallace

Most Valuable Player:  Asa Berolzheimer

Sportsmanship Award:  Luke Strohbehn

NH Soccer Coaches Association Awards

All State First Team

     Asa Berolzheimer
     Luke Strohbehn

Division One Senior All-Star Game

     Andrew Kazal
     Luke Strohbehn

Lions Twin State Cup All-Star Team

     Luke Strohbehn

NHIAA Life of an Athlete Player of the Month

     Luke Strohbehn

At the close of the Banquet, Coach Grabill announced the four Captains for the 2015 season:
Asa Berolzheimer, Ian Caldwell, Jamie Dinulos and Jonah Levine

Finally and appropriately, Noah Kahan and Max Greenwald sang their now-thematic duet "Send Me On My Way".

There will be one more game on the Varsity schedule next week, as the Marauders will host the Alumni at 11:30 on Saturday, November 29 at Merriman-Branch Field.


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Marauder Teams Celebrate The Season

The four Marauder teams, their coaches parents and friends crammed in the HHS Gym on Thursday for a happy, energetic celebration of the 2014 season.  Fueled by a bountiful dessert buffet, the united HHS Soccer Family cheered each player, and also applauded a number of award recipients:

Freshmen

Captains:  Ben Parrado, Sam Pych, David Wilson

John Kelly Award:  Sam Pych

Sportsmanship:  Lincoln Adam, Graham Penfield

Reserves

Most Improved:  Dimitri Somoff

Top Scorer:  Benny Grantrish

Most Valuable Player:  Gabe Loud

Sportsmanship:  Arturo Johnson

Junior Varsity

Rookie of the Year:  Sam Ives

Most Improved:  Dan Healy

Best Offensive Players:  Robbie Murdza, Luke Messersmith

Best Defensive Players:  Jack Pattison, Lucas Adams-Blackmore

Coach's Award:  Roger Danilek

Sportsmanship:  Addison Wanner


The players enjoyed the world premiere of the HHS Highlight 2015 teaser trailer edited by Max Greenwald.  The longer version will debut next week, but the shorter version is pretty enjoyable.  Here's the link: 

http://youtu.be/ENBpujL2S-s

 

Finally, the players and parents gathered in the Greg Henberger Auditorium for the annual Music Recital, which was particularly entertaining.  The Soarthroats kicked off the evening, followed by Jules Evens on piano, a duet from Luke Strohnbehn on 'cello and Maz Greenwald singing,  the Strohbehn brothers on 'cello and piano, the sax quartet of Andrew Kazal, Jacob Ahrendt, Avery Kravitz and Brendon Amos, a solo number by singer-songwriter Noah Kahan, and finally a duet by Kahan and Greenwald, sending everyone on their way. It was spectacular!  So was the season!

NH vs. Vermont Game Celebrates the Season

Two days before the four HHS boys teams gather to celebrate the season, 30 players representing those teams gathered on the sunny Merriman-Branch turf and celebrated in their own perfectly-appropriate way, playing a competitive and spirited NH-VT game.  This is the 12th year of this contest, originated by former Head Coach Chris Cheney, and it continued the tradition of seeing unexpected players rise to stardom.

New Hampshire eventually won the contest 5-2, but for the majority of the game it was a tight 1-0 defensive chess match, characterized by excellent defensive play and sparkling goalkeeping, particularly by Reserve netminder Arturo Johnson.  New Hampshire grabbed an early lead when Freshman team phenom Ben Parrado won the ball at midfield and fed the ball to Griffin Johnson on the right flank.  Griffin hit a nice centering pass and Roger Danilek rose to meet it and hit it unerringly into the Vermont goal.  Unfortunately, Roger was playing defense for Vermont, and the own goal gave the Granite State a 1-0 lead.

Each side saw a potential scoring play come to naught.  Vermont striker Jamie Dinulos went down in the box and the please for a penalty fell on deaf ears.  Shortly afterwards, NH striker Seth Stadheim put the ball in the net but the goal was called back for offisdes.  The margin for NH remained one when Arturo Johnson made a nice save on a Stadheim bid.

Things heated up in the second half after a few position changes on both sides.  New Hampshire replaced Connor Edson in goal with Owen Brooks, allowing NH to use Edson as a central defender, where he paired effectively with Parrado.  New Hampshire fielded a midfield of Konrad Mitchell and Noah Kahan, and this trio helped their side dominate.  Johnson made a pair of great diving saves on Mitchell, and  on the other end Addison Wanner made a great defensive play on Dinulos, who was a constant threat, just missing a great shot past the left post.

New Hampshire saw several chances just miss.  Stadheim hit the post, and then the duo of Robbie Murdza and Sam Ives created two glittering chances, but could not seal the deal.  Ives picked Luke Strohbehn's pocket, but his subsequent shot was saved by Arturo, who was feelin' it in goal.

Hope blossomed for Vermont when defender Lucas Adams-Blackmore figured out Daylight Savings Time and jumped into the action.  New Hampshire would not be denied, however, and Noah Kahan's outstanding play resulted in a 2-0 lead when he broke in alone, had his shot saved by Johnson, and Stadheim potted the rebound.  Following a New Hampshire corner kick that almost saw Edson HEd in the cross from his fellow goalie Mitchell, Kahan drove home a loose ball and the New Hampshire led jumped to 3-0.  Vermont talisman Asa Berolzheimer helped pull a goal back with a nice assist on Jake Acker's goal.

Trailing 3-1, Vermont increased the pressure.  Avery Kravitz hit a hard shot over the ball, and Will Smith hit the side of the upright following a free kick.  Ian Caldwell, a stabilizing force all game at midfield, moved to center back and helped slam the door, along with Ben Sobel, who sat in as a sweeper in front of the back four.  Acker missed a second goal when he couldn't convert a cross from Tim Alibiozek.

Back in the Vermont end, Johnson made a nice save on a shot by Luke Messersmith, promoted to midfield after a solid first half on defense.  The ball found its way out to NH defender Adam Pikelny, and Mr. GoPro made no mistake, blasting a long shot high into the net.  Vermont kept pressing, and got a second goal by Avery Kravitz, but NH had the final word when Kahan collected his second score of the afternoon, going bar down before rushing home to launder his uniforms, all the better to turn them in on Wednesday.

Arturo Johnson was the very deserving winner of the Most Valuable Player Award.  The dazzling Simon Pearce trophy will be presented to NH Captain Kahan at the Soccer Celebration on Thursday. See you there!

Soccer Meeting Monday; Soccer Game Tuesday

There will be a meeting on Monday for all players who played HHS boys soccer this year, and all of those who want to play next year.  The meeting will be in the Gym during Activity Period, and last no more than 15 minutes.  This will be the final opportunity to bring in your soccer uniforms. There will also be information and forms for Grantham Indoor.

On Tuesday at 1:00, we will play the annual NH vs. Vermont game on the HHS turf.  This is open to all players.  NH players wear white.  VT players wear green.

We look forward to seeing all players and families on Thursday for the annual Soccer Celebration.  Please bring one dessert for the potluck, and be prepared to sample 3-4 types of dessert from the buffet.  We start at 6:30 in the HHS gym with dessert and drinks, followed by team awards, and then the annual Music Recital.  See you there!

Marauders Lose to Pinkerton in Penalty Kick Shootout to End Season

Hanover's season came to an abrupt end in the NHIAA Division One Semifinals on Wednesday, as the Marauders lost to Pinkerton Academy in a penalty kick shootout following an electrifying 100 minutes of tense, physical soccer which produced a 1-1 deadlock.  For the second postseason game in a row, Hanover came from behind to tie the match, rallying on a second-half goal by Asa Berolzheimer after falling behind in the first half.  The two teams battled through 20 minutes of sudden death overtime, and then the necessity of determining a winner resulted Hanover's second tournament shootout in four years.

Five players from each team lined up to take alternating penalty kicks, and Pinkerton's unerring accuracy gave them the victory.  After  Marauder Asa Berolzheimer and Astro Kyle Hicks, fierce combatants all game at midfield, had each converted their kicks, Luke Strohbehn's shot was saved by
Pinkerton goalkeeper Hayden Pavao. Two more Pinkerton kickers sandwiched successful shots around a shootout goal by Ian Caldwell, and the score stood at 3-2 in Pinkerton's favor. Hanover keeper Konrad Mitchell's shot then kissed the post in a near miss, and when Astro Colin Coutts converted his spot kick, the Marauder season was over and Pinkerton advanced to the finals.

The first half of the match was typical of tournament play, with defense predominating and few shots for either team.  Noah Kahan had a dangerous-looking turnaround shot blocked at the fifteen-minute mark, and Ian Caldwell left a calling card with a long shot over the top.  Pinkerton was also confined to shooting form long range, with serial sniper Alex Ebner launching several prayers, all of which either missed the mark or were gobbled up by Konrad Mitchell in the Marauder goal.  Pinkerton then got a shooting opportunity from way, way out, and it gave them a 1-0 lead at the 29 minute mark.  Center midfielder Kyle Hicks collected the ball 40 yards from the goal and hit a long, high shot that carried over a retreating Mitchell and tucked under the crossbar.  Neither team threatened thereafter, and the half ended with Pinkerton happily holding their lead.

The Marauders made a tactical adjustment at the start of the second half, moving Caldwell to a center forward spot, and the move paid immediate dividends.  Hanover looked rejuvenated on offense, creating a number of quality opportunities.  Caldwell came close on a shot following a nice centering pass from Jake Acker, and then a great run on the left wing by Jamie Dinulos created a good corner kick possibility for the Marauders.

Pinkerton was pinned in their own end of the field, and the one time they got into Hanover's end and lost the ball, it was their undoing.  Konrad Mitchell hit one of his patented goal kicks which carried well beyond the center circle, and after a fortuitous bounce near the top of the Pinkerton penalty area, it was collected by Berolzheimer, who took a touch and then artfully chipped it over a stranded Pavao and into the net for the tying goal at the 51:11 mark.  It was Berolzheimer's team-leading 8th goal of the year, and perhaps his most critical.

Hanover still had some momentum after drawing even, with Caldwell making a dangerous run on the baseline which earned another corner, and then penetrating yet again before shaking and baking once too often and losing possession close to paydirt.  Jonah Levine, courageously playing with a painful bone bruise, two days after shedding his crutches, took a dastardly shot from long range that barely sailed over the bar.

Having spent so much energy coming from behind to tie, the Marauders were them obliged to play some great defense.  Mitchell made a good save on a hard shot by Colin Coutts, and Max Greenwald continued his superlative defense to keep the Astros at bay.  Time ran out in regulation, and the teams headed to overtime. 

This was hardly unfamiliar territory for Hanover.  The Marauders had played five overtime games during the regular season, including their 2-1 victory over Pinkerton four weeks ago.  Hanover had a look or two in the first extra session, but they were forced to make several clutch defensive plays.  Luke Strohbehn, a tower of strength all evening, got his head on a dangerous Ebner free kick into the box.  Berolzheimer managed to break up a threatening free kick right at the top of the Marauder penalty area. In the second overtime, Ebner and Hicks both missed god opportunities, and at the other end Caldwell was just offsides after a nice buildup, and Berolzheimer also nearly shook loose.  All too soon, the sand ran out of the hourglass.

So ends a 13-5-1 season that was full of twists and turns, but happily found the Marauders able to play some of their best soccer when it mattered the most.  Penalty kicks are brutal, but they are a part of the game.  Hanover's had some good luck over the years with these excruciating tiebreakers, so there was no beefing this time around.  The Marauders swallowed their bitter pill with class and composure, congratulated their worthy opponents, and walked out of Bill Ball Stadium with heads high and no regrets.  There are so many stories to tell about this season, and fortunately there will be both time and opportunity to do so.  This was a season in which almost every player, starter or sub, demonstrated significant improvement.  The team, as a result, was much, much  better by the end of the campaign.

A few quick bon mots to close:  Hanover benefited significantly this year from the quality coaching provided by Ben Snyder and Toby Niles.  The latter dropped out of the sky in mid-September and quickly became indispensable.  He oversaw the goalkeepers but contributed a great deal more as well.  It's been a dream for years to have Toby on the staff, and this year the wish finally came through.  The team is grateful. And then there's Coach Snyder, about whom no praise could be too excessive.  Ben's been coaching for decades, and he invested so much of his time and energy and expertise and humor and wisdom and love.  Most of the players were tactful enough to disguise the fact that Coach Snyder is now their favorite Hanover coach, most of the time. Like quicksilver, he flowed into every crack which needed filling, never disturbing the equilibrium of what was working, but always improving everything he touched. For the second year in a row, Hanover was lifted to great heights by an overqualified assistant coach.  Thank you Ben, so very much.

The end of a season is always abrupt, but there will be a few more events to keep this crew knit together.  Looking back, the players will rediscover what may have been lost in the shuffle:  this aggregation registered some great victories, learned some great lessons, and cemented the fact that in their three years in NHIAA Division One, they are a class franchise.  Stay tuned for an eventful and happy off-season.  Thanks, parents, for your support.  Thanks, players, for trusting and giving of yourselves and putting the team first. Goodnight!

Spectator Bus Offered For Wednesday Semifinal Game

The soccer program is offering a FREE spectator bus for Wednesday's Division One Semifinal game at Exeter against Pinkerton Academy.  The bus will leave after school at 2:00 on Wednesday and arrive in Exeter in time for the 4:00 game.  The bus will return by 8:00 p.m. on Wednesday evening.

Signups for the bus are in the Athletic Office.  There are 40 spaces on the bus, offered on a first-come, first-served basis.  The bus will be chaperoned by HHS Assistant Coaches Erik McEwen and Willie Johnson.  The cost of the game for students is $5.00.  Tickets are available at the game.

Students may bring snacks and drinks of the bus There will be no time after school for a trip to the Co-op, so students should bring snacks to school with them. There are concessions available at the game.

Students riding the bus to the game must return on the bus, and may not accept other rides home after the game.

Game and Practice Schedule - Nov. 3-5

Monday, Nov. 3

All Day                Signup for Semifinal Spectator Bus – Athletic Office

3:30 p.m.             Varsity Film Session – Room 250

6:30 – 8:00           Varsity Practice – HHS Turf

Tuesday, Nov. 4

3:30 – 5:00           Varsity Practice – HHS Turf

Wednesday, Nov. 5

1:00 p.m.             Varsity Bus departs for Exeter

2:00 p.m.             Spectator Bus departs for Exeter

4:00 p.m.             Varsity Semifinal game vs. Pinkerton at Exeter

Save the Date:  Thursday, Nov. 13 -  Four-Team Soccer Celebration

6:30  -  Dessert Potluck and Awards – HHS Gym

8:00 -  World-Class Music Recital -  HHS Auditorium

Marauders Rally to Top Exeter 2-1; On To The Semis

Hanover played its best soccer of the season to date in their most important game, coming from behind to beat Exeter 2-1 in their NHIAA Division One matchup at soggy Merriman-Branch Field.
Cheered on by a large home crowd, the Marauders got goals by Jake Acker and Seth Stadheim and superb defense from their senior back line to earn a semifinal date next Wednesday with Pinkerton Academy at Exeter's Bill Ball Stadium.

Trailing 1-0 after a first-half Exeter goal, the Marauders tied the match with a minute left in the first half on Acker's, and then took control of the game at both ends, talking the lead with 16 minutes to play on the Stadheim strike and shutting down the Blue Hawks defensively, keeping them from launching a single shot in the entire half. 

Exeter came into the match on a roll, having squashed Salem 4-1 in the first round.  They came out aggressively in a first half that produced back and forth play and some near misses at both ends.  Exeter central defender Jared Cassassa, who returned to the Blue Hawks this year after a season with the Seacoast Academy team, was their most dangerous attacker.  He made a spectacular run down the left flank and nearly scored with a shot that just missed the far post.  A few minutes later, he headed a corner kick just over the bar.

Hanover also produces some near misses, thanks to some excellent play on the left wing by Jamie Dinulos.  He hammered a pair of crosses through the Exeter goal mouth, just missing connections with Josh Wallace, and then Avery Kravitz at the right post.  Wallace worked his way open for a shot on goal that was scooped up by Exeter goalkeeper Henrik Barbin, and Ian Caldwell ripped a hard shot over the crossbar.

Exeter opened the scoring at 25:24 of the first half, and once again it was Jared Cassassa in the middle of things.  The Marauders lost the ball at midfield, and midfielder Evan Royer took possession and fed the ball to Cassassa on the right flank, barely onside.  The lanky senior took one touch and buried a hard shot inside the left post for a 1-0 lead.  This was a problem for Hanover, which this season was 0-3 in matches in which they had conceded the first goal.  Unless they could change this tendency, their season would be over, and it would end with only their second home loss in seven years.

Hanover stayed composed on the ensuing kickoff, focused on good defense and midfield possession, and struck back just before halftime, thanks to a great strike by Acker, who was inserted into the starting lineup to replace Jonah Levine, recovering from a leg injury he had received in Wednesday's playoff win over Manchester Memorial.  Acker took a nice feed from right back Cian Kelly just outside of the penalty area, deked a defender, and ripped a shot inside the left post to level the game.

Having dodged a bullet in the first half, the Marauders came out strongly after the interval, and slowly but steadily asserted themselves.  Their defense was impenetrable.  Luke Strohbehn and Max Greenwald were superb in the middle of the back line winning balls and dominating the air.  Greenwald, who had his best game ever against Memorial, had his best game ever against Exeter.  He was decisive and physical, and continued his significant improvement with the ball at his field.  Hanover also had control at midfield, thanks particularly to Asa Berolzheimer and Ian Caldwell.  Time and again, Berolzheimer's ball skills and field vision helped Hanover transition from offense to defense and gain momentum.

Midway through the second half, the Marauders came very close to scoring, as Luke Strohbehn hammered a ball over the bar on a free kick feed from Berolzheimer.  Three minutes later Hanover made no mistake, thanks to a scintillating run through the box by Caldwell, who sliced trough the heart of the Blue Hawk defense with the ball glued to his food, imperiously dismissing one Exeter defender before combining with Seth Stadheim on a quick, Arsenal-like give-and-go. The resulting shot was saved, but the ball found its way to a charging Stadheim, whose striker's instincts gave him the presence of mind to chip the ball over the prostrate Barbin and into the goal for his fourth goal of the season.

There were sixteen minutes to play, and Hanover's history with a lead this season was not perfect.  They had lost late advantages in their overtime draw with Bedford, their overtime win at Pinkerton and their overtime loss at Alvirne.  This time, however, their game management was airtight.  Exeter didn't get a shot on goal, or even a shot at goal.  They barely had possession in the Hanover end.  In fact, they barely had possession.  Oh, they worked hard, and forced Hanover to work even harder.  But this was an impressive 16 minutes of ball possession and even additional attacking, thanks to the cool play of Noah Kahan, Jamie Dinulos and Tim Alibozek.  Exeter was desperate to equalize, but they were never were able to link more than a single pass, and the clock soon ran out of an immensely satisfying victory.

The Marauders will have a day to rest, and then they'll get to work to prepare for a Pinkerton team that will provide a stern challenge.  The Astros advanced to the semifinals by beating the Alvirne team that just recently topped Hanover, and they did it on turf.  They will enter Wednesday's 4:00 matchup with the confidence of having beaten the second seed, and eager to avenge the overtime loss that the Marauders laid on them three weeks ago.  Hanover will be excited about the possibility of Levine's return, and looking forward to some fan support occasioned by the early start time and the subsidized spectator bus.  Will Pinkerton have fans?  Yeah, probably.  They have an enrollment of 3,000, and some of those students may be able to make the short trip to Exeter.  But the Marauders love playing at Bill Ball.  They love playing later and later into November.  They are clearly getting better with every game, and will be eager to see what the next match brings.  You should be eager, too.  See you there!

Marauders Open NHIAA Playoffs by Beating Memorial, 4-0

Hanover's second season got off to a great start Tuesday as they scored three first-half goals and controlled play throughout, beating Manchester Memorial 4-0 in the first round of the NHIAA Division One playoffs.  The third-seeded Marauders will now host sixth-seeded Exeter on Saturday at 2:00 p.m. in a quarterfinal match. Hanover outshot Memorial 20-2 and had a 9-1 edge in corner kicks, dominating the match with excellent midfield play and superb play by the back line.

The Maruaders got off to a fast start, scoring twice in the first thirteen minutes to deny the disciplined and talented Memorial side from getting any sort of foothold in the game.  Nine minutes into the game, Hanover was awarded a free kick on the left side, 30 yards from the goal.  Junior midfielder Asa Berolzheimer drove the restart into the box, and Ian Caldwell rose high to head the ball past Memorial goalkeeper Ray Ripaldi for a 1-0 lead.  It was Caldwell's sixth goal of the season.

Less then three minutes later, Berolzheimer continued his playmaking, sending Jamie Dinulos into space on the left side of the penalty area with a well-weighted lead pass.  Dinulos ripped a shot that glanced off of a defender and past Ripaldi for his fifth goal of the season.  Hanover kept hammering, with starting center forward Noah Kahan working hard to win balls and drive to the net.  He forced Ripaldi to make a good save with his creative toe-poke, and had several superb crosses from the left side.  Josh Wallace celebrated his start on the right side with several good moments of ball-winning and a dangerous dipping shot on goal.

When the Marauders subbed midway through the half, the level of play stayed very high.  Seth Stadheim kept the pressure on up front, and Avery Kravitz and Will Smith did equally well on the wings.  Jake Acker was a threat at attacking center midfield, launching a pair of close-range shots in succession.  The first was blocked, and the second forced Ripaldi  to make an excellent save.  With less than six minutes to play in the half, Acker won a ball at midfield and hit a nice through ball to Kravitz on the right side.  The speedy senior closed and ripped a shot into the corner for his second goal of the season and a crushing 3-0 lead.

The Hanover defense worked hard all half, with center backs Max Greenwald and Luke Strohbehn picking just the right time to step up and win 50-50 balls, and wing backs Cian Kelly, Tim Alibozek and Josh Wallace refusing to be beaten.  The latter two, midfielders by trade, did a superlative job filling in for a rehabbing Andrew Kazal.  Greenwald in particular was a force in the air, and has joined with Strohbehn to give the Marauders a pair of  dominating defensive headers.

The Marauders kept the pressure on Memorial in the second half, with Noah Kahan continuing to knock on the door, especially with his headers on corner kicks.  The Marauders have worked hard all season to be dangerous on restarts, and saw this effort bear fruit in the tenth minute, with Captain Luke Strohbehn heading home an Asa Berolzheimer corner kick for a 4-0 lead.  This may not be the last time that Hanover scores in this fashion as the playoffs continue.  Henry Allison, who started the second half at right midfield, also came close to scoring with his head, just missing connections twice.

Jake Acker and Marcus Helble took over for workhorses Berolzheimer and Jonah Levine at center midfield, and the Marauders continued to keep possession at midfield, and create scoring opportunities.  Connor Edson made his playoff debut in goal for the Marauders, and made a good save on a long-range shot by Memorial center back Cameron Ferry. Edson also demonstrated  his excellent distribution skills, launching a pinpoint throw to Will Smith at midfield.

Hanover's win was their seventh in their last eight games, and upped their record to 12-4-1.  Next up with be the sort of challenge that teams work all season to prepare for.  The Marauders host 11-5-1 Exeter on Saturday at 2:00, and will have one of their toughest tests of the season.  Hanover beat the Blue Hawks 2-0 back in the dog days of September. Since then, Exeter has compiled an impressive resume, earning shutout wins over Keene and Central, both team that have beaten Hanover, and whitewashed a total of right opponents. The talented Hawks will have plenty of motivation to try and turn the tables on Hanover.

"You could not ask for more than this," commented Coach Grabill.  Two proud franchises with plenty of playoff experience, peaking at the right time.  All of us will be hoping that we can rise to the occasion and play some beautiful soccer."  Bundle up on Saturday and join the fun!

Marauder Playoff Game Set for 4:30 on Wednesday

The Marauders will host Manchester Memorial at 4:30 on Wednesday in the first round of the NHIAA playoffs.  If they beat Memorial, they will host a quarterfinal game on Saturday at 2:00 against the winner of the Wednesday game between Exeter and Salem.

There will be no admission charge for the games, but we are asking all players attending to comb through their mudrooms and bring donations of used soccer equipment  (shoes, shin guards, soccer socks, clean uniforms/jerseys and balls.  This is being collected by HHS girls' JV players Sophie Miles and Cate Wagner to support a girls' team in South Africa.  They will be collecting donations on Wednesday, as well as Saturday if the team advances.

The Varsity will scrimmage Lebanon today at 5:00 on the HHS turf.  Players are asked to be at the field by 4:00 to record video interviews, and warm up.

The JV will scrimmage after school on the grass field, playing the annual VT-NH game.

All sub-varsity tams are asked to return game and practice uniforms as soon as possible to the collection box outside the HHS Athletic Office, cleaned, bagged and labelled.

Save the date for the four-team Soccer Celebration on Nov. 13th at 6:30.  Dessert Potluck in the HHS gym, followed by awards and music recital

Junior Varsity Boys Finish A Superb Season at 12-3-1

The last home game for the successful Hanover JVs began on a day that felt much colder than the 50 degrees on the home thermostat.  With fans shivering and bundled,  (except for photographer and guy about town Lars Blackmore, in shorts) the boys faced a Dover team determined to be the spoiler, with an unbeaten October on the line for the lads in white. 

The spoiler role suited Dover just fine.  Hanover’s tough midfielders of Hazard, Cooper, Starr, and more, along with very solid defense, was matched by the visitors, with sharp play contained in the middle third of the field without any penetration from either side.  This trend continued for much of the half.  The home team launched a few shots from afar that the Dover keeper casually stepped up to thwart, and he used a similar technique of knowing when to leave the line to intercept any long passes before the offensive powerhouses of Yedne Atkins, Robbie Murdza, Dan Healy, Griffin Johnson, or Luke Messersmith could catch up to the ball.

Then, late in the half, with our keeper off the line to meet an offensive run of many Dover fellows, the goal was left open when the ball was crossed well to a streaking visitor who pounded in the only goal of the first half held up to leave us behind at the intermission, 1 – 0 Dover.

But the second half was a different story, with the homeboys determined to keep their unblemished October intact.  The offense was alive, with more leaks through the Dover defense opening up some chances, which led to, at the half way mark of the half, to a smash from David Seigne off of a precise throw in and assist from Griffin Johnson to tie the game at 1 – 1.

There it stayed, with the teams matched up well, but with Hanover moving the ball more freely off and an increasingly confident defense led by Lucas Adams-Blackmore, Addison Wanner, Brendan Amos, Ben Sobel, and Jack Pattison.  The game had become more physical, without many whistles, and many home players tasted the cold turf, but pulled themselves up without malice to play on, sportsmanship intact.

Then, with the game winding down, from the foot of the technically strong defenseman Wanner, came the highlight.  He crossed midfield with the ball, and launched a long range cross or shot (he’s not telling!), that headed high and towards the far post, where a host of Hanover boys were ready at the line to head it in, but it needed no header to find the deep corner of the goal.  Addison’s first goal of the season came at the best of times, and as the nets fluttered to embrace his long shot, the crowd erupted in appreciation. 

With only a few minutes left, Coach Callanan parked the bus with 5 players back, and the final whistle blew to end a great game and a great win to keep the streak alive.  This was exciting game on the Hanover grass, and it was great to watch this team rise to the occasion on this day, and throughout the month, running their record to 12 – 3 – 1.

The brief postseason for the Marauders started and finished on Sunday morning at the Nashua JV Tournament.  Hanover lost a 1-0 game to Pinkerton on a penalty kick during stoppage time, and then lost an equally frustrating 1-0 match to Londonderry.  Demonstrating their class and composure, the Marauders bounced back with a solid performance in their third and final game against Nashua North.  Dan Healy scored 22 seconds into the match, and added a second goal midway through the half.    North pulled a goal back early in the second half, but then Ben Sobel iced the game with his first goal of the season, assisted by Roger Danilek.

The JVs will celebrate the season on Monday with the annual NH - Vermont game on the HHS grass field after school.  It has been a superb one! 

Marauders Beat Dover 3-0 and Surge to Third Place

Everything fell into place for Hanover on Senior Night, as the Marauders beat Dover 3-0 and then saw all of their scoreboard-watching dreams come true.  Hanover's regular season record of 11-4-1 puts them in third place in the NHIAA Division One standings, and provides the possibility of a quarterfinal game at home next Saturday if they take care of business in their opening round game on Wednesday.

The Marauders were ruthless and efficient in dismissing Dover, outshooting the 25-0 and taking six corner kicks to only one for the Green Wave.  Hanover played patiently throughout the first half, and was rewarded with Seth Stadheim's goal with five minutes to play before halftime.   The second half was nearly a copy of the first.  The Marauder dominated territorially right from the start, and were ultimately rewarded with goals by Jamie Dunulos and Cian Kelly to put the game on ice.

Hanover started all ten seniors on the squad as a salute to their contributions to the program, and they put on an excellent performance, particularly midfielders Josh Wallace and Avery Kravitz, and the forward line of Noah Kahan, Henry Allison and Chris Powell.  Ten minutes into the game Kahan made a great run on the left side and hit a sweet cross through the box.  Luke Strohbehn came as close to scoring as he has all season, volleying a corner kick from Kravitz on goal, only to see Dover goalkeeper Kieran Lombard deflect it over the top with a desperate lunge. 

The Marauder back four of Strohbehn, Max Greenwald, Cian Kelly and Adam Pikelny (subbing for rehabbing Andrew Kazal with 78 minutes of competent soccer) did an excellent job controlling play from the back and switching the point of attack with patience and precision.

The ten Hanover seniors were honored along with their parents at halftime, and then got back to business in the second half,  continuing to set a high standard with their passing game.  The one alteration in the lineup saw Cian Kelly move into an attacking position, with the intent of securing his first career goal.  Once again, the Marauders created a number of chances, including a pair for Kelly and two golden opportunities for Kahan, who barely missed connecting on a far post header off of a corner kick.

Hanover's subs took over midway through the half, and capitalized on a defense that was pretty tired from defending hard for the first twenty minutes.  Ten minutes later, the Marauders doubled their lead when Jonah Levine threaded the needle through the Dover defense to Jamie Dinulos on the left flank, and the elusive left winger raced in on goal and scored for the third time in his past four games.  He's heating up at exactly the right time of year.  Eight minutes later, Kelly delighted the large crowd (including the entire Trinity High football team, sitting right behind the Dover goal) by meeting a brilliant Ian Caldwell cross at the right post and tucking in his long-sought goal.

One more sub got into the game in the last five minutes as Benny Gantrish made his varsity debut, earning bragging rights over his two older brothers.  The speedy sophomore had just completed a MVP season with the Marauder Reserve team, and was rewarded for his full-out dedication and positive attitude, and also for leading the team in scoring.  He looked right at home with classmates Will Smith,  Jake Acker and Marcus Helble, who nearly collected his first goal with a nicely-created shot opportunity.

Now it's time for the Marauders to defend their State Championship.  They have taken a different trajectory this season, but their aim has been true, and they find themselves in a position to make a serious bid to get back to the final four.  They have learned a lot of hard lessons and grown a great deal. They will bring well-earned confidence and uncharacteristic humility to the task, but they know for certain that they are among the best teams in the state. They fear no one.  First up will probably be Manchester Memorial on Wednesday, although the game time has yet to be set. 

If the Marauders play Memorial in the opening round, it will be the second year in a row that they have opened with the Crusaders.  They would do well to remember last year,  After beating Memorial easily in the regular season, they were sluggish in the tournament opener, conceding the first goal before winning 3-1.  Hanover beat Memorial 3-0 three weeks ago, but they saw enough skill and organization to keep them from any sort of overconfidence.

When the Marauders practiced at The Pasture on Monday to prepare for their mud bowl adventure at Alvirne, it was their unstated find hope that they were done with playing on grass for the rest of the season.  That wish has come true.  It's all turf, all the time from now on for Hanover. It's getting cold.  Halloween is coming.  This is their time of year.

Reserves Play Two Wet and Wild Games to Finish the Season

The Marauders Reserves squeezed in their final two games of the season despite the prevailing rainy conditions, losing 2-1 to the KUA Junior Varsity 2 team on Wednesday, and tying Newport 4-4 on Thursday.

On Wednesday, Hanover showed their toughness once again against a strong KUA JV 2 team. Facing off on the Merriman-Branch turf field under the light sprinkles of rain, Hanover had a strong showing with 24 players dressed to play. Both teams started the game hard and fast, as the ball moved much quickly on the wet turf. KUA netted the first goal in the tenth minute,  forced through on a low cross. Hanover was quick to answer scoring in the thirteenth minute from Francesco Navarro delivered from Benny Gantrish and Kaz Matsouka. After making a good run,  Kaz found Benny off the 18. Benny drew the defense and found Francesco holding the line, and he buried it on the right side. Not more than two minutes later, Arturo Johnson would make the save of the match, sprawling out to save a ball to his right and keeping the game knotted at 1-1. The first half continued to have more scoring chances with Hanover earning a free kick off the outside of the 18 yard box. A good kick was nearly netted by Gabe Loud, but couldn't knock it through the keeper. KUA would continue to apply its pressure, and forced the ball through our defense to net one with five minutes to play in the half.

After returning from the halftime break, both teams battled hard through the middle third of the field. Hanover would take its best chances on some long through balls. Both Kaz Matsuoka and Austen Thum would make great runs on balls from Tenzin Tashi and Sam Waite. The best chance Hanover would have would be in the fifty-sixth minute on yet another free kick off the edge of the 18. Taken by Benny Gantrish,  it sailed right to the area in front of the back post. Alassandro Vasconi would head it right under the cross bar bouncing to the ground. The ball got knocked around the mixer but Hanover could not net one to tie. Hanover would continue to pressure send up outside backs, but could not net an equalizer. The match ended 1-2, with the lights and players glowing.

The Reserves would conclude with a wild match in the occasional heavy rain on Thursday against Newport. The Dresden fields were sodden and wet from all the rain the last two days, but the game was able to kick off in just a light drizzle. Both teams would find their footing quickly though. Newport took a long shot from 22 yards out and scored eight minutes into the game. Hanover would respond right away, scoring a minute later.  Benny Gantrish made the run onto the 18 on a ball from Gabe Loud, and found the first of his four goals. Gantrish would score again in four minutes later after Jonathan Klotz took the ball down to the touch line and passed it to him. Benny would continue his torrid pace by scoring another at the sixteen-minute mark after another good through ball from outside the penalty area. Newport would answer after Gantrish had earned his hat trick, narrowing the score to 3-2.  Benny continued to his nose for the the net by making a diagonal run onto the 18 where Adam found him. Benny blasted it hard and high through the jumping goalkeeper's hands. Arturo Johnson would make a great diving save to keep the 4-2 lead into the half.

Newport's hard,  aggressive play earned them a goal six minutes into the second half, tackling the ball off Arturo and rolling it into the net.  The field conditions were slippery and both teams were slip sliding around. The game became a drudgery in the middle third with both teams pushing on each other's 18 yard lines. Unfortunately Newport put a hard slippery ball just off through Johnson two minutes from the end of the match.  The game would end 4-4 with the skies setting along with the season.

Hard fought and well played
Season never to forget
Let's do it next year!

Coach Willie

Freshmen Finish on a High Note, Beating Keene 2-1

The Marauder Freshmen ended their season on a high note Tuesday, traveling to Keene and beating the host team 2-1.  The Blackbirds got off to a quick start and caught Hanover napping in the second minute of the game, scoring on a 25-yard blast to take a 1-0 lead.  From there, the Marauder defense shut Keene down, with Daniel Pinigin  stepping into the center back role without missing a beat.  Maxwell Wonsavage had his best game of the season at outside back.

After several near misses in the first half, Caleb Putnam found his touch on a through ball from Sam Pych and tied the game at 1-1.  Less than two minutes later, Pych went on one of his patented twisting runs from midfield and put Hanover ahead to stay.  Brook Leigh and Lincoln Adam kept the pressure on up to for the rest of the game, and Harris LaRock in goal cleaned up a number of through balls.  Benjamin Parrado was a force all game long in the midfield.

The young Marauders have several important tasks to accomplish as they make the transition to the off season.  By the end of the week, all game and practice uniforms need to be turned in to the HHS Athletic Office, washed, folded, bagged and labeled.  More importantly, it is crucial that for the next four weeks they establish a productive routine for the "found" after school time no longer occupied by practice.  For many, the afternoon hours can now become a valuable block of time for homework.  This time cannot be wasted hanging out.  Please be intentional about this.

After two days of hunkering down in the rain, the team is cordially invited to have a reunion in the stands on Friday at 4:00 to watch the final Varsity regular season home game of the year against Dover.  Rumor has it that Coach Edson will be there to lay some wisdom on you.

Finally, all team members and their families are cordially invited to the four-team Soccer Celebration  at HHS on Thursday, November 13th, beginning at 6:30 p.m. in the Gym with the famous Dessert Potluck.  Bring one dessert and then sample four others (having eaten supper first)!  Follow dessert each team will have a short awards ceremony (coaches are limited to 10 minutes).  Then, we will all move to the Gym for the annual Music Recital.  You will be amazed by the varsity and quality of music from within the soccer program.  And we are specifically looking for volunteers from the Freshman team to play.  If you have a recital piece prepared, please consider volunteering.

Congratulations to Coach Edson and the team for a productive, cohesive and valuable team experience.

Alvirne Shocks Marauders in Overtime, 3-2

For 46 minutes, the match between Hanover and Alvirne bore a remarkable resemblance to last year's NHIAA Division One Championship game.  Just like last November, the Marauders scored a well-made goal in the first half and then doubled the lead early in the second half.  That's when Hanover suddenly dissolved in the rain, looking for all the world like the Wicked Witch of the West in the Wizard of Oz: "I'm melting!  I'm melting!  What a world!"  Alvirne scored twice in 67 seconds to tie the match, and eventually won the game 3-2 in the first overtime.  It was a bitter loss the the Marauders, their second sudden death defeat of the season. 

The loss drops Hanover's record to 11-4-1 with only Friday's regular season finale with Dover remaining.  They sit in a fifth-place tie with Exeter (4-2 losers to Salem on Tuesday), and will need Concord to lose one of their two remaining matches if they hope to slide into fourth place in the Division One standings, and secure the possibility of a second-round home game in the NHIAA playoffs.

The match started with sunny skies and equally bright play from the Marauders, who dominated the match in the early going.  Hanover's standard kickoff play worked like clockwork, and resulted in a shot on goal by Tim Alibozek after only 17 seconds.  Hanover continued to apply the pressure, and only a spectacular save by Alvirne goalkeeper Jake Schofield foiled a pont-blank shot by Alibozek.
Hanover created three corner kicks, and would eventually outshoot the Broncos 9-4.

Sixteen minutes into the half, the Marauders jumped out to a 1-0 lead when Jonah Levine hit a through ball to Jamie Dinulos, who sprinted onto a gap in the Alvirne defense and beat Schofield cleanly with a shot to the corner for his third goal of the season.  Alvirne dug in and countered a few minutes later, with Bronco Captain Matt Lubinski breaking in alone on Konrad Mitchell, who was as quick as a big pink bunny to make a nice diving save.

Hanover had a great chance to take a 2-0 lead near the end of the half when Asa Berolzheimer was pulled down in the Bronco penalty area.  This is the exact quote from the official when he placed the ball for the free kick outside the penalty area:  "It wasn't that bad a foul, so I'm moving it outside."  Berolzheimer's ensuing free kick, strong but not quite as dangerous as a penalty shot, was saved by Schofield.  Minutes later at the other end, Mitchell came hopping off his line to sprawl at Lubinski's feet for another big save, and the half ended with Hanover on top.

The rains came during halftime, but the precipitation didn't seem to bother the Marauders, who doubled their lead in the seventh minute of the second half.  Jonah Levine worked free on the edge of the area after some nice work by Tim Alibozek, now playing in back for the injured Andrew Kazal.  Levine's centering pass found Berolzheimer, who worked free for a shot that beat Schofield to the left corner for his seventh goal of the season.

They say that a 2-0 lead is the most difficult one in soccer.  They're right.  There was no specific breakdown by the Marauders, but less than eight minutes after Alvirne lined up to kick off with a 2-0 deficit, the match was tied.  The first Bronco goal was the result of some nice passing between center forward Brett Richardson and Postgraduate Fellow Raul Stedile.  Richardson penetrated the Hanover penalty area, drew a defender, and dished to Stedile, who found the right corner of the net.  67 seconds later the Marauders gave up a soft goal, when Lubinski raced past his marker on the right flank and hit a bad angle shot that Mitchell boxed into the net.

To Hanover's great credit, they didn't  wilt when they had every right to. They tightened their defense, and resolutely regained their momentum on the attack.  Asa Berolzheimer just missed connecting with a chance for a clean header, and Noah Kahan made a dangerous run into the box for a shot that was saved by Schofield.  Anthony Olivera countered with a long, low shot that Mitchell scooped up in the dangerous slippery conditions.

With time winding down in regulation, each team had a golden opportunity to score.  Noah Kahan made another great run into the box and had Schofield dead to rights, but he hit the right upright with his well-timed shot.  Minutes later, Alvirne was gifted a free kick at the edge of the box, and Stedile, perhaps the best free kick taker in the state, set up for his chance at glory.  He hit a bending shot over the wall and headed for the upper right corner, but Mitchell used all of his athleticism to make a spectacular dive to his right to punch the ball away.

For the fifth time this season, the Marauders headed into overtime.  Having won their last two sudden death matches against strong opposition, they had reason to be confident, and it showed.  They held an edge in play, and once again almost say Berolzheimer get open for a header in front of the goal.
Alvirne was also eager to go for the win, and with less than a minute to play in the first overtime, Anthony Holzhauser, one of nine seniors in the Bronco starting lineup, got loose on the right flank and hit a driven, perfectly-placed cross into the Hanover area, too far out for Mitchell to reach but right in the path of an onrushing Anthony Olivera, who volleyed the ball into the Hanover goal.

This was a heartbreaker for Hanover, but not a gamebreaker.  The last time the Marauders tasted overtime defeat, three weeks ago at Keene, it launched them on a five game winning streak.  The first step for a similar rebound will be Friday's Senior Night match against Dover.  Kickoff is at 4:00.

Junior Varsity Rallies Three Times to Tie Alvirne, 3-3

The Junior Varsity battled a strong Alvirne team and rainy, mussy conditions to forge a 3-3 tie on Tuesday afternoon.  The draw kept Hanover's unbeaten streak going, although their win streak was snapped at seven.

Alvirne jumped out to quick 1-0 lead after two minutes when goalkeeper Own Brooks misplayed a back pass.  The Marauders answered back less than seven minutes later when center back Brendan Amos carried the ball down the right side and centered it to Dan Healy, who interrupted his reverie about KFC long enough to volley it into the net.  Alvirne went back ahead midway through the first half, and held the 2-1 lead at halftime.

The threatened rain was a constant presence in the second half, soaking the players and the pitch to the extent that there was standing water in a number of spots.  The rain didn't dampen Hanover's eagerness to tie the score, however, and Robbie Murdza made a nice solo dash down the right side and beat the keeper to pull the Marauders back into a draw.

Midway through the second half, Alvirne took the lead for the third time, once again forcing Hanover to play catch-up.  Griffin Johnson obliged with ten minutes to play, hitting a free kick from outside the penalty area that beat the Bronco keeeper and tied the match at 3-3.  For the third year in a row,  Hanover and Alvirne battled in overtime, and despite the Marauder domination of both extra periods, the match ended in a soggy draw.  Now 11-3-1 on the season, Hanover returns home on Friday to face Dover at 4:00 before closing the season at the Division One state tournament in Nashua on Sunday.

Coach Callanan, who hates ties with a passion, was nevertheless pleased with his team's resilience.  He praised Casey Starr, the team's Swiss Army Knife  (put him anywhere, and he'll be sharp), and also cited Griffin Johnson and defenders Jack Pattison and Lucas Adams-Blackmore for their play.

Lost Cell Phone

Friends -  Particularly related to the Freshman team -  We are looking for Azor Goodwin's lost cell phone.  He had it on the bus to Cardigan Mountain School on Saturday, and it was gone when he came home.  We will be checking in with Cardigan, but hope you can keep an eye out.  It's an iPhone 5s in a black Otterbox.  Thanks!

Schedule Updates For the Week Ahead

There are several updates to the schedule with information that was not available Sunday when the weekly schedule was published.  The weekly schedule does contain all of these updates.

The Freshman team will make up the game at Keene on Tuesday, Oct. 21.  The team will be dismissed at 1:45, and the game will kick off at 4:00 in Keene.

The JV Tournament at Nashua is on Sunday, October 26.  The team will leave HHS at 7:45 Sunday morning.

The Reserve game on Wednesday will be at 4:00 on the HHS turf field against KUA.  That game will be played rain or shine.  The Varsity will practice on the turf after the Reserve game.

The Freshman and Reserve teams will turn in their uniforms two days after their final game.  All home and away uniforms (shirt, socks, pants) and practice shirts should be washed, folded, bagged and labeled.  The can be brought to the Athletic Office beginning on Wednesday, Oct. 22, and should be in by the end of the school day on Friday.  Freshmen and Reserves are cordially invited to the Varsity home game on Friday at 4:00 at the HHS turf against Dover.  It will be Senior Day, and we will honor the Seniors at halftime.

The Varsity will host a first-round playoff game on Wednesday, October, 29, with opponent and time to be announced.  Save the date!

Be sure to save the date of Thursday, November 13th at 6:30 for the annual four-team Soccer Celebration.  if you haven't been before, you will enjoy it.  We'll begin with the Famous Dessert Potluck Buffet, followed by the World's Shortest Sports Awards  (ten minutes per team - amazing), and finish with the annual Music Recital.  This year's recital will blow your mind.  There is a LOT of musical talent scattered among the four teams. 

Game and Practice Schedule Oct. 20 - 25

Monday, Oct. 20

3:40 p.m.             Practice Bus Departs for Dresden Fields

4:00 – 5:30           Regular Practice for all teams at Dresden Fields

Tuesday, Oct. 21

1:15 p.m.             Varsity-JV Bus Departs for Alvirne

1:45 p.m.             Freshman bus Departs for Keene

3:40 p.m.             Practice Bus Departs for Dresden Fields

4:00 p.m.             Varsity and JV games at Alvirne

4:00 p.m.              Freshman Game at Keene

4:00 – 5:30           Regular practice for  Reserves at Dresden

Wednesday, Oct. 22

3:00 p.m.             Practice Bus Departs for Dresden Fields

4:00 p.m.             Reserve Game vs. Kimball Union at HHS turf

3:15 – 4:45           Regular practice for JV -  No Freshman Practice

5:30 - 7:00          Varsity Practice at HHS Turf

Thursday, Oct. 23

3:40 p.m.             Practice Bus Departs for Dresden Fields

4:00 – 5:30           Regular practice for JV at Dresden

4:30 p.m.             Reserve Game vs. Newport at Dresden

5:00 – 6:30           Varsity Practice – HHS turf

Friday, Oct. 24

4:00  p.m.            Varsity and JV Home Games vs. Dover  (Senior Night for         Varsity at Halftime)

                 

Sunday, Oct. 26

7:45                    JV Bus Departs for Nashua JV Tournament

        

Looking ahead:

Wed. Oct. 29        Varsity Home Playoff Game -  HHS Turf – Time TBA

Freshmen Fall 5-1 to Cardigan

The Freshmen made their annual trip to Cardigan for their Parents' Weekend game last Saturday, and lost a well-played 5-1 match to their most skilled and athletic opponent.


 Sam Pych scored off a give and go from Caleb Putnam two minutes into the match. The Marauders played well, but were overmatched for the bulk of the match. Harris LaRock kept the score from being far worse with his excellent play in goal.  Lincoln Adam had a good game at wing.  Sawyer Hanlon, David Wilson and Ben Parrado were solid in the middle of the defense for Hanover

The team will practice on Monday, awaiting word on the status of their potentially rescheduled game with Keene.  Stay tuned for details. 

Junior Varsity Topples Timberlane, 6-0

On a fall afternoon that refused to cede the summer warmth, the giant sized Timberline JV team came to Hanover for a lead up to the varsity’s later Homecoming game.  The visitors fell behind early and further behind as the half and the game progressed.  Hanover is clearly on a roll, playing the way Coach Callanan predicted over a month ago, when he mystically predicted that this team's highest moments were in front of them and he felt good about the final half of the schedule and a strong tournament showing.  This win was the 7^th straight for Hanover, and this was the best game from both a defensive blanketing and consistent offensive tsunami.

Early on Robbie Murdza deftly crossed the ball to a very open Jack Hazard, who stepped up into the open space and calmly sent the ball to rest in the back of the net for a 1- 0 lead.  With Coach Callanan substituting freely, at the 20 minute mark a high bouncing ball was headed to the far post off the able foot of Hazard, where defenseman Lucas Adams-Blackmore put his head on it for the second Hanover goal.  2 – 0  Hanover.

The Marauders continued to send good shots toward the adept Timberline goalie that were either just off the mark or knocked down by the visiting keeper.  Harry Olszewski in our goal was well protected, and no attempts were close enough to warrant Harry’s attention.

Murdza used his speed to bring himself into position to present a strong shot into the beckoning white nets for goal number three, and the game was starting to have that runaway feeling.  The half ended with an asserting miss, off a beautiful exchange, with a combination started by Ingio Panos, only a small part of Ingio’s solid overall game.

Callanan dialed in his “blitz” plan to orchestrate the early first half score, and the boys from Hanover, in snazzy home whites, scored again to make it 4 – 0 at the second half’s outset.  An all out offensive barrage is part of the blitz, with the vastly improved defense holding back enough to protect, even without the midfield protection.  This fourth goal was indeed sweet, with Ingio sending the ball to George Geraghty, who quickly sent the ball to Hazard, with Jack sending a through ball to DanMan Healy, who fed a blazing Robbie Murdza for a well executed net ripper. 

Then Healy scored, after a lovely, unselfish series of passes that fan and soccer aficionado Brett Wanner complimented by reference to  “Brazilian beach soccer”. The whole defense looked like a brick wall, led by Panos.  The keepers, in this case, Owen Brooks, had little to do other than try to look intimidating.  Adam Mendelsohn was back on the pitch after a two game absence from illness, with his first touch being brilliant, a through pass that Yedne Atkins buried for the goal.   The home team led by 5 – 0, but the show was not over.

For the sophomores, the plucky striker Luke Messersmith ripped one that hit the cross bar about as hard as Luke landed on the sod, getting up a bit slowly from him near miss.  Griffin Johnson looked dangerous, and Sander Macaulay covered space deep into midfield while choosing simple quick passes to move the ball forward.  Griffin Johnson scored the sixth and final goal on a play that was a carbon copy of the narrow angle goal in the previous game.  Coach Callanan, and the usual suspects of fans in the stands, called this one the best game yet, as Hanover plays know they can compete come tournament time, regardless of the opponent.

Another clean match, and the boys exited after the congratualtions across the field, with the feeling of a good team that doesn’t shy away for physical play, but with great sportsmanship across the board.  Coach leads by example, with 40-something years of coaching without ever drawing a card of any color.  Good stuff!

The Marauders have two more regular season games.  Hanover faces Alvirine on the road Tuesday at 4:00, then hosts the final home regular season game against Dover Friday, at 4:00.  

On Sunday, the team will travel to Nashua for the annual JV Tournament.  Departure is early 7:45 Sunday morning.  Stay tuned for details.

Reserves Tie Souhegan 1-1

After losing 5-0 to Souhegan earlier in the season, The Marauder Reserves stepped up on Saturday and battled the Sabers to a 1-1 tie.  After a long delay and warming up in the rain, Souhegan arrived 30 minutes after kick off time. The rain stopped just in time for a 2:15 kick off.

Hanover started with great pressure in the first half with shots on goal from Benny Gantrish, Francesco Navarro, and Tenzin Tashi. The Souhegan keeper was able to close out on the Marauder shooters and ran down many of the Hanover through balls.  The Marauder defense was able keep Souhegan off the score sheet in the first half,  and the teams went into the break with the score knotted at 0-0.

Souhegan netted the first goal of the match on a header off a cross to the six yard box five minutes into the half. Hanover responded eight minutes later on the foot of Tenzin Tashi. After Francesco Navarro played a long ball wide to the left, Joseph Glock passed it to the open Tenzin,  waiting at the penalty dot. Tenzin beat the goalie to the left as he lost his footing. The game would finish many scoring chances from both sides. Gabe Loud nearly finished on a free kick from Benny Gantrish. Arturo Johnson saved a shot on a free kick from just outside the 18 yard line to keep the game tied with six minutes left. The game would end in a 1-1 tie. 


Hanover hosts Kimball Union Academy on Wednesday at 3:30, and will then close the season with the rescheduled home game against Newport on Thursday at 3:30.

Happy Homecoming! Mauarders Dump Timberlane in Overtime

The Marauders took full advantage of a large and boisterous Homecoming crowd to play their best soccer of the season, taking down undefeated and top-ranked Timberlane 1-0 in sudden death overtime.  Ian Caldwell celebrated his birthday in fine style, volleying home a corner kick from Avery Kravitz eight minutes into sudden death overtime.  The win was the fifth in a row for Hanover, which solidified its playoff position and served notice to the rest of Division One that they intend to defend their state title with vigor.

Timberlane rode into town on the strength of  12-game unbeaten streak, and was coming off of a dramatic 1-0 win last Tuesday over second-seeded Alvirne.  They challenged the Marauders in a back-and-forth scoreless first half.  The second half was a different story.  Hanover started playing downhill, outshooting the Owls 8-1 and lunching seven corner kicks, many of the creating dangerous scoring opportunities.  Combining superb defense and goalkeeping with a precise passing game, the Marauders carried the momentum into their fourth overtime game of the season and second in eight days, and cashed in their eleventh corner mick of the match, delighting the huge, black-clad crowd.

Hanover opened the game with a slightly different lineup, with center back Max Greenwald absent due to a barbershop commitment.  No, not for a shave and a haircut. The musical kind of barbershop. Key of H at some sort of national competition. Caldwell slid back into the back four and contributed to a seamless defensive performance.  Goalkeeper Konrad Mitchell finally got to strut his stuff, making a crucial first-half save on a close-range shot from Timberlane striker Cam Donnolly, eliciting cheers from the German Big Band, perched in front row seats and teaching their American hosts a thing or two about how to support the home team.

Hanover had several good looks in the first half, the closest of which was a header from Caldwell off of a corner kick that was headed inside the far post before it was headed off the line by Owl midfielder Christina Dallaire.  Andrew Kazal, who has been playing superb soccer in recent games, sent several crosses into dangerous areas, but was unable to connect with Jake Acker on a particularly tantalizing one.

Most of the dialogue at halftime was how to take care of matters in the defensive end.  Although the Marauders may have appeared to be controlling the match, they took the Timberlane threat seriously, and made some important adjustments to limit the Owl counterattacks.  It didn't take long for Hanover to impose themselves offensively, however.  Jamie Dinulos was a constant threat on the left flank, constantly beating defenders and making dangerous runs to the goal.  He beat goalie Matt Rose on one of these runs, but his goal-bound shot was cleared off the line by defender Galen Morrill.

Asa Berolzheimer hit a long range free kick that was tipped over the bar by Rose, who also made several acrobatic plays to punch the ball clear on threatening Marauder corner kicks.  Hanover had been working all season on corners, and they were particularly potent as afternoon turned into evening and the lights began to blaze over Merriman-Branch field.  Berolzheimer and Dinulos came close on several short corners, and both Jake Acker and Josh Wallace authored dangerous inswingers from the right corner.  Noah Kahan, playing the best soccer of his career, hit a turnaround shot from outside the penalty area that sailed just over the top.

Timberlane only had one shot in the second half, but it was a dandy.  On a rare foray into the Hanover end, Owl striker Matt Salais found room to hit a shot that was headed to the upper left corner of the Marauder goal.  Konrad Mitchell mustered all of his athleticism to make a spectacular dive to corral the ball and keep the match scoreless.

As the clock wound down and the tension increased, Caldwell had two sparkling opportunities miss the mark.  He had a shot ticketed for the goal that was deflected over the top by a Timberlane defender, and pushed yet another corner kick conversion just wide.  Despite playing further back all evening long, Caldwell was Hanover's most consistent offensive threat, and he would be heard from one more time.

Huddling before the start of overtime, the Marauders doubled down on offense.  Confident in their ability to deal with any Timberlane counterattacks, they committed to going for the win, and set up shop in the Owl end of the field.  With two minutes to go in the first overtime, they earned their season-high eleventh corner kick, and it fell to Avery Kravitz to take it.  It was a moment for which he had practiced assiduously, and as his German houseguests raised the roof at the other end of the field, Kravitz quickly hit a driven ball that met Caldwell at the near post. Bucket drove the ball into the net, setting off a wild celebration that turned into a rolling celebration when Caldwell broke free of his mates and led a victory lap past the cheering throngs.

Hanover won't have much time to celebrate their victory.  Next Tuesday, they head to Hudson for a showdown with an excellent Alvirne team that is still stinging from their loss to the Marauders in the NHIAA finals last November.  The Broncos have had another great season, and sit a notch higher than Hanover in the Division One standings.  They lost to Timberlane last Tuesday, but bounced back with an important 2-1 win over Bedford on Friday.  "This is a great time of year," commented Coach Grabill.  "All of the top teams are playing each other in the last two weeks, and no one has any idea what the final standings will look like.  We have our fate in our own hands, however.  If we play well in our final two games, we have a chance for a few more home games in the tournament."  Given their success in this most recent home match, that should work well for the Marauders.  It took them four years to get a Homecoming game, but it was worth the wait.

Game Times For Homecoming Weekend

Just so that we can all be on the same page, here are the game times for all of the Homecoming Weekend games:

Friday

4:45 -  Junior Varsity vs. Timberlane

5:00 -  Varsity vs. Timberlane  (Please bring food items for the Haven)

Saturday

1:30 -  Reserves vs. Souhegan

3:00 -  Freshmen at Cardigan Mountain School  (Bus at 1:45)

(Cardigan is also having a food drive, so if you can bring a few food items to the game, it would be greatly appreciated!)

Thursday Reserve Game Postponed

The Reserve soccer game with Newport scheduled with Newport has been postponed.  Stay tuned for updates.  There will be no Reserve , JV or Freshman practice today.

Undermanned Reserves Fall to Kimball Union, 7-3

The Hanover reserve team put forth a valiant effort against KUA's undefeated JV 2 team. Traveling with just eleven players, Hanover was put to its greatest test thus far in the season. Not being daunted by facing a squad of 22, the reserve team elected to field a full squad the entire match, with no substitutions.

Hanover was able to strike first in the 15th minute. After a corner in from Sam Lutz, Joseph Glock wound up and struck the ball. The ball would glance off Gwynn's head and Kaz's arm before trickling in though the five hole of the keeper. The goal was allowed despite the errant arm of Matsuoka, given its unintentional manner. KUA would capitalize just three minutes later on a shot outside the 18 that just ricocheted off the bottom off the cross bar. KUA kept pressure on Hanover's tiring players by substituting full groups of ten on and off regularly, and led 4-1 come half time.

Never shying away from the challenge Hanover continued to play without substation for the second half. KUA scored another two goals before Kaz Matsuoka would net the first of his two second half goals. The first was created by Joseph playing a ball back to Liam Abbate, who cranked a ball up to Sam Lutz. Lutz played the perfect through ball to Kaz who beat the keeper with a low hard ball to the right. Kaz would score again four minutes later with Sam and Benny playing the ball up. Kaz dribbled hard at a defender only to win the tackle himself and was once again alone in on goal. KUA would wrap up the scoring with a final shot from the 18 into the side netting in the last five minutes.

Despite the lopsided result of 7-3, Hanover truly out preformed expectations given the circumstances. Arturo Johnson had more saves than goals allowed, including a spectacular diving save to his right in the second half. All eleven deserve mention given there dedication to playing. So Liam Abbate, Benjamin Gantrish, Joseph Glock, Gwynn Granizo-Mackenzie, Kaz Matsuoka, Hayden Hatfield, Arturo Johnson, Ryan Kynor, Gabe Loud, Sam Lutz, and Daniel Wilson, you gave it your all and put forth an effort that I could only hope for. You not only impressed my but the opposing coach, and the officials as well.

Let's see what we can do tomorrow!  (And since rain is in the forecast, stay tuned for updates!)