Junior Varsity Beats Winnacunnet 2-1; Six Wins in a Row

On a perfect warm autumn day, the Hanover JV team greeted the Winnacunnet visitors to their home grass, and played a game that was pretty one sided in all aspects other than the score, as the Marauders squeaked out a 2 – 1 win.  This was the sixth straight for Hanover, running their record to 10 – 3, with last loss on September 23.  No loss has been by more than one goal, and with a few small breaks, the record could be even better than the current 10 – 3.

On this perfect soccer day, the sophomore group was particularly dominant, taking seven corner kicks in the first 20 minutes, to none for the visitors, but alas, none were converted.  But, the recently resurgent Griffin Johnson found the ball loose on the left side, and from 25 feet he let one fly hard and true, fluffing the nets of the lower right side for the first goal of the game. 

Luke Messersmith received some harsh physical treatment, hit the ground hard a few times, but bravely soldiered on.  Casey Starr pulled off a deft step over, then just sailed a left footed attempt, then just missed from long range, followed by Alvaro Cooper’s great shot from the middle of the field that was saved point blank.  A Winnacunnet jailbreak occurred through the previously airtight middies and defensemen, but Sander Macaulay thwarted the run with some hustle from his offensive line when needed. 

The juniors entered at the 20 minute mark of the first half.  It already felt like the lead should be greater, as Griffin  Johnson had laid out seven corner kicks on the mark without any serious finishing from the white lads in the box, compared to zero corners for Winnacunnet.  The juniors attacked early, which paid off on a sweet exchange between Dan Healy to Robbie Murdza, back to Dan that Healy, who buried from close in for a 2 – 0 lead.

Then Winnacunnet snuck in a goal, when keeper Harry Olszewski leaped to make a save, but the ball squirted through his fine attempt and the lead was cut in half, at 2 – 1.  The Mauarders had some good chances that just missed, with George Geraghty’s shot from close in just sliding off to the right, and Murdza just missing high at the half’s end.

The sophomore side started the second half relentlessly, sending shot after shot towards the goal, many of which were close but without their final destination being discovered.  Messersmith rocketed his signature left foot shot on the run that just missed off the left post, followed soon thereafter my another pretty near miss from Griffin, then a second near miss from the flying Johnson.  In the meantime the defense continued to play airtight, keeping the visitors at bay, with Cooper and Starr causing Winnacunnet fits, redirecting and keeping the ball moving in the right direction. It still seemed like Hanover would break this game wide open.

But Winnacunnet stuck around, and the juniors' second half entry was without much action.  Addison Wanner played sound technical defense, along with good stops and clearing the ball upfield from Jack Pattison, and good saves from Owen Brooks, and the game stayed at 2 – 1.  Some good chances on corners for the visitors came up empty, fortunately for Hanover.  The whistle finally blew, and the fans exhaled. Everyone, including Coach Callanan, thought it was closer than it should have been, but it was a win nonetheless.

Next game is Homecoming afternoon, at Hanover, against Timberlane.  See you then.