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.
