Marauders Honored as All-Academics

Dear Friends -

Yesterday at the New Hampshire Soccer Coaches
Association Awards Ceremony in Gilford, a number of Hanover High soccer players and coaches were honored. Most of the awards have already been announced, and are listed on the HHS soccer blog. There was one very significant new announcement, however.

Nine senior members of the HHS boys' team were named to the Divison II All Scholastic Team. This is a huge accomplishment. It represents almost a third of the entire HHS team, and more than a quarter of the entire Division II Team, which draws from 25 member schools. The next closest school had four members named. The minimum requirement is honor roll grades, a varsity letter, and a recommendation from the school guidance department.

The following players were named to the team:

Matt Barth
Connor Bentivoglio
Joe Carey
Alex Dodds
Keegan Gantrish
Eric Jayne
Ben Harris
Adam Kline-Schoder
Forrest Pratt

In a year with many significant honors being given to this team, it is highly appropriate that last week's Sportsmanship Award and this week's All-Academic honors came when they did. The best for last! Happy Holidays. Over and out until 2011!

- Rob

Annual Alumni Game Set For Saturday

The HHS soccer season will close the same way it opened, with a match against the Alumni. Kickoff is set for 12:00 at Merriman-Branch Field on Saturday, November 27th. A girls' alumni game will follow at 2:00 p.m. All alumni are invited to play and/or watch. The old boys are currently riding a one-game winning streak, having beaten a then-young varsity team on August 18th.

Boys' Teams Honored at Soccer Awards Night

The curtain came down on the Hanover High soccer season in fine style Friday night, as players and parents from all three teams gathered for a night of celebration. A crowd of over 100 enjoyed a sumptuous potluck dessert buffet, followed by team introductions and awards, the third annual music recital, and the debut of the 2010 Varsity highlight film.

The following players were honored:

Varsity

Sportsmanship: Joe Carey
Most Valuable Player: Eric Jayne
Most Improved: Tor Hathaway
Unsung Heroes: Joe Carey
Trey Rebman
Coaches Award: Isaiah Fariel
Rookie of The Year: Daniel Hazlett
Defenders of The Year: Matt Barth
Robin Smith
Goalie of The Year: Stefan Dyroff
Goal of The Year: Ben Harris
Pedro Celaya

Junior Varsity

Sportsmanship: Jack Lightbody
Most Valuable Players: Rocco Linehan
Zach Taylor
Unsung Hero: Duncan Piper
Rookie of The Year: Christian Johansen
Defender of the Year: Daniel Osheyack
Attacker of the Year: Xavier Tchana


Reserves

Most Valuable Players: Alex Brown
Brendan Rhim
Most Improved: Parker Gardner
All Around Players: David White
Jordan Levin
Oren Wilcox
Leadership Eben Holbrook
Captains: Alex Brown
Sawyer Brooks
Eben Holbrook
David White
Rookies of The Year: Isaac Davis
Miles Campbell
Number 11 Award: Philip Caffrey

Eric Jayne is an All-American!

Eric Jayne has capped his amazing senior season by being named to the National Soccer Coaches Association of America All-America team. He is the only player from new Hampshire to be voted to the team, and one of only 60 in the entire US.

Jayne becomes only the fifth player in Hanover history to achieve All-American status.
Ned Harris was a two-time All-American in 1978 and 1979 before playing for Yale, where he was Captain of the team. Graham Sellers was named to the team in 1980, and subsequently played for Williams. The two most recent All-Americans are familiar to Hanover fans. Tommy Clark, who went on to star for Dartmouth, was an All-American at HHS in 1987. He is now Head of Grassroots Soccer, and one of Dartmouth's most celebrated young alumni. Jamie Clark led Hanover to consecutive NHIAA titles in 1992 and 1993, and was named to the 1993 All-American team. He went on to play for Stanford and later in the MLS, and is now Head Coach at Creighton University after a stint at the help of Harvard.

Eric Jayne Honored as Athlete of The Month

The postseason honors continue to pour in for Hanover Captain Eric Jayne, who was honored today as the October Athlete of the Month by the Manchester Union Leader, New Hampshire's statewide newspaper. This honor is open to any athlete on any level. In a given month, professional, college and high school athletes are considered, and evaluated by a panel of judges.

The Union-Leader honored Jayne for his record-breaking season, making note of his October goal that broke the all-time Hanover scoring record, and his six postseason goals that helped the Marauders win their sixth straight state title. He will be honored at the Annual Union Leader Parade of Champions early next year, the largest sports award gathering in the state.

Five Marauders Named to All-State Team

Five members of Hanover's Division II State Championship team were named to the NH Soccer Coaches Association All-State team. They will be honored on Sunday, December 5th at the NHSCA Awards Ceremony.

Seniors Eric Jayne and Ben Harris received First Team recognition. Seniors Joe Carey and Stefan Dyroff and Junior Robin Smith received Honorable Mention recognition.

Jayne and Harris both received All-State honors in 2009, and it as Jayne's second year on the First Team. Jayne led the Marauders in scoring with 17 goals and 12 assists, and this year became Hanover's all-time goal scoring leader with 50 goals and all-time scoring leader with 17 points. He led the Marauders with 6 goals scored in four playoff games. Harris was second on the team with 9 goals, and was second last year as well. He scored the crucial first goal in the State Championship game, and was honored for Goal of The Year with his sudden death game winner in Hanover's 2-1 victory over Lebanon. Harris has 23 career goals, good for 19th on the all-time scoring list.

Joe-Carey, a Co-Captain with Jayne, was on the All-State team for the second year. A two-year starter at center midfield, Carey scored three goals and had two assists, and was known for his shadowy defensive ability. Dyroff recorded 8 shutouts this season, and allowed only one goal in four playoff games. He was the Most Valuable Player in the NHIAA Division II final with a career-high seven saves. Robin Smith was a first-year starter at center back, and was honored along with Matt Barth as the team's Defender of the Year. Smith, Trey Rebman, and Roland Herrmann-Stanzel are the Captains for the 2011 Marauder team.

Postseason Awards Update - Twin State Teams Named

As the Marauders savor the success of their 17th NH Championship, they are also celebrating a number of post-season awards which will be announced in the weeks to come.

It was announced today that seniors Eric Jayne and Ben Harris will be representing Hanover and the State of New Hampshire in the annual Lions Twin State Soccer Cup all star game next July. The two Marauder stalwarts will be part of a 22-member squad of the state' best seniors who will play against their Vermont counterparts at Castleton State College next July.
'
The Lions Twin State Cup is the second-oldest NH vs. VT all-star game, surpassed only by the Shrine Football Game. It is the biggest annual fundraiser for the Lions' sight assistance programs.

Marauders Beat Bedford 2-1 to Win NHIAA Title #17

The Hanover Marauders added a new chapter to their illustrious history with a thrilling 2-1 victory over Bedford in the NHIAA Division II Championship game Sunday Night. The win was the sixth consecutive one for Hanover, and the 17th overall. Ben Harris and Eric Jayne scored crucial second half goals for the Marauders, with Jayne's game-winner breaking a 1-1 tie with less than three minutes left in the match. It was his 50th career goal in the 50th year of Hanover soccer. Senior goalkeeper Stefan Dyroff was the man of the match for the Marauders, making several outlandish saves to keep his team in the game during many stretches when a young, talented Bedford team dominated the action. The Bulldogs outshot Hanover decisively in the first half, and only Dyroff's heroics kept the match scoreless.

Hanover ends the season with a record of 17-1. During their six-year stretch of state titles, they have lost a total of six games. No other large school team has even won more than three titles in a row. Hanover's total of 17 championships puts them fourth nationally in that category. They are in every respect the most successful program in New Hampshire history.

That said, it is important to separate this team and this season from that long and proud history. What this team has accomplished stands by itself, and is unique in many respects. With a 28-man roster, this edition of the Marauders was constantly called upon to deal with reduced playing time, and accept roles that asked them to consistently place the team's needs ahead of their own. This championship is truly owned by everyone on the roster. More immediately, the team's amazing depth played a role in the victory over Bedford. Eighteen players participated in the match, and it was hardly surprising that Hanover had the fresher legs at the end, when they finally took control of the game and created the critical goal.

The match started with Bedford firmly in control. The bulldogs, led by skilled forwards Erik Martel and Matt Cote, took the initiative and were a constant threat. Cote came closest, with a near miss just past the post, and only several star-studded saves by Dyroff kept Hanover from losing control of the match. Dyroff's best denial came on a quick deflection following a corner kick, and he ended the half with a total of five stops, as many as he had made in any single game this season, including the Lebanon semifinal. Hanover wasn't without their chances. Ben Harris whistled a free kick inches over the bar, and a few minutes later Joe Carey hit the shot of his life, a curling drive that barely missed the upper left corner.

Halftime was a valuable respite for the Marauders. With a little Gu in their guts and a chance to admire the amazing November sunset, thanks to Alex Dodds' insistence that they remain outdoors during the extended interval, Hanover rebooted and reminded themselves that they were a second half team. It didn't take long for them to prove the point, two minutes, to be exact. The long buildup to their first goal started with an innocuous and sensible backpass from Robin Smith to Stef Dyroff, who calmly snapped the ball across the box to Hayden Pressey-Murray, who relayed it to Trey Rebman, and so on, and so on. Trey played the ball to Eric Jayne in space, and Jayne relayed it back to Rebman, who took it to the baseline and hammered a cross into the box. Jayne and defender Mitchell Marchand jumped to vie for the ball, and it skipped into space in front of Bulldog goalie Taylor Wallace. Daniel Hazlett shocked Wallace with the quickness he employed to reach the ball first, and he was able to direct the ball to Forrest Pratt. The senior midfielder, saving his best game for the last one of his career, floated a cross back into the box and Ben Harris ran onto it like Stephen Gerrard, ripping a right-footer that shot off the bottom of the bar and into the net for 1-0 lead.

Bedford refused to wilt, and continued to play their disciplined. attacking football, using every inch of the field and every player on the park. Thirteen minutes later they did the nearly unthinkable and tied the match. Matt Barth and Robin Smith, who were towers of strength throughout the match, and played like the All-Staters they deserve to be, shared a brief moment of madness, and it cost Hanover the lead. Sullivan Holt played a routine ball straight to Smith, who let it clatter off his shins and into space. Barth stepped up to play the ball, but before he could get it Matt Cote swept in front of him, swept the ball away, and ran free to his left. Smith rallied to stay with him, but Cote would not be denied and closed on Dyroff, beating him short side with an absolute rip. (Sorry to be so detailed and unsparing. That's what happens when your blogger gets a game film immediately after the match. Besides, that was their only boo-boo of the night. Barth and Smith were otherwise absolutely lights out. True heroes. And this is an accurate blog. Usually.)

Now it was Hanover's turn to rally. They stayed calm initially, dodged a bullet when Dyroff came roaring off his line to deny Cote a second goal with a huge save on a semi-breakaway, and then got to work. Eric Jayne, whose hard work was mostly unrealized to this point, gave the team his best 20 minutes, creating all sorts of opportunities. Hanover had four corners in that stretch. The noose was tightening. Forrest Pratt was equally creative, sending Jayne in for a near breakaway with a deft chip over the top, and then zipping a throw-in down the line that let Jayne loose for a baseline run that sent the ball zipping across the goalmouth for a near miss.

Bedford had their bids against the run of this play. Martel hit a drive over the bar that was scary, even tough Dyroff had it covered all of the way. With three minutes to play, Martel blasted a shot off a quick turn, but he drove it straight into Dyroff's gut. That was Bedford's last gasp. Jayne grabbed the ball at midfield and fed it to Hazlett in the left corner. The fearless freshman crushed a cross that missed connections with Jayne, but Pratt was positioned perfectly, and first-timed a ball into the box that found Jayne, who unerringly made the last goal of his amazing career his most significant, a first-timer inside the right post. It was his sixth goal of the postseason, with at least one in each game, and two game winners. Seventeen on the season, and 35 in two years. He should be a high school All-American. You heard it here first.

The final 2.5 minutes were anything but perfunctory, what with Harris' gushing bloody nose, Roland Herrmann-Stanzel's timely clear, and the Marauders' collective cool. Soon the final whistle trilled three times, and it was time for the now-familiar pigpile in the shadow of the scoreboard. Hanover's getting to like games at SNHU.

Many of the game's heroes haven't been named yet herein. That's the risk of sports journalism written with an impending deadline. Happily, there is a long stretch of postseason to sort out all off the stakeholders who own a piece of this victory. At some point, a musty photo will surface of the 2003 Lightning U11 team, and bunch of eager 10 year olds playing eight-a-side for a crabby coach who even then had days when he felt too old for it all. Five of them were nothing less than the spine of Hanover's title team: Eric Jayne, Joe Carey, Ben Harris, Matt Barth and Stefan Dyroff. It's been a long haul for this fabulous five, and for the many cast members who joined them along the way. Their season-long leadership set the tone, and when they finally found an opponent gallant enough to truly make them earn their title, they were equal to the task. It's been a wonderful half-century for Hanover soccer. The start of the second half should be a lot of fun. Stay tuned!

Game and Practice Schedule Nov. 4-7

Thursday, Nov. 4


Varsity Practice 3:30 - 5:00 p.m. HHS Gym


Friday, Nov. 5

Varsity Practice 3:30 - 5:00 p.m. HHS turf


Saturday, Nov. 6

Varsity Practice 3:30 - 5:00 p.m. HHS turf


Sunday, Nov. 7


Div. II Final vs. Bedford at Southern NH University, Manchester 4:00 p.m.
Bus Departs 1:00 p.m.

Marauders Beat Lebanon 3-0 to Gain Div. II Finals

Hanover continued to play its best soccer of the season at the right time, scoring three spectacular goals to defeat defeat archrival Lebanon and earn a spot in the Division II Finals Sunday against Bedford. Eric Jayne and Daniel Hazlett combined to form a potent strike force in the first half, each assisting on the other's superb scoring strike to give the Marauders an insurmountable lead. The Marauder defense stayed airtight throughout the entire match, earning the team's third straight shutout, and Jayne put the icing on the cake with his fifth goal in three playoff games and sixteenth of the season to cap a sweet, sweet win.

The Marauders will return to Southern New Hampshire University on Sunday to take on a dangerous Bedford squad which bumped off top-seeded Merrimack Valley 1-0 with a late goal int he other semifinal. Hanover beat Bedford 1-0 earlier this year at Merriman-Branch Field and gained a lot ff respect for the young, talented team.

The Hanover-Lebanon match promised to be a good one. The Raiders had handed Hanover their only loss of the season, a 1-0 defeat that broke the Marauders' 25 game winning streak (13 in a row to start the 2010 campaign), and had accounted for Hanover's only two loses since 2006. They knew the Marauders well, and had no fear of them. On the other hand, this was postseason.

Lebanon started brightly, and created the first good scoring chance when (surprise, surprise) a long throw sailed into the box and eluded Marauder attempts to clear it cleanly. The ball worked its way to the back post and Avery Hymel's chance to stuff it home was denied by Stefan Dyroff, who came off his line and made himself monstrous to snuff the shot. For the rest of the half, it was all Hanover.

Eric Jayne has been playing at another level in the postseason, and having recorded 17 shots and three goals in the first two games, he was up to his old tricks again, eventually aiming seven salvos in the first half alone. Most of the early ones were speculative, and one was downright ambitious, but it was again clear that he had come to play, and would defy containment. He also had a head ball cleared off the line by a good defensive play, but he would not be the one to score first. As has been the case all season, however, Jayne has added a new dimension to his game this year, and he added to his team-leading total of assists at the twenty-minute mark, setting up Daniel Hazlett for the first and only goal that the Marauders would need. Gaining the ball at midfield and finding room to turn, Jayne thumped a lead pass into space for Hazlett on the right flank. The flashy frosh raced into space to possess the ball, and so for a moment did Lebanon goalie Austin Mansell, thinking that he could get there first. Hazlett was racing to the corner and well outside the 18, but he got his head up and saw the horrified Mansell backpedaling into his goalmouth. It would take a perfect shot to beat him, and Hazlett produced nothing less, lofting a shot over the stranded keeper and under the crossbar and into the far side netting.

Being down a goal this early was a harsh blow for the defensive-minded Raiders, but 10 minutes later they sustained a fatal one. Hazlett took a pass down the left flank and located Jayne at the top of the 18 with plenty of room to run. Hanover's talismanic forward calmly skinned a defender moving to his right and found even more space to shoot, crushing a shot back inside the left post for a 2-0 lead. The Marauders knew what this meant. A 2-0 lead is supposedly the hardest one to defend, but to the Marauders it looked more like 20-0.

The Marauders wisely kept attacking, and would eventually outshoot Lebanon 8-4 in the half, with a 7-0 advantage in corner kicks. Jayne left his calling card early in the half, hitting a shot that was ticketed for the upper corner before Mansell made a sweet diving save to his left. In the meantime, Hanover was playing solid, effective teams defense, and never followed a small mistake at midfield with a bigger one in the back. Matt Barth and Robin Smith were brilliant in the air, and Joe Carey and Ben Harris were relentless in the center of the park.

Stefan Dyroff had several routine saves that he rendered harmless, and had his seminal moment on one of Lebanon's few long throws, ranging all the way to the top of the 18 to intercept one at the top of his leap. His third straight playoff shutout was well-earned.

The clock raced far too quickly for Lebanon, particularly as the half wound down and the Marauders went to the bench to bring fresh legs into the contest, getting excellent relief work from Roland Herrmann-Stanzell, Evan Greenwald, Ryan Brigham, Keegan Gantrish and Alex Dodds. Jayne, in the meantime, had one more message to send, working free on the right side of the Lebanon box in the final minute and bending a spectacular shot inside the left post for the final 3-0 margin of victory.

Hanover celebrated briefly, congratulated their gallant Raider rivals, and turned their collective thoughts toward Sunday's Championship match at Southern New Hampshire. "We'll have to be at our best to beat them," commented Coach Grabill. They played very well a month ago and it was all we could to to them in a close 1-0 game. I'd like to think that we have one more good game left in our systems before our season ends Sunday, one way or another. It's been a great ride, but we want to see if we can send out seniors out on a high note."

Spectator Bus Set for Wednesday Game

There will be a free spectator bus available for any Hanover High student (not limited to soccer players) available for the boys' playoff soccer game in Nashua on Wednesday. The bus will leave immediately after school, and arrive in time for the game against Lebanon at 4:00 at Stellos Stadium in Nashua. There is a $5 admission charge for students at the game. Approximate return time is 8:00 p.m. There are concessions and souvenir clothing for sale at the game. Students who have not yet signed up may do so at the HHS Athletic Office on Wednesday.

Practice and Game Schedule November 1-3

(Please check the Blog and bulletin board at school regularly. All times are subject to change)

Monday, November 1

Practice for goalkeepers and penalty kickers 3:00 - 3:30 HHS turf

Varsity Practice 7:30 - 9:00 HHS turf



Tuesday, November 2

Practice for goalkeepers and penalty kickers 3:00 - 3:30 HHS turf

Varsity Practice 8:00 - 9:15 HHS turf



Wednesday, November 3

Varsity Game vs. Lebanon 4:00 at Stellos Stadium, Nashua

Departure time 12:45 p.m. (tentative)


Free Spectator Bus for all JV and Reserve players and friends

Departure time 2:00 p.m.

If enough people sign up, we will operate a chaperoned spectator bus for all HHS students. There will be a signup sheet in the HHS Athletic Office.

Hanover Beats Oyster River 2-0 to Advance to Final Four

Hanover took a giant step in their playoff push Saturday, beating a determined Oyster River side 2-0 to advance to the NHIAA Semifinals next Wednesday. The Marauders broke a scoreless tie in the second half with two Eric Jayne goals, and stifled the Bobcats with a dominating defensive display.

Next up for Hanover is a rubber match in the Semifinals with Lebanon, which advanced to the final four with a penalty kick shootout victory over Souhegan. Wednesday's match at Stellos Stadium in Nashua will kick off at 4:00 p.m.

Hanover owned a clear edge in play in the first half, outshooting Oyster River 7-1 and limiting them to one half-field shot on goal. As has been the case all season, the Marauders turned up the heat in the second half, creating several sure shots at goal before Jayne converted a penalty kick at 59:45, and then followed up three minutes later with one of his best goals of the season to put the game away.

Stefan Dyroff was credited with only three saves on the day, but he more than earned his shutout with the save of the season midway through the second half, when speedy Stephen Luna got behind the Marauder defense and went in along on goal. Dyroff came off his line with perfect timing and made a great save on Luna's low, hard shot, denying Oyster River's only real chance at a critical time. Shortly thereafter, Jayne was hauled down in the box by Bobcat keeper Adam Goodwin after he had been skinned by the Hanover skipper. Goodwin sustained a possible concussion on the play, and needed to be replaced by Oyster River backup goalkeeper Rye Morrill. It hardly mattered. Iker Casillas could have been in goal and he wouldn't have been able to stop Jayne's thunderous spot kick. It looked for all the world like had been practicing penalties these last few days.

The goal was celebrated throughout Merriman-Branch Field, but particularly by Daniel Hazlett and Joe Carey, who had each knocked sitters over the bar earlier in the half.
Hazlett had been played into a wide open shot by Forrest Pratt, and seemed more interested in taking over Hayden Pressey-Murray's P-lot supremecy that he did in tucking the ball past Goodwin. Carey missed from even closer range on a great run into the box, but none of that mattered few minutes after Jayne's penalty. Ben Harris tracked down a highball cleared out of the Oyster River area, killed it with the sort of expertise that will see him playing serious college soccer next year, and laid the ball across the box to Jayne, who scored one of the nicest goals of his career inside the left post for an insurmountable 2-0 lead. Jayne now has 14 goals on the campaign, and no Hanover player in 50 years has ever engineered back-to-back seasons that rival his. Clutch? He has eight game-winning goals on the year.

Taking a short rest on the bench as the clock would down and Oyster River unraveled, Jayne could only marvel as Harris' superlative performance, and he was right. His passing and shooting aside, Harris was an amazing ball-winner. His ability to hold a ball in traffic and spark the offense was a major difference between the two teams, and one that the Bobcats couldn't answer.

Before the game was won with Jayne's goals, it was won with defense. Dyroff was outstanding off his line, and his booming punts made a huge difference on the afternoon. Matt Barth and Robin Smith were titans in the center of the park, winning ball after ball in the air, and defending closely in the box while never diving in.
They combined for a spectacular sequence in the second half when Oyster River striker Alex Hennessy worked deep into the box, standing him up and denying him any opportunity to create a shot. Aided and abetted by 80-minute stalwarts Connor Bentivoglio and Hayden Pressey-Murray, the Hanover defense has now limited the opposition to five total shots on goal and zero (0) corner kicks in the last two matches. Hanover's scoreless streak in tournament play now extends back six games. Going back a bit further, Hanover has recorded shutouts in sixteen of their last seventeen playoff games. Must be something about seeing your breath in the air that makes the Marauders hard to score on.

"I honestly think that we are getting better with every game we play", commented Coach Grabill. "We are still learning how to anticipate each other, and we are still learning the importance of communication all of the time. Out maturity has been wonderful. We don't get rattled when the games get tight, and we don't let ourselves get upset in the face of adversity."

Next up is a serious challenge. The Marauders will face a fired-up Lebanon team that is on a roll after upending third-seeded Souhegan in their home park. The Raiders certainly have no fear of Hanover, having beaten them two of the last four times they have met. This will be their first meeting in post-season competition since the 2006 NHIAA Finals, when the Marauders prevailed 1-0 on a fluke goal in overtime of a replay game following more than 200 minutes of scoreless soccer. Perhaps you will need to look elsewhere if you want high-scoring soccer on Wednesday, but if it's excitement and entertainment you want, you had best find a way to Stellos Stadium on November 3rd.

Marauders Face Oyster River in NHIAA Quarterfinals

Hanover faces longtime NHIAA playoff rival Oyster River in the tournament Quarterfinals in a match scheduled for Saturday at 2:00 p.m. at Merriman-Branch Field. The two teams faced off earlier this year in the same location, with the Marauders wining a tightly-contested 2-0 decision on goals by Eric Jayne and Trey Rebman.

Hanover will see an entirely different team, according to Coach Rob Grabill. "Oyster River is playing with a lot of confidence right now, " he commented. "They are on a five-game undefeated streak against some of the best teams in the state, and they will come in here with absolutely no fear. Their last game here was their second in two days, and they played very well. With the extra rest, they have every right to be confident, especially with their commitment to defense."

No two teams in the history of the NHIAA have played as often. Hanover and Oyster River have met a total 16 times, beginning in 1964. They have met five times in the NHIAA Finals. They hold more state championships that any other large (Division One or Two) schools, with 16 and 11 titles respectively. They define excellence in high school soccer.

The last four meetings of the two teams in playoff competition have resulted in overtime. Seven of the last twelve regular season and playoff games have been tied at the end of regulation. Hanover's most recent playoff encounter with Oyster River was in 2008 in the NHIAA Semifinals at Stellos Stadium. After a scoreless regulation, the Marauders blanked the Bobcats in shootout, featuring the goalkeeping prowess of Rhys Cyrus, who stopped all three Oyster River attempts. Ben Rimmer, Henry Caldwell and Yosef Osheyack converted their shootout attempts for the win.

The regular-season meetings between Hanover and OR in 2008 and 2007 were both scoreless ties, both played at Oyster River. In 2006, the Bobcats beat Hanover 1-0 on the last game played between the two teams on the HHS grass field, and in the NHIAA Semifinals that year, Hanover won in overtime on a sudden death strike by Casey Maue.

From 2000-2003, Oyster River beat Hanover six games in a row, including three times in the playoffs, during s stretch in which the Bobcats won three straight NHIAA titles. That set the standard for large school success until Hanover's recent run of five Class I titles.

So much for the past. This Saturday, all of those records, and this year's regular season result, go out the window. The only game that maters is the one at hand, and either team would trade all of that history for a result on the rug, and a chance to head back to Stellos Stadium next Wednesday. These worthy opponents have an opportunity to add their own chapter to the history, and the hope here is that they both honor the game,and produce a match worthy of watching.

Game and Practice Schedule October 28-20

Thursday, October 28


Varsity Practice 3:30 - 5:15 p.m. HHS turf



Friday, October 29


Varsity Practice 3:30 - 5:15 p.m. HHS turf



Saturday, October 30


NHIAA Tournament Game 2:00 p.m. Opponent TBA (Coe-Brown or Oyster River)

Hanover Opens Playoff Quest With 3-0 Win Over Trinity

The Marauders began their second season with an efficient and well-played 3-0 victory over 15th-seeded Trinity on Wednesday at Merriman-Branch Field. After a one-sided by scoreless first half, Hanover got three goals in the first 15 minutes of the second stanza to put the game out of reach. Ben Harris and Eric Jayne each had a goal and an assist, and the Marauder defense was dominating. Trinity was held to no shots on goal, and no corner kicks.

The Marauders maintained a high level of play despite playing every healthy player on the roster for at least 10 minutes. Some of the best performances of the day came during "garbage time", which was anything but that.

The morning's rains gave way to brilliant fall sunshine 5 minutes into the match, and the Marauders matched the weather with a bright start. Eric Jayne was, yikes, focused. He launched seven shots in the first half,yet actually never forced anything. The Marauders were camped in the Trinity end of the park, but seemed to have plenty of room, particular on the left side. Although Jayne kept leaving his calling card, it was junior Pedro Celaya who came closest to scoring, ripping a right-footed turnaround just wide of the left post. Roland Herrmann-Stanzel came close with a header, and Isaiah Fariel hammered a shot from the right flank.

Sometimes a scoreless first half can frustrate a team, and inspire the underdogs holding on for dear life. For some reason, that wasn't the case for the Marauders this time around, and they confidently started the second half. It took exactly 23 seconds for Eric Jayne to give Hanover the only goal that they would need, taking a pass from Ben Harris and moving to his right at the top of the penalty area to find room for a drive that tucked inside the left upright. It was Jayne's team-leading 12th goal of the year.

Four minutes later the hard-working Celaya doubled the lead on a carbon-copy goal, receiving a slick pass from Trey Rebman on the left side of the box and working free for a low, hard blast that ripped the back of the net for his eighth goal of the campaign. Eleven minutes later, Harris hit the coup de grace, taking a pass from Jayne and crushing a left-footer from an acute angle that hit side netting inside the right post. It was Harris' 8th goal of the season and Jayne's team-leading 11th helper. Harris' goal was the 22nd of his career, leaving him only one shy of cracking the alltime top twenty of Hanover goal scorers.

Jayne's two points gave him a career total of 65, and broke a tie with Ben Mackinnon at the top of the alltime point scoring leaders. Already the career goal-scoring leader with 45, he can now lay claim to being one of the great Hanover players in the 50-year history of the program. The most compelling reason for that assertion is the knowledge of his teammates that he and Harris would give up every one of those records if it would result in a win for the team, particularly at this time of year. Their unselfishness and self-effacement has been a hallmark of their four years with the program.

The entire Marauder team took care business at the other end of the park, ensuring the team's seventh shutout of the season. All eight backs contributed to that, with starter Robin Smith and reserve Charlie Umland registering notable performances.

Next up for Hanover is a quarterfinal game on Saturday, October 30 at 2:00 in the friendly confines of Merriman-Branch Field. The opponent has yet to be determined, since the first round game scheduled for today between host Coe-Brown and Oyster River was postponed until Thursday. Keep an eye on the NHIAA Web page, and mark your appointment calendar for Saturday afternoon.

Marauders Host Trinity in NHIAA Tournament

Hanover opens NHIAA Division II playoff action on Wednesday with a 3:00 p.m. match against Trinity High School of Manchester at Merriman-Branch Field. The Pioneers, who dropped to Division II from Class L play last year, enter the match as the 15th seed and hold a 6-9-1 record. The Marauders are the #2 seed by virtue of their 13-1 mark.

The two teams have played only once previously. In 1984, Hanover beat the Pioneers 2-1 in the NHIAA Division AA Semifinals before losing to Oyster River in the Finals by a 3-1 score. From 1977 - 1985 there were only two divisions in NHIAA Soccer, "AA" and "A". Hanover joined the larger schools in the state in AA, and over the course of that nine-year stretch, made it to the finals five times, winning in 1977, 1979 and 1980.

Class I play, and the beginning of a four-class setup, began in 1986. In 24 years of Class I competition, Hanover made it to the Class I finals 15 times, and won eleven titles, including the last five in a row. Oyster River owns 10 trips to the finals, and five titles.

Coincidentally (or perhaps not), Oyster River has a chance to continue their amazing rivalry with the Marauders. The Bobcats are seeded #12 in the D2 Tournament, and travel to #7 Coe-Brown Wednesday. If they win (and they just beat the Bears 1-0 a week ago), they earn a return trip to Hanover on Saturday providing the Marauders hold serve against Trinity.

Varsity Game and Practice Schedule October 25-27

Monday, October 25

Varsity Practice on HHS Turf 3:00 - 4:15 p.m.
(This is a CHANGE. Note the new time)



Tuesday, October 26

Varsity Practice on HHS Turf 5:30 - 7:00 p.m.


Wednesday, October 27

NHIAA Tournament Game vs. Trinity 3:00 p.m. HHS Turf

Junior Varsity Wins Pembroke Harvest Tournament, Finishes 17-1

The Marauder Junior Varsity finished the season in fine style Saturday, beating four strong JV sides to win the Pembroke Academy Harvest Tournament. The JVs finished the season with a record of 17-1, allowing only two goals for the entire season.

The Marauders opened the day with pool play matches against Bedford and Windham. They bear Bedford 1-0 on a goal by Rocco Linehan, and defeated Windham 2-0 on goals by Linehan and Xavi Tchana. Advancing to the Semifinals, Hanover outlasted Hollis-Brookline on goals by Connor Gordon, assisted by Tomas LaPorta, and LaPorta, assisted by Zach Taylor.

Bedford upset Souhegan in the other Semifinal, but were no match for the Marauders in the Championship game. Hanover won 4-0 on goals by Connor Gordon, assisted by Tomas LaPorta, Rocco Linehan, and two from Zach Taylor,with an assist to Linehan on the final tally. Duncan Piper went the distance in goal in all four games, racking up consecutive shutouts.

The Marauders have received outstanding leadership all season long from Captains Connor Schoen, Connor Gordan and Xavi Tchana, and wonderful coaching from Michael Callanan. Congratulations!

Reserves Split Four Games at Hartford Jamboree

The Marauders Reserves closed the season in a positive fashion, splitting four games with The Sharon Academy and Hartford High School Junior Varsity teams in a round robin jamboree on Saturday at the Queechee Green. All three teams finished the day with identical 2-2 records.

Jeffrey Li's goal gave Hanover a 1-0 win in the first game against The Sharon Academy.
Hartford won the next morning encounter by the same 1-0 score.

In the return match with The Sharon Academy, scoring bids by Philip Caffrey and Isaac Davis came close, but the marauders dropped a 1-0 decision. Hanover saved their best for last, beating Hartford 1-0 in the final march of the day on a goal by Alex Brown.

Marauders End the Regular Season With a 1-0 Loss to Lebanon

Hanover's regular season ended on a down note Friday as the Marauders lost a tight 1-0 decision to Lebanon on the road. It was the second year in a row that the Raiders have ended a long winning Hanover win streak on their home pitch. Hanover outshot their hosts by a 2-1 margin, but were denied by a strong Lebanon team defense and outstanding goalkeeping by Raider netminder Austin Mansell. Hanover ends the season with a 13-1 record, and will open NHIAA Division II Tournament play next Wednesday with a 3:00 p.m. match against Trinity High School.

The Marauders got off to a bright start in the first half, and would eventually outshoot Lebanon by a 13-4 margin. The Raiders had some dangerous moments early, especially when Avery Hymel whistled a shot wide of the right post from a sharp angle 15 minutes into the match. Hanover had some good moments as the half progressed, particularly from Forrest Pratt, who had one of his best games of the season. Daniel had a good look on a turnaround in the box, but didn't get all of it. Eric Jayne had two bids miss the target, and Joe Carey (name spelled correctly herein) got good wood on a crack from outside the 18.

Raider keeper Mansell was strong in the air, and handled a long bid from Hayden Pressey-Murray professionally. His best save came on a rapid fire sequence from close in with a big-time denial of a hard shot by Evan Greenwald.

After penning the raiders in for a long stretch, Lebanon broke back into the Hanover end, and as Coach Grabill was explaining to Valley news Reported Jared Pendak the concept of "against the run of play", Lebanon struck for the only goal that they would need to end Hanover's long win streak. Striker Dylan Staplefield cranked a long throw-in into the box, and Avery Hymel flicked a header on to Cooper Hardy. The Lebanon Captain controlled the ball and was uncontested enough to ram a short shot past Stefan Dyroff for a 1-0 lead. It was an uncharacteristic bit of bad defending by the Marauders, who knew what was coming, and watched it happen.

Facing their first deficit of the season, the Marauders rallied after halftime, and continued to hold an edge in play. This time, however, Lebanon was content to sit back and defend, and counter with long balls out of the back. To their credit, the Marauders generated some excellent scoring chances. Forrest Pratt had another great bid from the right side, and Matt Barth nearly flicked home a header on a free kick. Ben Harris made a nice move to beat a defender on the baseline, but then held the ball too long and was dispossessed by a swarm of Raider defenders.

As the clock ran down, Hanover was able to make their two best bids. Mansell made a spectacular diving save on a short shot by Eric Jayne from eight years, and then flew to his right to knock away a shot by Greenwald from the right side that was labelled for the upper left corner. The Marauders earned a corner from this, but failed to be dangerous both in this instance and in several others. "Corners were not our strong suit today," commented Coach Grabill. We'll be working on this.

The clock wound down with no magic finish in store for the Marauders, who watched the joyous Lebanon pigpile and took their medicine with good grace and characteristic sportsmanship. "The loss ended our winning streak but it didn't end our season," commented Grabill. "If history is any indication, we'll learn from this and and be a very dangerous team in the playoffs. It will be a long wait until Wednesday, though."

Trinity is a new face in Division II, having dropped down from from Class L just this year. The Pioneers finished the regular season with a record of 6-9-1, and won three of their last five games. "We're glad that our success this season has earned us a home game in the first round and the possibility of one in the quarterfinals," concluded Grabill. "We will take these one at a time and try to be as focused as we can."

Junior Varsity Beats Lebanon 2-0, Ends Season 13-1

The Junior Varsity ended the regular season on a high note with a 2-0 win on the road at Lebanon, their second win of the season against their neighborhood rivals. Tomas Laporta scored both goals for the Marauders, who benefited from their usual airtight team defense. Hanover has allowed only two goals in 14 games this season.

The Marauders close out a busy week with a trip to Pembroke on Saturday for the Pembroke Academy Junior Varsity Tournament.

Game Update for Friday and Saturday

Friday, October 22


Varsity and JV games at Lebanon are at 3:30 p.m. at the High School

Busses will depart at 2:30 p.m.


Saturday, October 23


Reserve Soccer vs. Hartford and Thetford at the Quechee Green. First Game at 10:00 a.m. Bus Departs at 9:00 a.m.

JV Soccer at Pembroke Tournament. Bus departs at 8:00 a.m.

No Varsity Practice on Saturday


Looking Ahead....

Varsity First Round NHIAA Division II Playoff Wednesday, Oct. 27 at HHS Time and Opponent TBA

Marauders Remain Unbeaten with 7-1 Win at Milford

The Hanover 2010 winning streak reached 13 Wednesday with a well-played 7-1 victory over a young Milford squad. The Marauder starters scored three times in the first thirteen minutes of the contest, which allowed a number of the reserves to get ample playing time. Eric Jayne figured in all three of those goals and ended the day with a goal and three assists. That gave him a career total of 44 goals and 19 assists, tying him with Ben Mackinnon for the all-time point scoring title.

After a series of one-touch passes down the left flank between Jayne and Ben Harris, to Isaiah Fariel on the doorstep and the junior striker notched his second goal of the season at 9:10. Three minutes later, Joe Carey threaded a ball to Jayne at midfield. Jayne tapped it ahead to get some space, burst ahead of the pursuing defenders, and ripped a shot form well outside the penalty area that grazed the underside of the crossbar and dented the ground over the goal line. Less than a minute later Jayne returned the favor, hitting a cross into the box that Carey headed home for his third goal of the season. Matt Barth wrapped up the scoring midway through the half, cramming home a rebound after a hard shot on goal by Keegan Gantrish from the right side.

The starters got a brief cameo at the start of the second half, long enough for Jayne to slip the ball to Ben Harris in front for a clinical finish and Ben's seventh goal of the season and fifth in the last four games. Just like last year when he finished with 11 goals, Harris is getting hot when the weather turns cold. Good timing. Joe Carey bailed out the back line with a goal-mouth clear before heading to the bench.

Subs kept rolling off the bleachers, and all 27 players who made the trip got good chunks of playing time. As was the case with Tuesday night's game against John Stark, the reserves put together some of the best sequences of the game. Alex Dodds hit a backwards header that just kissed off the crossbar. Evan Greenwald just missed connections on a ball in front. Ian Strohbehn came oh-so-close on several of his four shots.

Pedro Celaya collected his second goal in two games, dispossessing a Milford defender and racing in off the left side before burying a hard shot that that was nevertheless less potentially dangerous that Tuesday night's laser that nearly saw off the John Stark goalie's hands. The score was Celaya's seventh of the year, rewarding a great deal of hard work and focus. Ryan Brigham collected his second goal in two days and third of the season, racing into the goal mouth to hammer home a header on a Chris Harwick's free kick. The helper was Harwick's first career point.

Unfortunately for the back line, they couldn't maintain their focus for the full forty minutes, and allowed a Milford striker to slip through for an uncontested breakaway on an undeserving Andrew Brown with less than two minutes to play. Despite the loss of the clean sheet, the afternoon was a clear success. Scoring 13 goals in less than 24 hours and playing a superb game on a grass surface was enough to put the Marauders in a good mood as they savored their 25th consecutive win.

The current winning streak started just after Hanover's last trip to the Lebanon pitch, and that's where the Marauders are headed on Friday afternoon for a 3:30 p.m. kickoff. Both teams see the match as a valuable playoff tuneup, and there's a lot on the line. The Raiders have everything to play for, since they can lock up a home game for the first round of the NHIAA Divison II playoffs with a win. They are well-coached, athletic, committed and one of the best teams in the state on restarts. Hanover's got its hands full.

Marauder JVs Beat Milford 13-0

Working hard to keep the score down and make the game competitive against a young Milford squad, the Hanover Junior Varsity mixed positions and defeated the Spartans 13-0 Wednesday.

Scoring Summary:

Peter Bensen (Liam Gantrish)
Zach Taylor (Bensen)
Eli Connolly (Gantrish)
Taylor
Xavi Tchana (Tomas LaPorta)
Rocco Linehan

2d Half

Taylor
Connor Gordon
Connolly (Dan Osheyack)
Duncan Piper (Daniel Hernandez)
Piper (LaPorta)
Osheyack
Sam Carey (Gordon)

Rocco Linehan made his debut in goal in the second half in relief of Ryan O'Rourke.
Goalkeeper Duncan Piper did equally well at striker,as did regular defenders Sam Carey and Daniel Osheyack. The Marauders close out the regular season Friday at Lebanon. Kickoff is 3:30. Dismissal time is 2:15.

Marauders Beat John Stark on Senior Night 6-0

Hanover continued to pace the pack in Division Two with a dominating 6-0 victory over John Stark at Merriman-Branch Field Tuesday Night. The Marauder win streak this season is now twelve on the trot, and 24 dating back to last year. Six different players tallied for the home team on a night that saw all 25 field players see significant playing time.

The Marauders celebrated Senior Night by starting 11 members of the Class of '11, and Alex Dodds underscored the wisdom of that move by tallying his first career goal less than four minutes into the game. Dodds took a brilliantly conceived lead pass from Ben Harris and broke free past the John Stark defense, hitting a driven left footer from outside the box that tucked under the crossbar and demanded to be taken into account as the game winning goal.

Senior Stefan Dyroff made that aspiration stand up with a trio of sweet saves in the first half against a John Stark offense that made full use of its limited shot opportunities. Dyroff had made a great stop in the opening minute on a near-breakaway, and the swallowed a bad angle worm burner from Stark striker Nate Manna later in the half when the game was still close. Finally, the altitudinous netminder came far out of his net to punch away a through ball with a daring, athletic move, more than earning what would be his fifth shutout on season.

Back in the John Stark end, Ben Harris and Eric Jayne were raining shots at the Generals' goal, and Harris finally doubled the score in the 31st minute, taking a great pass from Jayne after some baseline ballet, and firing a short-sided rocket that roofed the net from a bad angle. It was Harris' sixth goal of the season and fourth in three games. Jayne picked up his team-leading 7th assist of the campaign.

After a halftime ceremony to honor the 13 graduating seniors and their parents/guarantors/willing fill-in-siblings, it was time for the underclassmen to shine in the second half, and they put on a dazzling display. Pedro Celaya got things off to a sizzling start, hitting an absolute rocket from the right side that was just too hot for Stark goalie Mike Prindiville to handle. Ryan Brigham got the assist on the play as the middleman in a neat give and go with Celaya. Five minutes later, Brigham was the beneficiary of some slick passing from Trey Rebman and Daniel Hazlett, who took Trey's lead pass into the corner and smoked a low cross that Brigham touched home for his second goal of the year.

Seven minutes later Brendan Barth collected his second goal, heading home a short cross from Rebman after Trey had redirected a well-placed free kick from Evan Greenwld, who recorded his first career assist. Daniel Hazlett caped off the scoring at the seventy minute mark, charging the goal to head home a ball from Forrest Watkins, who was very effective at right midfield all evening.

There were other close calls. Hazlett had earlier clanged a long free kick off the cross bar, and Jay Mobilia's long, high drive was just deflected over the bar by Prindiville, who authored a number of good saves to keep his team in the game. Connor Bentivoglio's screaming volley from well beyond the box targeted for the lower left corner before it clanged off a John Stark defender's leg.

The Marauders will have a chance to jump right back into the fray Wednesday, travelling to Milford for a final tuneup prior to their return trip to Lebanon on Friday, the scene of their most recent loss. First things first, however. The Marauders hope to make good use of every minute at Milford, and they're feeling it right now.

JV Earns 10th Shutout Against John Stark, 8-0

The Junior Varsity took advantage of a venue change to their favored plastic paradise at Merriman Branch Field Tuesday, and beat John Stark 8-0 with an excellent display of team defense and unselfish offense.

Eli Connolly led off the scoring with a shot just inside the left post, and Zach Taylor made it 2-0 with a blast from outside, assisted by Alex Pratt. Daniel Hernandez deftly slipped a shot into the net with an assist from Xavi Tchana to make the score 3-0. Alex Murphy celebrated his birthday with a nice shot to increase the lead to 4-0, and the Tomas LaPorta vaped a long drive into the net from outside 18 for a 5-0 Marauder halftime advantage.

Roco Linehan took on the bulk of the scoring duties in the second half, scoring a brace, with assists going to Xavi Tchana and Eli Connolly. Mr. T. then capped off the scoring, with Ben Manning credited with the helper.

With only one goal allowed on the season thus far, the Marauders take to the road Wednesday for a trip to Milford.

Tuesday Game Donation to Benefit Humane Society

In addition to honoring our 13 senior players and their parents/guarantors at our final regular season home game on Tuesday ), we will continue our annual tradition of collecting money and donations for the Upper Valley Humane Society. We have done this for several years, and felt wonderful about supporting this important nonprofit.

We will be collecting items at the table at the top of the stairs. The Humane Society is seeking the following sorts of items dog and cat food (Canidea or Felidea in particular, which can be bought at local pet stores, dishwasher detergent, laundry detergent, dog and cat treats and toys, towels, flat sheets, and gift cards for Shaws or Walmart. Tax-deductible donations are also welcomed. If we all pitch in with an item or two, we can make a big difference!

Practice and Game Schedule Oct. 18 - 23

Monday, October 17


Reserve Practice at The Pasture 4:00 - 5:30 p.m.

JV Practice at The Pasture 4:00 - 5:30 p.m.

Varsity Practice HHS turf 6:30 - 8:00 p.m.


Tuesday, October 18


Reserve Practice at The Pasture 4:00 - 5:30 p.m.

JV Game vs. John Stark HHS grass field 4:15 p.m.

Varsity Game v. John Stark HHS turf 6:00 p.m.

Senior Night Ceremony - Collecting Donations for the Humane Society


Wednesday, October 19


Reserve Practice HHS Turf (tentative) 2:30 - 4:00 p.m.

JV game at Milford Depart 1:15 p.m.

Varsity Game at Milford Depart 1:15 p.m.


Thursday, October 20


Reserve, JV and Varsity Practice at The Pasture 4:00 - 5:30 p.m.

Varsity Clinic for Hanover Rec. Soccer HHS turf 6:15 - 7:30 p.m.


Friday, October 21


Reserve Practice at The Pasture 4:00 - 5:30 p.m.

JV and Varsity Games at Lebanon 3:30 p.m. Depart 2:00 p.m.


Saturday, October 22


Reserve Games at Hartford w/Thetford Times TBA

JV at Pembroke Tournament Times TBA

Varsity Practice HHS turf 2:00 - 3:30 p.m.

Reserves Beat Keene Freshmen 5-1

After two cancellations this week the Marauder reserves were anxious to play a real game, but after the long bus trip the side was a bit sleepy and let the Blackbirds take an early 1-0 lead. With the wake up call clearly received Hanover quickly realized that they were facing an over the top and sprint offense. The back line of Kuehlert, Estes, Leonard, and Gardner backed off the sprinting man child of a striker from Keene and gave him space to lose the ball to the likes of David White and Miles "monster" Campbell in midfield. After three or four blazing runs one v one against the keeper Philip Caffrey chose not to try to chip the ball directly at the keeper for the third time and put it far to the left post corner and in to tie the game at 1-1.

The second squad striking pairing of Robert Wild on the left and Andrew "hipcheck" Huizenga sped at the Keene defense repeatedly getting stopped by the lone Keene defense men or the Keene net minder who played out of his skull. With three minutes to go Wild found Huizenga on a wide run and after knocking over half of the Keene team as well and the goalie Huizenga scored with an open net tap in from one foot out to give Hanover a 2-1 lead. Calls of "ANTI" screeched across the pitch and the Marauders bunkered down to contain until the end of the half. At the first whistle the score stood in Hanover's favor.

Excited and very pleased with their performance so far, the Reserve Boys congregated to gather their thoughts and rehydrate for the second half. Coach Michael Callanan arrived at the half for the extra help and support that was needed to carry the game through to the end.

The second squad returned to the pitch to start half number two in a full 5-2-2-1 or what quickly became a 5-2-3 formation. Alex Brown continued to bomb down the left wing striking at goal when open and reclaiming lost balls when needed. It only took Brown ten minutes to finally blast a ball into the near right corner of the net passed the Keene goalie who was relieved that he never put his hands in the way of the shot. The score was now 3-1 for Hanover.

Played continued to be dominated by Hanover relentlessly sending ball after ball in and onto the feet of Caffrey, Wild, and Huizenga. Robert Wild finally got past the 8 foot 4 Keene sweeper only to pass the goalie for another easy tap in goal, making the score 4-1 for the Marauders.

Didier I mean Philip Caffrey knocked home the final goal of the game with another passing shot into the corner past the diving keeper to make the final score of the game 5-1 for Hanover. This was Caffrey's 8th goal in four consecutive games. The boy does not know the meaning of Hat trick and has graciously requested his number be changed from 11 to number 2. The Keene freshmen team played hard to the end but the Reserves only played poorly for a good minute. Like it has been said in the past five games "This was our best game so far".

The regular season is over for the reserve boys but there is a jamboree on Saturday at Hartford with three teams competing. Stay tuned for details. Thanks to all the traveling supporters and fans. The players appreciate your support and put on a great show.

Marauders Beat Lebanon 2-1 in Overtime Thriller

Hanover added another chapter to their amazing rivalry with Lebanon on Tuesday, knocking off the Raiders 2-1 in overtime with a dazzling free kick by Senior Ben Harris. The win gave the Marauders their 11th straight triumph, and allowed them to hold onto first place in NHIAA Division Two competition.

Harris' goal, his second of the night, capped a thrilling night of soccer in front of a crowd of over 600 spectators that may well be the largest for any sport in Merriman-Branch history. The grandstands were packed, the spectator wall in front was lined to capacity, and there were scores of spectators on the hillside terraces.

The huge audience, assembled in anticipation of the latest chapter of the ongoing soap opera that is Hanover-Lebanon soccer, got everything that they had hoped for, and perhaps more. Both teams battled at a high level for the 85-plus minutes that were played, and the sudden result on a golden goal left everyone exhausted, but still eager for the rematch at Lebanon a week from Friday. With both teams headed for the playoffs, perhaps even a third installment is in the offing.

The Tuesday night tussle will be hard to top. Lebanon came into the match with no fear, and proceeded top take the play to Hanover. Throughout the first half, both teams battled on even terms, with Lebanon demonstrating skill and composure in addition to their athleticism and good organization. Although much of the half was contest, both teams were able to mount serious challenges at close range. Hanover goalie Stefan Dyroff made a nice save art the near post on Brady Boisvert, and his opposite number Austin Mansell made a brilliant diving fsave ona blast by Isaiah Fariel and then later dove to his right to deny a short-side blast by Trey Rebman.

Hanover worked free for several long-range attempts, including two each by Ben Harris and Eric Jayne that had plenty of mustard on them. Late in the half, Matt Barth made a superb stuff on a close-range shot that should have been in.

After a standoff in the first half, the Marauders came out smoking in the second half, and completely dominated play for the first ten minutes. Several shots were just wide or snuffed by Mansell, but just when it appeared that Hanover wouldn't be rewarded. Ben Harris made a nifty move on the left baseline and closed on the goal, firing a bad-angle shot that caromed off a defender and into the back of the net for a 1-0 lead.

Not surprisingly, Lebanon responded with their best pressure of the half, nearly missing a goal when Cooper Hardy's shot on the rebound of a Dyroff save went sailing over the bar from close range. A few minutes later, Lebanon was awarded a free kick on a rec league dangerous play call, and the Raiders executed a perfect restart. Cooper Hardy lofted a ball over the Hanover defense and out of the range of Dyroff,and the dangerous Avery Hymmel met the serve perfectly and ripped it into the net to tie the game with 20 minute left to play.

Hanover was momentarily stunned, but systematically regained their momentum and controlled the play for the rest of regulation, coming close on several occasions. Isaiah Fariel just missed connections on a header in front. Eric Jayne just past the far post after some dazzling work in the corner by dangerous Daniel Hazlett. Joe Carey hit an absolute pill from outside the 18 that Mansell managed to parry away, and Forrest Pratt blazed the rebound past the upper far corner from a bad angle.

The toll of the game was starting to tell as the clock wound toward regulation. Several starters had to retreat to the sidelines with cramps, but Hanover's bench strength proved to be an advantage, as Roland Herrmann-Stanzel, Evan Greenwald and Keegan Gantrish provided valuable minutes as the clock wound down.

The end of regulation brought even more tension to a game that was already stomach-churning, as the teams trudged out for the first ten minutes of sudden death overtime.
Hanover held an edge in the first five minutes,and suddenly the game was over. Eric Jayne was tripped outside the 18 while going hard to goal, and stood over the ball with Ben Harris, debating strategies. Perhaps they did rock-paper-scissors. Perhaps it was the familiar cello vs. bagpipes debate. Eventually, Harris held sway and lined up over the ball. His teammates had seen him deliver on a similar free kick in preseason, but this was totally different. This was Hanover-Lebanon, senior year, winning streak and first place on the line. The huge crowd was baying at full pitch, and Harris responded with a Beckhamesque left-footer that curled over the wall and into the far corner. Boom! Jenga! Goodnight.

There were no losers in this game. Lebanon was gutted, but they had played their heart out, and stood toe-to-toe with their hosts. Hanover had authored some sublime moments of soccer in the second half. Together, the two teams had put on a demonstration of NH high school soccer at its absolute best. The teams had played fast-paced, hard soccer, and had never lost sight of the need to honor the game. They will meet again in 10 days in Lebanon, and odds are that the game will be another great one.

In the meantime, Hanover has earned a week of rest before they host John Stark on Senior Night. They still have work to do, but are closer than ever to realizing their goal of making this 50th year of Marauder soccer something special.

JV Beats Lebanon 3-0 to go 10-1

The Junior Varsity turned in an outstanding performance Tuesday, beating a good Lebanon team 3-0 at Merriman-Branch Field. Both teams had good scoring chances in a scoreless first half before Hanover broke the game open with three goals in the second half.

Alex Pratt the game winner near the midpoint of the second half, ripping a low shot from long range that found space just inside the left upright. Connor Gordon doubled the lead with a nice volley from eight yards out, and Rocco Linehan finished the scoring with a sweet left-footer to the far side netting, assisted by Xavier Tchana.

The Marauders have a week off before returning to action next Tuesday against John Stark.
JV Practice Wednesday is form 5:15 - 6:45, back on the turf.

Reserve Game Cancelled

The Reserve Game scheduled for Wednesday, October 13th has been cancelled. The Reserves will practice at The Pasture from 3:00 - 4:30.

Game and Practice Schedule October 12-16

Tuesday, October 12

Reserve practice at The Pasture 4:00- 5:30 p.m.

JV Game vs. Lebanon HHS turf 5:00 p.m.

Varsity Game vs. Lebanon HHS turf 7:00 p.m.

**Be sure to remember to bring food items for The Haven!


Wednesday, October 13

Reserve Game vs. John Stark Cancelled
Practice at The Pasture 3:00 - 4:30 p.m.

JV Practice HHS turf 5:15 - 6:45 p.m.

Varsity Practice Huntley Meadow #4 3:30 - 5:00 p.m.


Thursday, October 14

Reserve Game vs. Oyster River at The Pasture 4:00 p.m.

JV/Varsity Scrimmage at The Pasture 4:00 - 5:30 p.m.


Friday, October 15


Reserve/JV/Varsity Practice at The Pasture 4:00 - 5:30 p.m.


Saturday, October 16


Reserve Game at Keene 11:00 a.m. Depart 8:45 a.m.

Varsity at Norwich Jamboree 1:00 - 3:30 p.m.

Tuesday Games Feature Food Drive For The Haven

The Hanover Varsity and JV teams host Lebanon on Tuesday, October 12th, and will continue the tradition of working with Raider players, parents and fans to collect non-perishable food items for the Haven. Over the years, everyone attending the game has been asked to bring items for the Haven's Food Bank, and the response has been outstanding.

"We're asking everyone coming to the games to help as much as they can" said Coach Rob Grabill. "The demands for food to help families in need has never been greater, and we are in a great position to help."

A large crowd is expected for the two games (JV at 5:00 and Varsity at 7:00). Food will be collected at the entrance to the field at the top of the stairs, near the Friends of Hanover Soccer Snack Shack.

"The players from both teams know each other well,and the game will be very competitive," remarked Grabill. "A food drive like this is a nice way to remind everyone about what's really important, and the players are glad that they have a chance to help out".

Practice and Game Schedule October 7-12

Thursday, October 7

Reserves vs. Girls' JV HHS turf 4:45 - 6:15 p.m.

JV vs. Varsity Scrimmage The Pasture 4:00 - 5:30 p.m.



Friday, October 8

Varsity Practice HHS turf 1:30 - 3:00 p.m.



Monday, October 11

Varsity Practice HHS turf 6:00 - 7:30 p.m.



Tuesday. October 12

Reserve Practice The Pasture 4:00 - 5:30 p.m.

JV vs. Lebanon 5:00 p.m. HHS turf

Varsity vs. Lebanon 7:00 p.m. HHS turf

Marauders Top Bishop Brady: Jayne Sets Scoring Record

Hanover accomplished most of its goals Tuesday in a match at Brady that they won by the score of 5-0. Most importantly, they got a result, and in doing so solidified their hold on sole possession of first place in NHIAA Division II play. At 10-0-0, they are the only unbeaten, untied team in the league, and one of only two boys' teams in the entire state.

Of lesser significance, but nevertheless laudatory, Jayne scored his 10th goal of the season and the 43rd of his career, putting him alone as the all-time Hanover goal scoring leader. He broke the record of 42 held by Bob Dow, Class of '66, who was on hand for the occasion and one of the first to congratulate him. In addition to being one of the best players in New England, Jayne is also one of the hardest-working and most self-effacing. The scoring record means a great deal less to him than leading the team to a shot at the NHIAA title. It was nevertheless a special moment, and it was handled with class in every way.

Another very significant goal for the Marauders was playing well. They knew that in facing a winless Bishop Brady team, there might be pitfalls. Playing an undermanned and inexperienced opponent can sometimes diminish the level of play and lead to bad habits. Happily, Hanover didn't let this happen, and managed this feat while 25 different players got significant playing time. They settled in and created some nice soccer, which helped the Brady team play well, too. Missions accomplished.

The match started with Alex Woods making his first varsity start in goal, Brendan Barth and Roland Herrmann-Sanzel playing the first 60 minutes at center midfield, and
exemplary sesniors Alex Dodds, Keegan Gantrish and Adam Kline-Schoder also on the pitch for the opening whistle. The Marauders were well-served by all of the above.
Most notable in the early going was Brendan Barth, who played flawlessly. He helped control play in the middle, won a lot of balls in the air, and kept the ball heading in Jayne's direction. One of his passes found paydirt in the fifteenth minute, and Jayne was unerring with a rip into the back of the net for his record-setting goal. To have it come early on was incredibly gratifying, and he took a spot on the bench with several senior stalwarts who were sitting this one out so that their deserving teammates could make the most of their minutes.

Hanover kept pressing, led by good attempts from midfielders Herrmann-Stanz and Kline-Schoder, cheered on by fellow hyphen Pressey-Murray. Matt Barth had a couple of looks that bordered on the unseemly, and may have hastened the advent of the reserve back four. With ten minutes to play in the half Pedro Celaya took a pass from Isaiah Fariel on the left side of the box, turned to find room to his right, and hit the Goal of The Year, a Diego Forlan-like drive that screamed towards the upper right corner and at the last minute dipped into the upper 90 like a Luke Skywalker rocket shot into the exhaust portal of the Death Star. Ka-boom!

In the Marauder end, the back four did a find job tackling and snuffing shots, and Alex Woods made a fine leaping save to earn his half of the clean sheet. Andrew Brown took over in the second half and was equally tidy playing behind the Pepto-Bismol quartet, who actually played steadily amidst the episodic rain showers. The collective shutout was well-deserved.

Unsurprisingly, Hanover turned up the heat offensively in the second half, firing 17 shots to Brady's one, and possession soccer. Brendan Barth opened his account with his first varsity marker in the 60th minute, flipping a Keegan Gantrish free kick into the upper corner of the net. Ben Harris benefitted from some nice work on his behalf by Daniel Hazlett, tipping in a great feed from the right baseline. Ian Strohbehn, who had earlier made a meal of another Hazlet golden helper, ripped in a rebound from a fumbled corner kick from Trey Rebman, also his first varsity goal.

With Merrimack Valley's Monday loss to Goffstown, Hanover stands alone at the top of the D2 table. They will have to work hard to defend that lofty perch in the weeks to come. Next up is Lebanon, coming to Merriman-Branch field on October 12th at 7:00. Circle the date on your calendar. Get there early. Bring some canned goods. Aloha. Out.

JV Beats Bishop Brady 12-0 in a "Friendly"

Managing a mismatched soccer match is not as it looks. If one team scores a lot of goals in a one-sided match, it can frequently cause bad feelings, especially if the wining team rubs it in. The Hanover Junior varsity has been outscoring almost everyone this fall, and have learned how to accomplish their goal of playing hard, playing well and still respecting the other team.

The Marauders faced an undermanned Bishop Brady team Tuesday in Concord, and it was clear from the start that they would dominate the play. Coach Mike Callanan carefully communicated with both his team and the Brady squad, and the home team clearly got the message that it was not Hanover's intent to embarrass them.

Hanover did win, and by a lot, but they way in which they won, which included trading positions when the score started mounting, and limiting their shots to long ones from the outside, made a world or difference. There were smiles n both sides at the end of the game.

For the record, the Hanover goal scorers were:

Connor Gordon- 2 goals and an assist
Rocco Linehan - 2 goals
Xavier Tchana - 2 goals
Eli Connolly - 1 goal
Liam Gantrish - 1 goal
Drake Greenwood - 1 goal and an assist
Peter Bensen - 2 assists
Daniel Hernandez-Martinez - 1 goal
Tomas LaPorta - 1 assist
Sun Ho Ma - 1 assist

Defenders Daniel Osheyack and Benjamin Manning added goals in the second half, and both were in keeping with the established guidelines.

Congratulations to the JV for a 9-1 record, one goal allowed in 10 games, and exemplifying sportsmanship and classy play. Next up: Lebanon, on the turf at 5:00 p.m. on Tuesday, October 12t.

Game and Practice Schedule Oct. 4-8

Monday, Oct. 4


Varsity, JV and Reserve Practice at The Pasture 4:00 - 5:30 p.m.


Tuesday, Oct. 5


Reserve Practice at The Pasture 4:00 - 5:30 p.m.

JV and Varsity Games at Bishop Brady 4:30 p.m. Depart 2:00 p.m.

*** Players must inform teachers Monday about early dismissal ***

JV Game at NH State Hospital

Varsity Game at NH Voc-Tech


Wednesday, Oct. 6

Reserve Game at Lebanon 4:30 p.m. Depart 3:15 p.m.

JV Practice at The pasture 3:00 - 4:30 p.m.

Varsity Practice HHS Turf 2:15 - 3:45 p.m.


Thursday, Oct. 7


Reserve Practice HHS Turf 4:45 - 6:15 p.m.

JV vs. Varsity Scrimmage at The Pasture 4:00 - 5:30 p.m.


Friday, Oct. 8


Reserve Practice at The Pasture 4:00 - 5:30 p.m.

JV Practice at The Pasture 4:00 - 5:30 p.m.

Varsity Practice HHS Turf 6:30 - 8:00 p.m.

Marauders Top Hollis Brookline 2-1 To Stay Un-Un

Hanover's streak of Saturday successes continued into October, as the Marauders used a second half spurt to put away pesky Hollis-Brookline 2-1. Eric Jayne's 42d career goal gave the Marauders the wining edge, and tied him for the all-time HHS goal scoring title.

Just as significantly, the Marauder defense ruled the day, stifling the Cavalier and conceding only a late-game penalty kick that was as inconsequential as it was ludicrous. Stefan Dyroff was a dominating presence in goal, and the back 4.5 continued to play very well.

The first half was even in every sense of the word. Hollis-Brookline, which has been good enough this season to tie unbeaten Souhegan twice, matched the Marauders shot for shot and held a 3-0 edge in corner kicks. Center midfielder Geaton Ciot buzzed all over, forcing Dyroff to make a sweet save on his header from a corner kick,and narrowly missing a short-side shot that dented the side netting. Cavalier forward hit a long shot from outside the 18 that glanced off the crossbar on its way over. Hollis was hungry.

Hanover was not without its opportunities. Ben Harris had a couple looks from the edge of the box, and Eric Jayne his one strong shot from the right side that was saved by Hollis keeper Nick Ullrich. Hayden Pressey-Murray hit a long-range bomb that beat Ullrich but just eased over the bar. With five minutes to play in a tight first half,
Connor Bentivoglio hit an excellent driven cross from deep on the right side. Striker Daniel Hazlett and a Hollis defender both just missed connecting with the ball in front, and it sped to onrushing midfielder Trey Rebman, who hit a textbook volley and blasted it over Ullrich's outstretched arms for his second goal of the season and a 1-0 lead.

Given the back and forth nature of the first half, the slim lead seemed precarious. Within minutes after the resumption of play, it was clear that the Marauders had turned the volume to 11. Hanover pinned Hollis in their own half and battered them with a succession of shots. Joe Carey and Ben Harris orchestrated the attack from the center of the park, and wingers Rebman and Forrest Pratt sent a number of dangerous balls into the mixer for Jayne and Isaiah Fariel, celebrating his return to the starting lineup. Jayne and Matt Barth nearly connected on headers, and Ullrich made several good stops before Jayne connected for his 9th goal of the season at the 58 minute mark. Forrest Pratt hit one of his several superlative corners, and Hayden Pressey-Murray met it for an unerring header. Ullrich was in position to stop the shot, but it popped off his hands just long enough for Jayne to ghost in and head the ball home with alacrity.

Hanover kept pounding, and created several more good opportunities. Roland Gerrmann-Stanzel nearly snuck a shot in on the near side on a corner kick from Keegan Gantrish.
Evan Greenwald had a decent long-rage take, and unveiled his longer-range throw-in. Unfortunately, in his excitement the rookie defender wasn't able to find Jayne in traffic, despite his coach's explicit instructions. Luckily, Ben Harris was in position to flick the errant throw into danger in front of the net.

The game was well in hand as the clock ran down, and even another one of those "Huh?"
penalties with three minutes left couldn't dampen the shine of Hanover's effort. Stefan Dyroff's foray off the line to corral the ball at the edge of the box was misinterpreted by the field hockey official who had shown up at the wrong field to be a free hit or a penalty corner or whatever they call it. Dyroff recovered his equanimity long enough to miss administering cheater's proof by a fingertip. No mater. The ball stayed in the Hollis end of the park for most of the remaining time, betting over midfield only when Joe Carey got a 15-yard penalty for holding, or perhaps roughing the passer.

Hanover was happy to celebrate its 9th straight victory, and stay tied at the top of the table with Merrimack Valley in NHIAA Division Dos. The Marauders return to action on Tuesday with a road trip to Bishop Brady. The game kicks off at 4:30 at the NH Voc-Tech field in Concord. Be there for #43.

Junior Varsity Rallies to Top Hollis 4-3

The Marauder Junior Varsity overcame a two-goal deficit and earned a satisfying 4-3 victory over Hollis-Brookline on Saturday. Hanover is now 8-1 on the season.

Alex Pratt gave Hanover 1-0 lead, assisted by Benjamin Manning, before the Cavaliers tied the score on a breakaway.

Hollis-Brookline took a 3-1 lead in the second half, scoring on a penalty kick and another breakaway that may or may not have been offsides. Zach Taylor started the comeback, assisted by Tomas LaPorta, as the Marauders switched to their infamous "Overload" and featured three players up top. Leading scorer Rocco Linehan tied the game, with the assist going to Daniel Hernandez-Martinez. Xavier Tchana got the game winning goal on a shot that just snuck over the goal line. Jacob LaPoint assisted on the goal.

The JV is back in action Tuesday with a game at Bishop Brady, which will be played on the grounds of the State Hospital in Concord, on Fruit Street opposite Memorial Field.
Game time is 4:30,and dismissal time is 2:00 p.m.

The JV will be playing in the Pembroke post-season tournament on Saturday, October 23rd. Mark your calendars!

Reserves Beat Coe-Brown 2-1 at Home

The spacious firmament of The Pasture dried out quickly from the Upper Valley's two-day monsoon, and the Hanover Reserves made good use of their home field advantage with a well-played 2-1 win over Coe-Brown on Saturday.

Philip Caffrey scored twice, and the Marauders dominated on defense in front of goalkeeper Brandon Rhim, conceding only a late goal with the game well in hand.

Caffrey converted a great through ball and sidestepped the Coe-Brown goalie to give Hanover a 1-0 lead with five minutes left to play in the first half. Jordan Levin set up Caffrey's second goal, which was the fourth for the freshman striker in his last two games.

Miles Campbell and Eben Holbrook set the tone at midfield with outstanding performances, while Sawyer Brooks anchored the defense along with Parker Gardner.

The Reserves return to action Wednesday with a game at Lebanon

Reserve/JV Practice Cancelled; Varsity Indoors

Reserve and Junior Varsity practice are cancelled for today (Fri, 10/1). The fields are submerged.

The Varsity will practice indoors in the gym from 5:00 - 6:00 p.m., and then go to the team dinner at Barths'.

Please check e-mail and the blog Saturday morning for status updates on the three Saturday games.

Thanks to the JV parents for offers of snacks. If someone can provide drinks, we will be all set!

Varsity/JV Head to Hollis Saturday; Reserves Home

The Hanover Varsity and JV teams will travel to Hollis on Saturday for matches against Hollis-Brookline High School. Please note: The matches kick off at 1:00 p.m. Some schedules list the games at Noon, but we have confirmed a 1:00 p.m. start time.

The Reserves, fresh off their 1-0 scrimmage victory against the HHS JV girls (thanks to a great Matthew Leskovar free kick!) will play at home on Saturday against Coe-Brown. The match is at The Pasture, with a 12:30 kickoff.

Thursday Practice Update

The Varsity practice Thursday will be held as planned 4:00 - 5:30 at The Pasture. Prepare to get wet.

Varsity Team Supper at Barths

The Varsity team will gather at the Barths' home on Friday for a lasagna dinner and World Cup highlight film at 6:30 on Friday, following practice. The Barths live at 39 Orchard Hill.

Thursday Practice Update

Because of the Rain forecast for Thursday, all members of all three teams should check their e-mail, and the bulletin board outside the athletic department office at the end of school for soccer updates.

Reserves Lose a Nailbiter to Cardigan Mountain

The Marauders Reserves played their most challenging opponent of the season Wednesday and rose to the occasion, rallying from a 2-0 deficit to take the lead against Cardigan Mountain School before succumbing in the final minutes by a 4-3 score.

The Cardigan varsity was skilled and physical, and their opening surge put Hanover on its heels by a 2-0 count ten minutes into the match. The Marauders buckled down and got back into the game, led by Philip Caffrey, Eben Holbrook and Jordan Levin. Caffrey headed home Hanover's first goal, converting a free kick from the right side. A Sawyer Brooks corner kick led to a left-footed rip by Levin to tie the score. Alex Brown, briefly escaping the grasp (literally) of the Cardigan defense, hit a baseline cross to Caffrey for his second goal of the day, and the Marauders took a 3-2 lead.

With fifteen minutes to go, Cardigan toed the game 3-3 despite the efforts of Marauder keeper Brendan Rhim, and midfielders Eben Holbrook and Miles Campbell. With only minutes to play, a long Cardigan free kick eluded a screened Rhim in net, and the home team held on for the win.

"The was a huge improvement over the last time we played at Cardigan," commented Coach Jason Landers. "Cardigan beat Hanover 6-0 two years ago, and the quality of play on the reserves has improved a great deal since then."

Hanover returns to action Saturday with a home game against Coe-Brown at The Pasture at 12:30 p.m. The Marauders will scrimmage the HHS Girls' JV Wednesday at 2:15 on the HHS turf.

Practice and Game Schedule Sept. 27-30

Monday, Sept. 27


Reserve Game at Cardigan Mt. School 4:30 p.m. Depart 3:00 p.m.

JV/Varsity Practice at The Pasture 4:00 - 5:30 p.m.


Tuesday, Sept. 28


Reserve Practice at The Pasture 4:00 - 5:30 p.m.

JV Scrimmage vs. HHS Girls Varsity 4:00 p.m. at The Pasture

Varsity Practice at HHS turf 7:30 - 9:00 p.m.


Wednesday, Sept. 29


Reserve Practice 2:15 - 3:45 p.m. at HHS turf

JV practice at The Pasture 3:00 - 4:30 p.m.

Varsity Practice at The Pasture 3:30 - 5:00 p.m.


Thursday, Sept. 30


Reserve Practice 4:00 - 5:30 p.m. at The Pasture

JV vs. Varsity Scrimmage at The Pasture 4:00 - 5:30 p.m.

Bedford Game Photos Are Online

We were lucky enough to have Tiger Shaw on the sidelines with his camera for the Bedford game, and his photos are on-line:

http://tigershaw.phanfare.com/4840892

Some of the stop-action sequences are tremendous, including Daniel Hazlett's goal and Keegan Gantrish's goal-mouth adventure.

Thanks, Tiger!

Hanover Tops Bedford 1-0 in Division II Showdown

The Marauders played some of their best soccer of the season Saturday, topping visiting Bedford 1-0 in a clash of two of the best teams in NHIAA Division II. The win gives Hanover a record of 8-0-0, making them one of only two teams in the Division without a loss or a tie. They have won twenty games in a row, dating back to the loss to Lebanon early last season.

After a stalemated first half that ended in a scoreless time, the Marauders turned up the heat in the second half and got the game-wining goal from freshman Daniel Hazlett at the 53-minute mark. From there, Hanover manifested a combination of airtight defense and continued offensive pressure to snag a quality win against a very strong opponent.

Under the guidance of Head Coach Stuart Pepper, Bedford has capitalized on a number of resources to evolve into one of the top programs in Division II. After losing their opener to Souhegan by a 1-0 score, the Bulldogs had won seven in a row with a sophomore-studded lineup. They have arrived as one of the best team in the Division, and will remain in the upper echelon for years to come.

Hanover was equal to the challenge, raising their game and demonstrating both composure and depth. The resulting match was one of those rare regular-season confrontations with playoff intensity and big-game quality. Both teams played well, and both left the pitch with the knowledge that it might not be the last time they would meet.

The Shot totals for the first-half were somewhat deceiving: Bedford managed only two shots at the Hanover goal, and they outshot the Marauders, who managed one. Both teams, however, made a number of good opportunities. After a long stretch of midfield sparring, Bedford forward Erik Martel shook loose for a clean shot at the Hanover goal, but his low, hard shot was gobbled up by Stefan Dyroff. Eric Jayne, the subject of a lot of attention by Bedford defenders, broke loose briefly and was surprised to find himself onsides as he approached the goal. His perfunctory shot grazed the top of the crossbar.

Late in the half, Jayne was tripped on the right flank as he turned the corner, and the ensuing free kick whistled through a packed penalty area with no takers. Daniel Hazlett, subbed in up front to replace a continually-improving Isaiah Fariel, raced into the left corner and forced a hand ball on Bulldog keeper Taylor Wallace, who had come off his line to field a ball at the edge of his box, and was forced into the foul by Hazlett's pace and anticipation. That resulting free kick was also a dangerous one, but it came to naught, and the halftime score of 0-0 reflected the tenor of the game.

Hanover wasted no time putting the pressure on Bedford at the start of the second half. They earned three corner kicks in the first ten minutes, and both Matt Barth and Forrest Pratt came close on headers. The Marauders were winning midfield battles as well, and after one tussle involving Eric Jayne and Ben Harris and their Bulldog counterparts, Harris emerged with the ball and slid a masterful lead pass to a streaking Hazlett, who took a touch at the edge of the box, opened his hips, and drove the ball inside the right post for his fourth score of the season.

Bedford battled back, but the Hanover defense was more than equal to the challenge. Connor Bentivoglio and Hayden Pressey-Murray got stronger as the game went on, and Pressey-Murray in particular had a couple of weak-side headers that were crucial. Matt Barth and Robin Smith continued their strong play in the middle. Smith never backed down on 50-50 balls and was flawless in the air. Barth's tackling in close quarters kept the smaller, faster Bulldogs from working free. Finally, Bedford Captain Matt Cote got a great look at the back post and drove a head ball to the opposite lower corner. Stefan Dyroff made an amazing dive to his right, fully extending all 6'6" of himself and pushing the sure goal just wide of the post. With the save, Dyroff announced to the rest of Division II that Hanover's defense is Championship quality, and he's one of the best goalies in the state.

Having absorbed Bedford's best efforts, the Marauders regained the initiative and spend most of the balance of the game pressing for a second goal. Keegan Gantrish nearly scored in a goalmouth scramble, Pedro Celaya was a constant threat, and Bulldog keeper Wallace was the busiest man on the pitch. Bedford had a few thrusts at the death of the match, but Hanover's ability to finish off the game kept the lead safe, and the Marauders celebrated a well-earned statement win.

The weeks ahead are full of challenges for Hanover. They travel to Hollis in a week, and still have the Lebanon derbies lurking on the horizon. Nevertheless, they have done everything asked of them thus far, and remain resolved to continue their hard work to get better, half by half and game by game.

Hanover JVs Beat Bedford 3-0; Seventh Shutout

The Marauder Junior Varsity continued its excellence at both end of the field on Saturday, shutting down a good Bedford JV squad by a 3-0 score. The win gives Hanover a 7-1 record, with seven shutouts and only one goal allowed on the season.

Rocco Linehan gave the Marauders the only goal they needed in the first half, assisted by Alec Murphy. Hanover added two late goals in the second half by Tomas LaPorta (assisted by Jacob LaPoint) and Daniel Slayton, assisted by Daniel Hernandez-Martinez.

The JV has a busy week ahead with a scrimmage Tuesday at The Pasture against the girls' varsity, and on Thursday against the boys' varsity subs. Both games should present interesting challenges for all participating players.

Game and Practice Schedule Changes

The Reserve game scheduled for Saturday, Sept. 25th at Hartford has been postponed until Saturday, Oct. 23rd.

Varsity Practice on Friday, Sept. 24th will be from 3:30 - 5:00 at The Pasture. (Instead of 4:00 - 5:30)

Hanover JV Tops Hartford 5-0

The Marauder Junior Varsity put on a dazzling display under the lights at Merriman-Branch Field Tuesday night, dispatching a good Hartford panel by a 5-0 score. Bouncing back from their disappointing 1-0 loss to Oyster River on Saturday, the Marauders collected their sixth shutout in seven games, and showed excellent spacing and ball control.

Liam Gantrish opened the scoring in the first half, followed by a brace from Rocco Linehan, the first of these assisted by Daniel Hernandez-Martinez. Alex Pratt got the first of his two goals in the second half, heading in a cross from Peter Bensen,and then taking a pass from Daniel Osheyack and ripping a left-footed drive inside the far post.
The Marauders clamored for more, with several near misses, including a drive off the bar by Zach Taylor, and close calls fro Connor Gordon, Eli Connolly, Daniel Wilsonand Xavier Tchana.

Hanover returns to the fray Saturday at Noon against Bedford.

Hanover Halts Hartford Hurricanes 4-1

The Marauders overcame a slow start Tuesday night under the lights to defeat a hard-working Hartford Hurricane squad 4-1 and earn their seventh straight win. Leading 1-0 at halftime, Hanover cranked up the offense right from the start in the second half and cruised to the victory behind goals from Eric Jayne, Ben Harris and Isaiah Fariel.

It was slow going in the first half for the Marauders, not only because of a well-organized Hartford defense, but also because of some tactical naivete that resulted in repeated forays into the heart of a packed-in center of the park. Hanover held an edge in play, but the game was in doubt throughout the first half because of the counterattacking threat of Hartford's excellent striker Rory Skehan. The former Lightning teammate of many of Hanover's seniors, Skehan shook loose for the Hurricanes' only shot of the half, and was dangerous throughout. Hartford's best chance was a long, high free kick into the box by Sam Polas, another Lightning ex-pat, but Stefan Dyroff ranged far off his line to snare the ball in a crowd.

Late in the half, Hanover's patience paid off in a flurry that resulted in a Marauder corner kick. Keegan Gantrish hit a driven ball to the far post, and Eric Jayne rose to meet it and sent it back across the fact of the goal, where it deflected in off of Hurricane defender John Borchert and in, followed closely by Hayden Pressey-Murray. The officials, a source of amazement all night, deemed it an own goal. Fine. Whatever. Hanover had snatched the lead with 27 ticks on the clock, and could fully enjoy the GU buffet during the interval.

The tenor of the game changed dramatically in the second half, and it wasn't a case of Hanover wearing Hartford down. With the best elevens fresh at the resumption of play,
The Marauders took to the wings, which subsequently opened up the center. In came Hanover. Marauding. After several good offensive looks, including a couple of great saves by Jed Sass on Jayne, the Marauders doubled the lead on another corner kick.
Trey Rebman curled one in from the left side and Jayne ghosted in front of Sass and deflected the ball enough for it to lazily trickle into the goal. It was Jayne's eighth goal of the season, and it marked the fifth straight game in which he has scored.

Seconds after the resultant kickoff, the play finally got deep enough into the Hanover end for a penalty to be called on....someone, for........something. Skehan gratefully accepted the alms and expertly ripped the penalty home, pulling a goal back.

Somehow, the lead didn't seem to be in danger. Hanover went back to work calmly and efficiently, and camped in Hartford's half. Somehow, though, they made the field seem huge, switching the ball and exploiting the flanks. Forrest Pratt and Trey Rebman were were tip-toeing on the touchlines, and their quick play facilitated some great shots from the top of the box, by Joe, Carey, By Hayden Pressey-Murray, and then by Ben Harris who hit one of his patented long-range drives from 25 meters past a diving Sass to make the score 3-1. As waves of subs came off the Hanover bench, it wasn't conditioning that kept tilting play to the Marauder end. It was real skill and tactical sense by the reserves that made for some of the best football of the night.
Ryan Brigham and Forest Watkins showed well on the flanks, and Alex Dodds was at his creative best up top. Brendan Barth, who had also given valuable minutes in the first half, was a key factor in orchestrating the offense. Jay Mobilia continued to show well in back.

With a 12-3 edge in shots and a telling 7-1 edge in corners, the match was just about put to bed when Isaiah Fariel entered the game for his first real minutes since injuring his ankle in the season opener. His patient rehabilitation bore fruit at the death of the match. Charlie Umland stepped up and headed a ball down the line in Fariel's direction, and the junior striker turned and hit a long, high drive that tucked under the crossbar with 13 seconds remaining for his first goal of the season. It won't be his last.

Hartford got the most out of those final seconds, getting the ball into the box for another "penalty". This time, the soccer gods rendered appropriate judgment and Rory Skehan's spot kick rang off the left upright and was cleared.

Hanover's bright 7-0 start will be put to the sternest test of the season Saturday when Bedford comes to town. The Bulldogs are 7-1 and are also winners of seven on the trot, with their only loss of the season coming in their opener to still-unbeaten Souhegan. Stuart Pepper is an expert coach, and his young side are eager to prove themselves against the defending champs. They are familiar with the playing surface, and will come on unafraid. Kickoff time is 12:00 Noon for this must-see soccer showcase.

Practice and Game Schedue Sept. 20-25

Monday, Sept. 20

Reserve Game at Oyster River 4:30 p.m. Depart 2:00 p.m.

Varsity/JV Practice 4:00 - 5:30 The Pasture


Tuesday, Sept. 21

Reserve Practice 4:00 - 5:30 The Pasture

Varsity Soccer at Hartford 5:30 p.m.

JV Soccer vs. Hartford 7:30 p.m. HHS turf field


Wednesday, Sept. 22

Reserve Game at Bedford 4:00 p.m. Depart 2:00 p.m.

Varsity Practice 2:15 - 3:45 p.m. HHS turf field

JV Practice 3:00 - 4:30 p.m. The Pasture


Thusday, Sept. 23

Reserve Practice 4:00 - 5:30 p.m. The Pasture

JV Practice 4:00 - 5:30 p.m. The Pasture

Varsity Practice 7:45 - 9:15 p.m. HHS turf field


Friday, Sept. 24

Reserve Practice 4:00 - 5:30 p.m. The Pasture

JV Practice 4:00 - 5:30 p.m. The Pasture

Varsity Practice 4:00 - 5:30 p.m. The Pasture


Saturday, Sept. 25

Reserve Game at Hartford 10:00 a.m. Depart 9:00 a.m.

JV Game vs. Bedford 12:00 Noon HHS grass field

Varsity Game vs, Bedford 12:00 Noon HHS turf field

Marauders Top Oyster River 2-0; Six in a Row!

The Hanover High - Oyster River soccer rivalry is one of the oldest and most storied in state history. No teams in the top tiers of the NHIAA have won more championships, or been to the finals more often. Hanover has 16 titles to its credit, and Oyster River is close behind with 11. They have met in the finals four times, with the Bobcats holding a 3-1 advantage. Between 1997 and 2003, Oyster River won the Class I title five times, beating Hanover in 2001 and 2003. That's just in the Finals, folks. There have been many, many other great games in the semifinals and regular season. Prior to beating Lebanon in the Finals in 2006, Hanover dispatched OR in the semifinals 1-0 in sudden death. Even more recently, the Marauders topped the Bobcats in a shootout in the 2008 semifinals prior to winning the title against St. Thomas. The last three regular season games between the teams have been scoreless ties.

That's the back story, and it means that honoring the history of the rivalry requires nothing less than a great effort. The Bobcats came to town for the first time since 2006 and played their first game ever on Merriman-Branch Field. It was a march worthy of the legacy, with Hanover scoring two second-half goals to beat Oyster River 2-0 and stay undefeated in the current campaign with a 6-0 record.

Eric Jayne, hounded by effective man marking the entire game, showed his maturity and patience, waiting for just the right opportunity to score the game-wining goal midway through the second half, heading home the rebound of a wicked Pedro Celaya shot for his seventh goal of the season. Trey Rebman added an insurance tally with seven minutes to play, also assisted by the hard-working Celaya.

The story of the game, however, was Hanover's relentless, effective team defense. For the second Saturday in a row, the Marauders manned up against a playoff-quality opponent and shut out the opposition. The Marauder back line of Matt Barth, Robin Smith, Hayden Pressey-Murray, Connor Bentivoglio and Evan Greenwald (with a late cameo by Joe Carey) did a thorough job of containing the Bobcats and limiting them to a handful of long-range shooting attempts.

The Hanover midfield was just as effective in contributing to the clean sheet. The aforementioned Mr. Carey teamed with Ben Harris to turn the center of the park into a Bermuda Triangle for Oyster River. Their ball-winning and distribution was what gave the Marauders a territorial edge. Although the score at halftime was 0-0, there was a sense of inevitability that this advantage would manifest itself in some timely goals, as was also the case a week earlier.

The first half was not without offensive initiative, particularly by the home side. Jayne shook loose for a pair of decent looks, and his running mate Celaya was also dangerous. Ben Harris just missed connecting on a nice feed from Jayne, and freshman phenom Daniel Hazlett had a wicked drive blocked. By, um, Harris. Late in the half, Oyster River got their one legitimate opportunity when Andrew Gass, still smarting from his beating in ping pong the night before by Brendan Barth, shanked his chance on the right side of the Marauder penalty area.

It didn't take long for Hanover to start cooking in the second half. Before the first minute was gone, Eric Jayne dispossessed OR defender Brogan O'Rourke and his a hard, low shot near side that forced a diving dive from Adam Goodwin in the Bobcat net. The ball squirted loose to the right, and Jayne had a bead on it before he got hauled down. The non-call actually worked to Hanover's advantage later in the game when Bobcat striker Alex Hennessey went down in the Hanover box on a 50-50 ball. It made it much easier to swallow the whistle on that call, given the precedent that was established. That's why we hope you folks in the stands weren't too demonstrative when Jayne went down. Jayne certainly wasn't. He put his head down, got back to work, and fifteen minutes later duplicated his feat of a week ago, scoring a crucial second half goal to put Hanover ahead to stay in an important game.

The Marauders continued their second half habit of clinging to a lead by pushing hard for a second goal. Ryan Brigham, Roland Herrmann-Stanzel and Keegan Gantrish gave not just relief but energy at midfield. Ian Strohbehn and Daniel Hazlett provided some punch up front, with Hazlett creating a couple of woulda-coulda-shouldas. When Matt Barth came out with a tweaked ankle, Joe Carey slipped into his center back slot,and Jayne reprised his center midfield chores that he did so well two years ago. With nine minutes left to go, the starters came back in and pout the hammer down with Rebman's first goal of the season, aided by Celaya's fourth assist.

Oyster River kept working hard, and created some decent opportunities. The biggest challenge for Stefan Dyroff in goal, aside from a few shots that were well-struck but right at him, was a long, lofted free kick that came sailing into a crowd in the box. Dyroff determined that the ball was his, and elevated courageously to get after the ball. He was hit hard and knocked over with a fair challenge by striker Steve Luna, but left the unmistakable impression that he owned his area. It was a strong-statement by another of Hanover's big-time players.

Both teams, joined by the JV teams from both schools (with OR's crew celebrating a streak-busting 1-0 win against Hanover) gathered for a cordial BBQ picnic on the HHS Cafeteria terrace in the afternoon's warm sun. It was a nice end to a positive weekend of good soccer and generous hospitality. Thanks so much to the many families who hosted Oyster River players, and to the tireless crew who who fed well over 100 players and parents.

Hanover returns to action Tuesday night, with the Varsity travelling across the river to play Hartford at 5:30 on the Hartford High football field. The JV will stay home and play their Hurricane counterparts at Merriman-Branch Field. Kickoff time is listed for 7:00 p.m., but may be a bit later because of some tight scheduling.