Hanover High's venerated soccer pitch crackled with high-level action Tuesday evening as a bevy of stars from many Marauder championship squads took the measure of a young and promising Varsity squad 1-0 in the annual Alumni Game.
Jim Mitchell, the oldest and most vocal alum, found himself in the right place at the right time and tucked a loose ball into the net midway through the first half for the only goal of the game late in the first half. Both teams pushed forward hard looking for more, but their ingrained defensive instincts kept each other at bay. David "Bubba" Barlow was solid in net for the alums, adding another shutout to his alltime Hanover High carer record. Several of his contemporaries from the seventies and early eighties, including Kris Strohbehn andTodd Toiensing were also equal to the task. Will Mudge and Ryan McHugo, ten years removed from their Class I title triumph over Lebanon, were very much in evidence at midfield. There more than a dozen holders of more recent championships, led by recent Wesleyan grads Jory Kahan and All-American Woody Redpath. Angus Kennedy (Williams), Matt Wetherell and Trevor Barlowe (Haverford), and Yosef Osheyack (RIT) headed a host of current collegians, and they were joined by many of their HHS teammates from the last three title teams. The most recent graduating class was well-represented, with Bates-bound Dan Remillard and Sean Gemunden, and ever-dangerous keeper-turned striker Sam Gest.
Despite this impressive array of talent, numbering nearly 30, the current crop of Hanover High booters pur on an impressive display. An amazing total of 36 players got into the game, including six members of the freshman class. The youngsters controlled play for good strectches, and the quality never dropped despite the massive number of subs. Defenders Matt Barth and Robin Smith looked as though they had been playing together for years in the middle. Goalkeepers Stefan Dyroff and Alex Woods both made several good saves, and were strong and confident in heated goalmouth action. Midfielders Joe Carey and Ben Harris did a superb job keeping possession in the center of the park, and strikers Eric Jayne and Isaiah Fariel each had several good shots that just missed connecting.
The pool of 45 Varsity candidates spent a hard day Wednesday working on fitness and then scrimmaging, and will go back to basics with guest Coach Charles Muhlauri for sessions on Thursday and Friday before travelling to Keene Saturday morning for a preseason jamboree featuring Concord, Keene and a number of other strong squads. Hanover will enter two teams, and a lot of players will have the chance to show what they can do before the squad is pared once again early next week,
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