The Marauders made quick work of Plymouth High School Thursday afternoon at rain-drenched Merriman-Branch Field, bolting to 3-0 lead after 15 minutes and cruising to a 4-2 victory in a match characterized by ample playing time for everyone. In the process of running their season-opening winning streak to five games, Hanover saw 25 different players get at least 20 minutes of burn.
It didn't take long for the Marauders to get on the board. Senior Forrest Watkins celebrated his first career start at midfield by stealing a ball from a Plymouth shortly after the opening kickoff, running past a second defender, and burying a shot in the far corner for a 1-0 lead 56 seconds into the game. The Marauders kept up a steady attack, missing several other well-crafted chances, including a header by Joe Carey and a deft chip by Alex Dodds. Dodds then celebrated his first career start with even more emphasis, megging a defender on the left flank and hitting a southpaw serve right to the noggin of a streaking Eric Jayne, who deflected it into the net for his sixth goal of the season an a two-goal lead.
A brief digression on Mr. Jayne seems appropriate at this juncture. Hanover soccer is team soccer, and no one hews to that better than Eric, who is the embodiment of unselfish play. Despite this approach, the senior Captain is edging toward several significant Hanover records. His goal was the 39th of his career, tying him for second all-time with Ken Dow. Ken's older brother Bob is the career leader with 42. Eric's 11 points on the him a career total of 53, tying him for fourth all-time with Anthony Joseph. Ben Mackinnon is the all-time leader with 63. trailed by Bob Dow at 61 and Ammbi Stern with 59.
Back to the match: Three minutes after Jayne's goal, Senior Matt Barth collected his first career goal, heading home a corner kick by Watkins, who notched his first career assist. The rain continued falling and the Marauders continued raining shots on Plymouth goalie Matt Abear, who watched 16 shots fly at him and made some sweet saves, including a particular nice on on a near-post drive by Pedro Celaya. Ryan Brigham came excruciatingly close on the doorstep.
The Maraders subbed liberally in the first half,and profligately at the start of the second, with nine new starters. It took a while for things to gel, and Plymouth duplicated the Marauders' opening-minute magic. A Bobcat attacker dribbled through a porous Hanover defense, and after Alex Woods came bravely off his line to make an initial play on the ball, the slippery sphere squirted loose and spun toward the post. An unfortunate Marauder defender swiped at it in an attempt to clear, and it spun into the net for an own goal.
To their credit, the Marauders shook off this turn of events and slowly started to play coherent soccer, continuing to hold an edge in play. Ian Strohbehn and Daniel Hazlett were a dangerous combination up front, and Keegan Gantrish was a two-way threat at right midfield. During a break in the action, Gantrish observed to Hazlett that uniform numbers 17, 18 and 19 had scored in the first half. Hazlett glanced down at his number 20, winked at Gantrish, and 30 seconds later volleyed home a corner kick from him for his third goal of the season and a 4-1 lead. Hazlett has made the most of his scoring opportunities in garbage time, and could threaten the rookie record of nine set three years ago by a callow first year player nicknamed L'il Jayne.
Three minutes later, and another moment of madness. Hanover gave away a free kick at the 25 yard line, and the ball was served into the box, where it met an uncontested Hans Weber at the six yard line for a too-easy dump into the net. It was Plymouth's first and only shot on goal all afternoon.
The Marauders kept kicking. Tor Hathaway nearly missed a deflected header that drifted wide left. Pedro Celaya blazed a bad angle shot past the near post, perhaps sparing from danger his two wide-open teammates in front of the net. Brendan Barth put on an absolutely filthy dribbling display in the box, beating two defenders, waiting for the first one to catch up, beating him even more soundly a second time. and then somehow missing a near-post shot.
The win was Hanover's fifth in a row, and 17th consecutive victory stretching back exactly one year. "That means nothing," growled Grabill, "unless we show up Saturday against Oyster River." The resumption of one of the oldest and best soccer rivalries in New Hampshire history is set for a noon kickoff under sunny skies.
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