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.
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