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.
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