The Hanover Varsity season came to a fitting, festive end on Sunday night as players, parents, coaches and friends gathered for the annual team banquet. Following dinner, Captains' Parents Alan Berolzheimer and Nancy Cressman thanked the many varsity parents whose hard work had made the season possible, citing their work at home games, providing snacks and the crucial chocolate milk, and organizing both the Soccer Celebration and Banquet. The four Captains then thanked their coaches with appreciative words and gifts.
Coach Grabill then took over the microphone (uh-oh), offered his own thanks to parents (with the help of Kris Stohbehn, who praised the Captains' Parents) and touted his own genius for hiring great coaches (Brett Wanner, Jared Walker, Toby Niles, and JV Coach Yosef Osheyack). He briefly ceded the podium to Rowland Hazard, father of Jack, who presented his son with the framed Hanover Varsity Letter awards, separated by exactly 50 years. Amazing.
Coach Grabill then listed some of the many postseason awards garnered thus far by Marauder players:
NHSCA All State:
First Team - Asa Berolzheimer, Jamie Dinulos
Second Team - Ian Caldwell, Sam Strohbehn
Honorable Mention - Jonah Levine
Division One Senior All-Star Game
Asa Berolzheimer, Jonah Levine
Lions Twin State Cup All-Star Team
Asa Berolzheimer, Jamie Dinulos
National Soccer Coaches Association of America
All American - Asa Berolzheimer
Gatorade Player of the Year Finalist
Asa Berolzheimer
NHIAA Division One Sportsmanship
Top Rating - Hanover High School
Coach Grabill then announced the results of the voting for team awards by players and coaches. He noted that he and Assistant Coach Brett Wanner had decided to present the Coaches Award to the entire "Yellow Team" the group of substitute players who had worked so hard to push the Varsity starters to excellence.
Goal of the Year
Asa Berolzheimer, Sam Strohbehn, Tim Alibozek
Save of the Year
Patrick Logan, Connor Edson
Coaches Award
Seth Stadheim, Robbie Murdza, Luke Messersmith, Henry Kahl, Marcus Helble. Jack Hazard, Casey Starr, Griffin Johnson, Dan Healy, Lucas Adams-Blackmore, Simon Kahan, Addison Wanner, Jack Pattison, Patrick Logan
Rookie of the Year
Sam Pych; Runners-Up: Luke Messersmith, Henry Kahl
Unsung Hero
Adam Pikelny
Most Improved: Jack Pattison, Dan Healy
Defender of the Year
Ian Caldwell
Most Valuable Player
Asa Berolzheimer
John Kelly Award
Jonah Levine
Sportsmanship Award
Jonah Levine, Adam Pikelny
Finally Grabill announced the senior leaders for the 2016 team:
Line Leaders
Adam Pikelny, Will Smith, Patrick Logan
Captains
Jake Acker, Sam Strohbehn
Finally, then entire group enjoyed the superlative highlight video produced by Claudio Pikelny and Joe Pych and edited by Adam Pikelny. Hundreds of hours went into creating this, and it was worth every second, receiving a well-deserved standing ovation at the end.
Commented Coach Grabill, "There is so much to celebrate tonight that goes beyond the wins and losses on the soccer field. This season was a long journey from August into November, with a wonderful group of players, led by 11 superb seniors who set the bar for future teams with their excellent leadership. We remembered Coach Mike Callanan and honored him with our sportsmanship and our team chemistry, and celebrated having a program with over 100 players who all felt invested in the program. It's been a great year. We're thankful. I wish there was more time this evening to speak at length with every player and parent, but I know we'll have ample time to be in touch, and keep this spirit of celebration and appreciation going for a while to come."
Sunday, November 22, 2015
Monday, November 16, 2015
Marauders Win Top Honors in Division One Sportsmanship
Great news! For the second year in a row the Marauders have received the NHIAA Division One Sportsmanship Award, receiving the highest rating from the opposing coaches. This is a huge accomplishment. At the end of the season each coach rates every opposing team, based on school climate, coaches, players and spectators. In each category, a team can meet expectations, exceed expectations, and fall below expectations. Hanover received zero "below" grades, and had more "exceeds expectations" than any other school. This is an honor that belongs to every player, parent, coach and fan. They have all helped create a culture that honors the game, respects opponents and officials, and consistently sets a high bar for sportsmanship. Hanover teams have now received top NHIAA ratings for sportsmanship in seven of the past nine years. This is a singular achievement. Congratulations!
Saturday, November 14, 2015
Hanover Seniors Reap Several Post-Season Honors
Hanover's four senior Captains have already received a number of post-season honors following the Marauders' outstanding season. All four, plus junior Sam Strohbehn, were named on Thursday to the NH Soccer Coaches Association Division One All-State Team. Asa Berolzheimer and Jamie Dinulos were First Team selections, Ian Caldwell and Sam Strohbehn were named to the Second Team, and Jonah Levine was an Honorable Mention choice. No other team had five players chosen. On Saturday, the four Captains were invited to the tryouts for the NH Lions Twin State Soccer Cup All Star Team. The 22 top seniors from NH will be chosen to play against the Vermont all-stars in July. (In last year's Lions Cup game, NH beat VT 1-0 on a goal by MVP Luke Strohbehn). Tomorrow, Asa and Jamie will represent Hanover in the Division One All-Star Game in Exeter. Coach Grabill will be an assistant coach, and attempt to defend his title as Best Dressed Coach. There will be more honors to come! Keep checking the blog!
Thursday, November 5, 2015
Heartbreak! Marauders Ousted in the Semis on Penalties
Hanover's dream season came to a hard end on Wednesday, as the Marauders were eliminated from the Semifinals of the NIHAA Division One Tournament by Londonderry after a 2-2 draw through regulation and overtime. Hanover played wonderfully for much of the game, trading great scoring opportunities with a veteran Lancer team that had beaten them 5-1 during the regular season. It was the second year in a row that the Mauarders were downed in the Semis on PKs.
The two teams traded early goals and then battled for the rest of regulation without scoring again. With less than two minutes remaining Londonderry scored to seemingly end it, but Marauder Captain Asa Berolzheimer connected on a magical free kick with less than a minute to play to stave off elimination and send the match into golden goal overtime. Hanover just missed on several sweet chances, especially in the second period, and after twenty minutes of bonus soccer the two exhausted teams gathered on the field to watch five players from each team line up for penalties.
Hanover's luck had run out. Londonderry scored on their first attempt, and Berolzheimer matched the goal with a lower left finish of his own. The next two Lancers also scored, but both Marauders missed, with one shot clanging off the crossbar and another skidding past the left post. Connor Edson, who had played the best game of his career, kept Hanover alive with a diving save on Londonderry's fourth shot, but the Lances goalie then saved Sam Strohbehn's shot, and the season was over.
The bitter sting of the loss on penalties cannot detract from the amazing spectacle of the preceding 100 minutes of hard-fought, exciting soccer, however. The two teams set the stage before the large crowd at Stellos Stadium had settled into their seats. As he has done so many times this season, Tim Alibozek got things cooking in the fourth minute, finding room on the right side, beating a defender and centering the ball to Asa Berolzheimer, who made no mistake and gave the Marauders a 1-0 lead. The assist was Tim's 10th of the season, capping an incredible senior year.
It didn't take Londonderry long to answer. Less than 90 seconds later, the Lancers counterattacked against a drawn up defense and speedy senior Griffin Cowles worked free for a danderous shot on Connor Edson. The Marauder netminder, who had already turned aside a dangerous free kick with a sprawling save to the near post, made the initial save, but Jayden West got the the rebound first and tied the game at 5:15.
The fast-paced game continued, with Hanover producing a number of good scoring opportunities. Sam Strobehn beat his defender down the left side of the park and whipped a ball through the box that just missed making connections. At the 14-minute mark, Berolzheimer laid a ball back to Jonah Levine at the top of the box, and the tireless senior ripped a shot to the lower right side, forcing Lancer goalkeeper Tim McEachern to make a diving save. Ten minutes from the end of the half, Levine had not one but two point blank shots blocked following a corner kick. Sophomore Henry Kahl also got close, hitting a turnaround shot on goal and proving once again at the second wave of Kahl, Messersmith and Stadheim were a valuable component of the Marauder attack.
Londonderry was not without their chances. Will Smith blocked a shot by the dangerous Nate Gaw, who had singlehandedly buried the Marauders in the first game between the teams. This time around, the Marauder back four showed how much they had grown with a sterling performance. Sam Pych was a monster in the middle, winning ball after ball in the air, and Adam Pikelny turned in another string two-way performance. Ian Caldwell was the anchor of it all, confidently marshalling his troops and oozing leadership with every move. Late in the half Londonderry almost hit paydirt on a corner kick, with center back Ryan Johnson narrowly missing the goal on a header.
The two teams picked up the action in the second half, and once again Hanover had the edge, eventually outshooting Londonderry 8-3 and winning the corner kick battle 2-0. One of those corner kicks almost connected at the 53 minute mark when Ian Caldwell narrowly missed getting his foot on a Strohbehn serve. As was the case in the first half the Lancers were always dangerous. Senior back Nick Vanini had a clear look at an open net with a header from a free kick, but drove the ball over the bar.
Connor Edson, who had not played well the first time around against Londonderry, was a tower of strength for the Marauders. In addition to several strong saves, the senior netminder came out strongly in traffic on several serves into the box, negating one of Londonderry's most potent weapons. His kicking game was spectacular, and his strong voice (that's right Connor Edson's strong voice!) kept his defenders in exactly the right place.
As the half wound down the shots were less frequent and more than a few players on both sides fell to the turf with cramps. It was an incredibly demanding game. With the prospect of overtime looming,
Griffin Cowles ran through midfield and after clearly controlling a bouncing ball with his hand, continued to the edge of the box where he took a hard shot to the lower left corner. Edson made a diving save, but the rebound popped loose and fell right to the feet of forward Tarik Dallahi. It looked like certain defeat for Hanover, with less than two minutes to play.
Hanover refused to quit. The Marauders pressed the attack into the Londonderry end, and Ian Caldwell, without needing to be told, moved into an attacking role. He received a ball on the edge of the penalty area and was fouled just enough to be awarded a free kick. The Lancers set their defensive wall, and Berozheimer lined up and took a kick that he had practiced times. Not surprisingly to his teammates and coaches, he hit a perfect shot, clearing the wall and bending just inside the right post past the desperate dive on McEacharn. It will be remembered as one of the most spectacular goal in Hanover's proud history.
Given the exhaustion of the players and the frantic nature of the situation, the two 10-minute overtime periods were not much to look at. Play was direct and not always productive. Londonderry was more dangerous, and Lancer back Maxwell Hastings forced Edson to make a good save on a long range shot. Hanover took over in the second half, and had two great chances to win it all. Seth Stadheim broke free on the right side of the box and had a clear look at goal, but his hard shot was saved by McEacharn. With time running down, Hanover was rewarded a free kick outside of the penalty area near the right corner. This was Sam Strohbehn territory. The talented junior lined up his free kick and hit an amazing shot, nearly the equal of Berolzheimer's. McEacharn was equal to the task this time, however, making an amazing diving save to preserve his team's chances.
Moments later the final whistle sounded and the Marauders, who had seen every one of their kickers nail their spot kicks in the final practice at Merriman-Branch, couldn't replicate that result when it counted, and the season was over. Penalties aren't a great way to end any contest, and two years in a row is a bit tough to take. But that format is far better than some of the other fanciful alternatives being bandied around by some of the self-appointed geniuses at the NHIAA. We'll stick with the status quo like the rest of the soccer universe, as hard as it is to take at the time.
What can't be taken from Hanover is the amazing team chemistry that characterized their season from start to finish. Hanover teams usually develop good chemistry, but this year's was exceptional. Every player bought into the collective ethic of hard work and improvement, and every player had the opportunity to play a significant role in the team's success. Long after the sting of Wednesday's Semifinal defeat has faded, the Marauders will maintain a bond with each other that was truly remarkable. The season was exciting, fun and productive. All eleven seniors set a high standard for leadership that will benefit the program for years to come. Although the results of the annual sportsmanship survey won't be known for weeks, the Marauders once again exemplified all of the highest attributes of honorable play. They qualified once again for an NSCAA Silver Merit Award by earning only three yellow cards in 19 games, an admirable total in the rough and tumble world of Division One. This year's season established Hanover as one of the gilt-edged programs in the division. They made the Semifinals for the fourth straight year, something no other D1 team has done. They became the fifth-highest scoring team in Hanover history, with 74 goals, many of them memorable. Although it's way too early for any discussion of next year, the seeds have certainly been sown for another year like this one, thanks to the maturity and dedication of this year's crew. They will gather to celebrate the season one more time in two weeks, line up on the Saturday after Thanksgiving to defend their honor against the Alumni, and then proudly take their place as yet another of Hanover's great teams.
The two teams traded early goals and then battled for the rest of regulation without scoring again. With less than two minutes remaining Londonderry scored to seemingly end it, but Marauder Captain Asa Berolzheimer connected on a magical free kick with less than a minute to play to stave off elimination and send the match into golden goal overtime. Hanover just missed on several sweet chances, especially in the second period, and after twenty minutes of bonus soccer the two exhausted teams gathered on the field to watch five players from each team line up for penalties.
Hanover's luck had run out. Londonderry scored on their first attempt, and Berolzheimer matched the goal with a lower left finish of his own. The next two Lancers also scored, but both Marauders missed, with one shot clanging off the crossbar and another skidding past the left post. Connor Edson, who had played the best game of his career, kept Hanover alive with a diving save on Londonderry's fourth shot, but the Lances goalie then saved Sam Strohbehn's shot, and the season was over.
The bitter sting of the loss on penalties cannot detract from the amazing spectacle of the preceding 100 minutes of hard-fought, exciting soccer, however. The two teams set the stage before the large crowd at Stellos Stadium had settled into their seats. As he has done so many times this season, Tim Alibozek got things cooking in the fourth minute, finding room on the right side, beating a defender and centering the ball to Asa Berolzheimer, who made no mistake and gave the Marauders a 1-0 lead. The assist was Tim's 10th of the season, capping an incredible senior year.
It didn't take Londonderry long to answer. Less than 90 seconds later, the Lancers counterattacked against a drawn up defense and speedy senior Griffin Cowles worked free for a danderous shot on Connor Edson. The Marauder netminder, who had already turned aside a dangerous free kick with a sprawling save to the near post, made the initial save, but Jayden West got the the rebound first and tied the game at 5:15.
The fast-paced game continued, with Hanover producing a number of good scoring opportunities. Sam Strobehn beat his defender down the left side of the park and whipped a ball through the box that just missed making connections. At the 14-minute mark, Berolzheimer laid a ball back to Jonah Levine at the top of the box, and the tireless senior ripped a shot to the lower right side, forcing Lancer goalkeeper Tim McEachern to make a diving save. Ten minutes from the end of the half, Levine had not one but two point blank shots blocked following a corner kick. Sophomore Henry Kahl also got close, hitting a turnaround shot on goal and proving once again at the second wave of Kahl, Messersmith and Stadheim were a valuable component of the Marauder attack.
Londonderry was not without their chances. Will Smith blocked a shot by the dangerous Nate Gaw, who had singlehandedly buried the Marauders in the first game between the teams. This time around, the Marauder back four showed how much they had grown with a sterling performance. Sam Pych was a monster in the middle, winning ball after ball in the air, and Adam Pikelny turned in another string two-way performance. Ian Caldwell was the anchor of it all, confidently marshalling his troops and oozing leadership with every move. Late in the half Londonderry almost hit paydirt on a corner kick, with center back Ryan Johnson narrowly missing the goal on a header.
The two teams picked up the action in the second half, and once again Hanover had the edge, eventually outshooting Londonderry 8-3 and winning the corner kick battle 2-0. One of those corner kicks almost connected at the 53 minute mark when Ian Caldwell narrowly missed getting his foot on a Strohbehn serve. As was the case in the first half the Lancers were always dangerous. Senior back Nick Vanini had a clear look at an open net with a header from a free kick, but drove the ball over the bar.
Connor Edson, who had not played well the first time around against Londonderry, was a tower of strength for the Marauders. In addition to several strong saves, the senior netminder came out strongly in traffic on several serves into the box, negating one of Londonderry's most potent weapons. His kicking game was spectacular, and his strong voice (that's right Connor Edson's strong voice!) kept his defenders in exactly the right place.
As the half wound down the shots were less frequent and more than a few players on both sides fell to the turf with cramps. It was an incredibly demanding game. With the prospect of overtime looming,
Griffin Cowles ran through midfield and after clearly controlling a bouncing ball with his hand, continued to the edge of the box where he took a hard shot to the lower left corner. Edson made a diving save, but the rebound popped loose and fell right to the feet of forward Tarik Dallahi. It looked like certain defeat for Hanover, with less than two minutes to play.
Hanover refused to quit. The Marauders pressed the attack into the Londonderry end, and Ian Caldwell, without needing to be told, moved into an attacking role. He received a ball on the edge of the penalty area and was fouled just enough to be awarded a free kick. The Lancers set their defensive wall, and Berozheimer lined up and took a kick that he had practiced times. Not surprisingly to his teammates and coaches, he hit a perfect shot, clearing the wall and bending just inside the right post past the desperate dive on McEacharn. It will be remembered as one of the most spectacular goal in Hanover's proud history.
Given the exhaustion of the players and the frantic nature of the situation, the two 10-minute overtime periods were not much to look at. Play was direct and not always productive. Londonderry was more dangerous, and Lancer back Maxwell Hastings forced Edson to make a good save on a long range shot. Hanover took over in the second half, and had two great chances to win it all. Seth Stadheim broke free on the right side of the box and had a clear look at goal, but his hard shot was saved by McEacharn. With time running down, Hanover was rewarded a free kick outside of the penalty area near the right corner. This was Sam Strohbehn territory. The talented junior lined up his free kick and hit an amazing shot, nearly the equal of Berolzheimer's. McEacharn was equal to the task this time, however, making an amazing diving save to preserve his team's chances.
Moments later the final whistle sounded and the Marauders, who had seen every one of their kickers nail their spot kicks in the final practice at Merriman-Branch, couldn't replicate that result when it counted, and the season was over. Penalties aren't a great way to end any contest, and two years in a row is a bit tough to take. But that format is far better than some of the other fanciful alternatives being bandied around by some of the self-appointed geniuses at the NHIAA. We'll stick with the status quo like the rest of the soccer universe, as hard as it is to take at the time.
What can't be taken from Hanover is the amazing team chemistry that characterized their season from start to finish. Hanover teams usually develop good chemistry, but this year's was exceptional. Every player bought into the collective ethic of hard work and improvement, and every player had the opportunity to play a significant role in the team's success. Long after the sting of Wednesday's Semifinal defeat has faded, the Marauders will maintain a bond with each other that was truly remarkable. The season was exciting, fun and productive. All eleven seniors set a high standard for leadership that will benefit the program for years to come. Although the results of the annual sportsmanship survey won't be known for weeks, the Marauders once again exemplified all of the highest attributes of honorable play. They qualified once again for an NSCAA Silver Merit Award by earning only three yellow cards in 19 games, an admirable total in the rough and tumble world of Division One. This year's season established Hanover as one of the gilt-edged programs in the division. They made the Semifinals for the fourth straight year, something no other D1 team has done. They became the fifth-highest scoring team in Hanover history, with 74 goals, many of them memorable. Although it's way too early for any discussion of next year, the seeds have certainly been sown for another year like this one, thanks to the maturity and dedication of this year's crew. They will gather to celebrate the season one more time in two weeks, line up on the Saturday after Thanksgiving to defend their honor against the Alumni, and then proudly take their place as yet another of Hanover's great teams.
Tuesday, November 3, 2015
Spectator Bus Set to Go Wednesday
The spectator bus will be running for the game in Nashua on Wednesday. It will leave at 2:15, right after school. Students may still sign up for the bus in the HHS Athletic Office tomorrow. The bus will leave at 2:15, right after school. Be sure to bring money for food and for the ticket to the game.
Monday, November 2, 2015
Spectator Bus For Semifinals; Shoes for Honduras
The Marauders will be playing Londonderry in the NHIAA Division One Semifinals on Wednesday at 4:00 at Stellos Stadium in Nashua. We will be running a chaperoned spectator bus for all HHS students interested. Students may sign up in the Athletic Office. The bus will depart after school on Wednesday, and return at 7:00, with a stop for supper on the way home. We need at least 25 students to sign up by the end of the day on Tuesday to be able to run the bus.
We are collecting used soccer shoes up to size 11 for a mission trip to Honduras by Linda Kennedy, the wife of HHS Girls' Coach Doug Kennedy. Please check your mudrooms and garages for used boots and bring them to the bin outside the HHS Athletic Office. Thank you!
We are collecting used soccer shoes up to size 11 for a mission trip to Honduras by Linda Kennedy, the wife of HHS Girls' Coach Doug Kennedy. Please check your mudrooms and garages for used boots and bring them to the bin outside the HHS Athletic Office. Thank you!
Saturday, October 31, 2015
Marauders Beat Merrimack 5-0; Advance to Semifinals
Hanover took a giant step towards the promised land on Saturday, streaking out of the starting blocks with five first-half goals to beat Merrimack 5-0 in a NHIAA Quarterfinal match before a large and boisterous crowd at Merriman-Branch Field. Hanover advances to the Semifinals on Wednesday, facing Londonderry in a 4:00 match at Stellos Stadium in Nashua. The win was the 11th in a row for Hanover, giving them a record of 15-2-1.
Tim Alibozek scored 16 seconds into the match, setting the tone for an offensive onslaught that produced five goals in the first 33 minutes. Despite clearing the bench for the rest of the match, the Marauders continued to dominate the match and produced a full 80 minutes of attractive, attacking, unselfish soccer that delighted the crowd in Hanover's final home game of the season.
Merrimack won the opening kickoff, and drove a long ball into the Hanover end of the field, where Will Smith met it with a thunderous head, sending it back into the middle of the park, where it connected with Asa Berolzheimer. You can figure out what happened next. Berolzheimer sent the ball to Jamie Dinulos on the left flank, and the senior speedster toasted his defender to a golden brown and centered the ball to Alibozek, who drove it home for the winning goal.
The goal triggered an offensive onslaught that this impoverished scribe will be unable to characterize accurately, given the lack of game film aid. It was one-sided, however, with Hanover eventually amassing a 17-1 shot advantage. Alibozek almost collected his second score at the seven-minute mark, as his header off a short corner centering pass from Berolzheimer sailed just wide. Jonah Levine missed the net on two long drives from the top of the box, also orchestrated by Asa.
Hanover's offense was triggered by stifling midfield defense by the Marauder back four of Caldwell, Pych, Pikelny and Smith, all of whom knew just when the step and challenge the Merrimack attackers at midfield, and when to drop and let the midfield trio of Berolzheimer, Levine and Acker to win the ball, which they did with stunning regularity. Once the ball was won, Hanover would patiently play it away from pressure, switch the point of attack, and reload an efficient offense that attacked from the flanks and ended up with a series of tap-in goals in front of the net.
Jamie Dinulos set up Hanover's second goal at the 15-minute mark, centering the ball to Jake Acker for a great finish at the right post for his seventh goal of the season. Hanover brought in four fresh attacking players midway through the half, and Luke Messermith, Seth Stadheim, Henry Kahl and Marcus Helble continued the relentless attack. Shortly after they entered, Messersmith found room on the left side and centered the ball to Stadheim for a close-range goal, the second time in as many games that this combination clicked.
By this point, Berolzheimer had missed at least three juicy chances to score, and at the 29-minute mark Stadheim took pity on him and set him up with a can't-miss feed, taking a flip pass form Messersmith and centering it to Asa on the left side for his 17th goal of the season.
Amazingly, Hanover now sent in a third wave of attackers, inserting D1 Dan Healy, Griffin Johnson, and Robbie Murdza up top. Not surprisingly, this group took very little time to assert themselves. Hanover was awarded a free kick outside the Merrimack penalty area on the right side, perfect for a left-footed strike. Berolzheimer lined up over the ball, glanced over at the bench, where career lefties Sam Strohbehn, Luke Messersmith and Jake Acker sat, stewing. Beronzheimer had also glanced to his right and noticed Johnson, unmarked, trying his best to look nochaleant. Asa slid the ball to Griffin, who ripped a cross into the goalmouth, and Healy was there to tip it in for his second goal of the season at 32:27. Three distinct offensive units had each created a goal within 33 minutes in a second-round playoff game. That's pretty astounding stuff.
Hanover's second half strategy was complicated, but well-considered. Senior defenders Jack Pattison and Addison Wanner were inserted as attacking wingers, with support from center midfielders Casey Starr, Jack Hazard and Marcus Helble. Although the goal was to have as many players on the field as possible who had not scored yet this season (a total of seven), it was even more important to play smart defense and also honor the game, making unselfishness paramount. Somehow, it all worked.
Hazard and Starr worked relentlessly at midfield, and Starr got a couple of his patented looks from the 18, and even kept a civil tongue in his head, aware that the stands were filled with innocent little tots in their Teletubbie costumes.
Will Smith and Adam Piklelny orchestrated the offense from their advanced defensive positions, and Wanner and Pattison each began strutting their stuff. Addison did great work on the right flank, breaking down defenders with his footwork and centering a number of tantalizing crosses. On the other side, Pattison waged a one-man war on the Merrimack goal. In the space of about 20 minutes, the skillful senior hit four shots that were right on target, and only the excellent goalie play of Tomahawk keeper Derek Staradub kept him off the scoreboard. It was a great exhibition for one of the most improved players on the entire team.
Pattison wasn't the only player who was denied at the doorstep. Staradub made an amazing point-blank save on Healy, who also can lay claim to being the real deal as a Hanover player. Two years ago he was toiling on the Reserves, and through hard work and commitment, he has evolved into a winger who could start for any team in the state. Sophomore Sam Pych was also eager to open his account, and was denied unfairly when he was hauled down in the box and denied a spot kick by situational, "gee, look at the score" officiating. Despite his burning desire to score, Pych exemplified the unselfishness which is critical for a team to be not just good but great, several times passing to open teammates when he could have easily tried to make a play for himself. This is the sort of maturity that is one of the reasons that this talented first-year player has been trusted to start all but one of Hanover's games.
Patrick Logan made three saves, two of them fairly challenging to nail down the shutout, which was preserved by a smart defensive play from center back Simon Kahan, who played his best game of the year in tandem with Lucas Adams-Blackmore.
Next up for Hanover is a rematch with Londonderry in the NHIAA Semifinals, and an opportunity to atone for a dismal defensive performance in a 5-1 loss early in the season. Hanover has played solid defense in 17 of their 18 games, and now they have the chance to show how much they have learned since that disappointing result on Londonderry's small, grassy pitch. Now they return to the wide open field turf of Stellos Stadium, and look forward to having the chance to redeem themselves.
It's not an unfamiliar setting for the Marauders. This is their fourth year in Division One, and they have never missed the Final Four. After last year's bitter loss to Pinkerton in the Semifinals, however, they understand how challenging this can be. All of the pretenders are gone, and the top four teams in the state are set to do battle on Wednesday. They look forward to generating some fan support, aided by the fact there will be a spectator bus heading to Stellos after school on Wednesday.
"This is why we have worked hard since the start of the season, and in many instances since last November, " commented Coach Grabill. "We have improved a lot since the start of the season, and we will continue to work hard in practice this week. I believe that we have a great game or two left in us. This is why we play."
Tim Alibozek scored 16 seconds into the match, setting the tone for an offensive onslaught that produced five goals in the first 33 minutes. Despite clearing the bench for the rest of the match, the Marauders continued to dominate the match and produced a full 80 minutes of attractive, attacking, unselfish soccer that delighted the crowd in Hanover's final home game of the season.
Merrimack won the opening kickoff, and drove a long ball into the Hanover end of the field, where Will Smith met it with a thunderous head, sending it back into the middle of the park, where it connected with Asa Berolzheimer. You can figure out what happened next. Berolzheimer sent the ball to Jamie Dinulos on the left flank, and the senior speedster toasted his defender to a golden brown and centered the ball to Alibozek, who drove it home for the winning goal.
The goal triggered an offensive onslaught that this impoverished scribe will be unable to characterize accurately, given the lack of game film aid. It was one-sided, however, with Hanover eventually amassing a 17-1 shot advantage. Alibozek almost collected his second score at the seven-minute mark, as his header off a short corner centering pass from Berolzheimer sailed just wide. Jonah Levine missed the net on two long drives from the top of the box, also orchestrated by Asa.
Hanover's offense was triggered by stifling midfield defense by the Marauder back four of Caldwell, Pych, Pikelny and Smith, all of whom knew just when the step and challenge the Merrimack attackers at midfield, and when to drop and let the midfield trio of Berolzheimer, Levine and Acker to win the ball, which they did with stunning regularity. Once the ball was won, Hanover would patiently play it away from pressure, switch the point of attack, and reload an efficient offense that attacked from the flanks and ended up with a series of tap-in goals in front of the net.
Jamie Dinulos set up Hanover's second goal at the 15-minute mark, centering the ball to Jake Acker for a great finish at the right post for his seventh goal of the season. Hanover brought in four fresh attacking players midway through the half, and Luke Messermith, Seth Stadheim, Henry Kahl and Marcus Helble continued the relentless attack. Shortly after they entered, Messersmith found room on the left side and centered the ball to Stadheim for a close-range goal, the second time in as many games that this combination clicked.
By this point, Berolzheimer had missed at least three juicy chances to score, and at the 29-minute mark Stadheim took pity on him and set him up with a can't-miss feed, taking a flip pass form Messersmith and centering it to Asa on the left side for his 17th goal of the season.
Amazingly, Hanover now sent in a third wave of attackers, inserting D1 Dan Healy, Griffin Johnson, and Robbie Murdza up top. Not surprisingly, this group took very little time to assert themselves. Hanover was awarded a free kick outside the Merrimack penalty area on the right side, perfect for a left-footed strike. Berolzheimer lined up over the ball, glanced over at the bench, where career lefties Sam Strohbehn, Luke Messersmith and Jake Acker sat, stewing. Beronzheimer had also glanced to his right and noticed Johnson, unmarked, trying his best to look nochaleant. Asa slid the ball to Griffin, who ripped a cross into the goalmouth, and Healy was there to tip it in for his second goal of the season at 32:27. Three distinct offensive units had each created a goal within 33 minutes in a second-round playoff game. That's pretty astounding stuff.
Hanover's second half strategy was complicated, but well-considered. Senior defenders Jack Pattison and Addison Wanner were inserted as attacking wingers, with support from center midfielders Casey Starr, Jack Hazard and Marcus Helble. Although the goal was to have as many players on the field as possible who had not scored yet this season (a total of seven), it was even more important to play smart defense and also honor the game, making unselfishness paramount. Somehow, it all worked.
Hazard and Starr worked relentlessly at midfield, and Starr got a couple of his patented looks from the 18, and even kept a civil tongue in his head, aware that the stands were filled with innocent little tots in their Teletubbie costumes.
Will Smith and Adam Piklelny orchestrated the offense from their advanced defensive positions, and Wanner and Pattison each began strutting their stuff. Addison did great work on the right flank, breaking down defenders with his footwork and centering a number of tantalizing crosses. On the other side, Pattison waged a one-man war on the Merrimack goal. In the space of about 20 minutes, the skillful senior hit four shots that were right on target, and only the excellent goalie play of Tomahawk keeper Derek Staradub kept him off the scoreboard. It was a great exhibition for one of the most improved players on the entire team.
Pattison wasn't the only player who was denied at the doorstep. Staradub made an amazing point-blank save on Healy, who also can lay claim to being the real deal as a Hanover player. Two years ago he was toiling on the Reserves, and through hard work and commitment, he has evolved into a winger who could start for any team in the state. Sophomore Sam Pych was also eager to open his account, and was denied unfairly when he was hauled down in the box and denied a spot kick by situational, "gee, look at the score" officiating. Despite his burning desire to score, Pych exemplified the unselfishness which is critical for a team to be not just good but great, several times passing to open teammates when he could have easily tried to make a play for himself. This is the sort of maturity that is one of the reasons that this talented first-year player has been trusted to start all but one of Hanover's games.
Patrick Logan made three saves, two of them fairly challenging to nail down the shutout, which was preserved by a smart defensive play from center back Simon Kahan, who played his best game of the year in tandem with Lucas Adams-Blackmore.
Next up for Hanover is a rematch with Londonderry in the NHIAA Semifinals, and an opportunity to atone for a dismal defensive performance in a 5-1 loss early in the season. Hanover has played solid defense in 17 of their 18 games, and now they have the chance to show how much they have learned since that disappointing result on Londonderry's small, grassy pitch. Now they return to the wide open field turf of Stellos Stadium, and look forward to having the chance to redeem themselves.
It's not an unfamiliar setting for the Marauders. This is their fourth year in Division One, and they have never missed the Final Four. After last year's bitter loss to Pinkerton in the Semifinals, however, they understand how challenging this can be. All of the pretenders are gone, and the top four teams in the state are set to do battle on Wednesday. They look forward to generating some fan support, aided by the fact there will be a spectator bus heading to Stellos after school on Wednesday.
"This is why we have worked hard since the start of the season, and in many instances since last November, " commented Coach Grabill. "We have improved a lot since the start of the season, and we will continue to work hard in practice this week. I believe that we have a great game or two left in us. This is why we play."
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