Soccer Guests Get a Warm Welcome

Monday saw a full morning of practice for 89 members of the program, and a great afternoon/evening of quality soccer with two visiting teams.  Our guests from the Royal Grammar School in Newcastle, England arrived in the Upper Valley at mid-afternoon, and made their way to the Pasture for a reserve match with the HHS JV pool.  The Marauders had a lot of chances, but in the end the visitors came out ahead 3-2 on a sweltering afternoon.  The RGS first team will have a crack at the Marauder Varsity on Tuesday at 7:00 at Merriman-Branch Field.

Monday evening on the turf, longtime opponent Oyster River checked in for a friendly.  Hanover and Oyster River have the two longest and proudest histories of success in all of New Hampshire Soccer.  Only Hanover has more state titles in than Oyster River  (in large school soccer).  Before Hanover won six straight Division II titles in 2005-2010, Oyster River ran off three on the trot in 2002-2004, including one at Hanover's expense in 2004.  Coach Grabill was an assistant back in those days.  OR was a finalist last year in Division II, and knows how to play good soccer.  On Monday, Hanover was just a bit too strong.  The Marauders scored twice in the final five minutes of the first half  (nice strikes by Captains Ian Caldwell and Jamie Dinulos), and twice in the second half  (Luke Messersmith on a screamer from outside the box and Asa Berolzheimer on a PK). Once again, the last of officials made for a great match. Both teams played hard but very fairly.

After the match the Hanover parents put on an amazing potluck dinner for all three teams, who happily refueled after an eventful day.  All 26 players from RGS were sent off to spend the night with their American hosts.  They will all gather back at the high school at 9:15, and will spend the day seeing the sights in Hanover and Norwich before Tuesday evening's game.

The HHS Varsity will get a well-deserved morning off before reporting for the game at 5:45 on Tuesday.  All of the other players will report back to the Pasture at 10:00 for a morning workout that ends at 11:30.

Schedule Notes:  The Freshman scrimmage against the HHS Girls' varsity will be on Wednesday, Sept 2, and not this Wednesday.  The Freshman team will practice from 11:00 - 12:30 on Wednesday.

The Varsity game Friday against Bishop Guertin is at 3:30 on Friday at Stellos Stadium in Nashua.  Directions will be posted.  The JV plays at 3:30 at BG.  The Bus will depart at 12:30 from HHS.