Freshmen Rally to Beat Salem 2-1

A warm afternoon belied the late October calendar date, as the Hanover freshmen took on the Salem Blue Devils Wednesday on a sun drenched home turf. Our boys, riding a six game winning streak and sporting a 9 -1 -1 record going into this last home game, came to send the enthusiastic crowd of parents and classmates home smiling. Mission accomplished, with a hard fought 2 – 1 win.

Crisp play marked the first 20 minutes, with the Marauders dominating the time of possession that led to a number of shots that usually came in traffic and were unable to get through. As the half progressed, Salem’s game improved, and they started to make things happen with a series of quick counter attack.

Then, at the 25 minute mark, on a defensive lapse, a corner was justly awarded to the Blue Devils, who placed a good ball to the front of the goal line where a no-doubt-about-it header gave them a 1 – 0 lead, which held up until the half time whistle.

The second half started in a similar way to the first, with our boys keeping the JV-infused Salem squad on their heels until Toño Correa slid a ball through traffic to the able foot of Latham Allison, who took his touch and found the room he needed to smoke a 25 yard low screamer inside the left post, tying things at 1 goal apiece with 30 minutes remaining.

Each team was creating chances now, with the keepers both playing well. Carter Auch held fast, coming off his line adeptly and wrapping up 3 balls between the posts, highlighted by a diving, parallel-to-the- ground save at 60 minutes to keep things even.

It just seemed like a matter of time before our freshmen took the lead, and indeed it was. Ethan Ross launched a free kick from 25 yards with almost perfect trajectory that barely soared over the top bar, and everyone groaned and tipped our caps to Ethan’s effort. Fresh legs rotated in continuously. Eli Stack ripped one from a tough angle that just missed wide. Will Blinkhorn settled things constantly, slowing down the play in a way that allowed strings of sharp passing and solid possessions.

The hammer was about to strike, though.  With 13 minutes remaining, it happened. Nolan Gantrish expertly slid the ball to Amane Matsuoka, who moved the ball into space and blasted one in, over the leaping goal tender, for the lead at 2 – 1 with time winding down.

The Blue Devils would not give up though, and their next corner kick led to a second spectacular Carter save, but they kept coming. The back line play of Judd Alexander, Carl Gemunden, Tristan Meyer, Noah Pikelny, and Brendan Brigham kept it safe enough with smart, long clearances, and the boys trotted off with a satisfying, challenging win against an older team.

The home schedule is now finished, with one more game remaining against the excellent Cardigan Mountain club. As far as away games go, it couldn’t get much closer. Come and bid adieu to the 2016 freshmen at CM Saturday at 3:00.  Bus leaves at 1:00.  Please bring food items for the CMS food drive!

See you then!