Hanover's outstanding season ended on Saturday with a hard fought and ultimately heartbreaking 3-2 loss to Exeter in the NHIAA Division One Quarterfinals at rain-soaked Merriman-Branch Field. The Marauders led 1-0, gave up two quick goals at the end of the first half, and spent the rest of the match battling from behind to come form behind. Exeter and Hanover traded second half goals, and the loss kept the Marauders from the semifinals for the first time in their five-year tenure in Division One. Hanover's final record was 14-3.
For long stretches, Hanover looked like the better team. They dominated the first 20 minutes of the match, outshooting Exeter 10-2 and earning an amazing nine corner kicks. Trailing throughout the second half, the Marauders continued to play well for most of the time. Exeter was talented and opportunistic, however, and took advantage of some defensive lapses with superb shotmaking, earning a home game in the semifinals as they sought to make Coach Jim Tufts' 40th season a memorable one.
Hanover started the game well, wining most of the midfield battles and controlling play for long stretches. They earned their first corner kick in the seventh minute, and Jake Acker got a header on goal from his favorite spot at the far post. Casey Starr's lead pass to Henry Kahl earned another goo look, and 12 minute into the match Acker hit a hard shot from long distance that forced Exeter goalkeeper Caden Blazek to make a good save. Three minutes later, Acker got open again on a corner, but missed connecting on a shot that dribbled wide of the post.
The corner kicks kept coming, and 16 minutes into the game, the Marauders opened the scoring on a play following a corner. Charlie Adam's serve missed connecting with Will Smith in the box, but a well-positioned Griffin Johnson collected the ball on the right flank and immediately fed it into the corner for Jake Acker, who chased it down and made a stupendous cross with his off foot from the corner arc that went perfectly to the far post, six yards out. Blazek came off his line to punch the ball away, just as Sam Strohbehn closed on him, with his momentum taking him into the next. The ball went straight to David Seigne, whose well-timed late run put positioned him perfectly positioned for a driven header inside the post for a 1-0 lead.
Hanover continued to dominate. Two minutes after the goal, Will Smith collected a clearing pass 30 yards out and launched a lefty laser that shrieked past the upper left corner, missing the goal by less than a foot. Less than a minute later Sam Strohbehn, a dominant force at midfield all game, fed Seigne in the corner, who launched a centering worm-burning centering pass that eluded Blazek at the near post but went harmlessly through the box. A minute later Strohbehn's long lead pass just missed springing Adams for a breakaway.
Hanover kept hammering. Strohbehn narrowly missed connecting on a near post run on corner kick number #6. Corner kick number seven two minutes later screamed through the box, but never found a runner. Less than a minute later, Acker was WIDE open at the far post on corner kick eight as Exeter Coach Tufts moaned his disapproval from the sidelines. With 15 minutes to go in the half, Exeter had done nothing offensively. Finally, Hawk Striker Jack Guida broke loose on a run to goal, but he was soon surrounded by a swarm of tacklers.
With ten minutes left, the Hawks woke up a bit more. Guida headed a harmless ball over the bar from 12 yards out, and then Exeter earned their first corner of the match after a good tackle by Adam Pikielny on Josh Rubin at the far post. The dangerous Quinn Mantegari got the ball on a good near post run, but Will Smith was there to block his shot.
Even after that flurry, Hanover continued to press. Charlie Adams hit a long through ball to Henry Kahl, who nearly connected with Casey Starr with another long through ball, and then corner kick number ten - Ten! - produced several dangerous crosses through the Exeter box. With the clock winding down toward two minutes the Marauders were given a free kick 30 yards from the Exeter goal, and Strohbehn's shot on goal was easily saved by Blazek. 38 minutes had been played, and Hanover looked ready to run away with the game.
Blazek punted the ball to midfield, and the Marauders missed two chances to control it. The ball fell to midfielder Ian McAleer, who lofted a first-time pass the a breaking Mantegari, who won a stride for stride battle with Sam Pitch and ripped a left-footed shot from close range past Pat Logan to tie the game. The Marauders were shaken, but almost immediately got the ball into the Exeter end and earned a free kick. Henry Kahl's serve was perfect, and Sam Strohbehn got to the ball on his near post run and headed it toward to the corner, only to be saved by Blazek with a reflexive kick save.
One the ensuing goal kick, the Marauders once again had the ball elude them on missed headers, and Jacob Gould fed a streaking Chris Scamman, who was wide open in the right side. Scamman drove in the penalty area, eluded a tackle, and drove a pass to Rubin at the far post. Rubin cooly one-timed a ball back to the six, and superb midfielder Hunter Smith made no mistake with his finish. Fifteen seconds and one last Hanover corner kick later, and the half ended with the Marauders trailing 2-1.
Having trailed several times during the season, and Marauders didn't panic, and after five perfunctory minutes of the second, Hanover nearly tied the game. Will Smith collected a clearing pass on the left flank and his a right-footed cross that found Griffin Johnson right in front. Johnson took a tough and then hit a shot over the top, just over an onrushing Blazek. The next five minutes were all Hanover. Strohbehn, who was masterful at winning balls, beating defenders, and always finding the right time to pass, ripped a hard shot from the edge of the box that was saved by Blazek.
Then, against the run of play, Exeter scored a third time. A ball was played into a soft spot behind the Marauder midfielders and in front of the back four, and it was collected by Hunter Smith, whose chipped pass eluded Pych's attempt to head it and found Mantegari, who was covered, but not enough to prevent him from finding the side netting inside the left post. Once again, Exeter had punished a brief opening with superb play, and they led 3-1.
Impressively, Hanover refused to panic or fold. Led by Strohbehn, they continued to play good soccer, and patiently pushed for the first goal that they needed, not worrying about a second. They earned a corner kick, and Liam Collins' superb serve found Will Smith's head in the box. The ball popped high, but as it came down it eluded Blazek and was headed under the crossbar when it was clearly handled by Jake Gould. (One of the reasons for the delay in this account of the game was for the chance to see the game film and the photo by Lars Blackmore, which clearly shows that ball being learned out of the goal by Gould's upraised hand.) Hanover kept playing, and Sam Strohbehn nearly hit the rebound back into the goal for the second time on the same play.
Hanover kept playing, and kept pushing. As Exeter retreated increasingly into their end, Hanover brought out their long-range cannon, feeding the Hawk clearing passes back to Pat Logan, whose long serves kept Exeter under continuous pressure. As the clock wound under five minutes, Griffin Johnson hit a long cross from the right and once again David Seigne was in the right place at the far post, hitting a volley that forced Blazek to make a spectacular kick save. As the clock wound under four minutes, Will Smith hit a long ball into the box. Blazek came out to punch it away, pressured by Johnson, and the ball fell to the feet of Adam Pikielny, who calmly volleyed it into the next for his first career goal.
Hanover had crawled back into the match, but time and their luck ran out, and the season was over. Gutted, the Marauders nevertheless had the class and maturity to congratulate the elated Hawks, headed home to Bill Ball stadium for the semifinals, and a match with Timberlane. Hanover heads home, too, and when the sadness dies a bit they will be able to look back on a stellar season full of highlight-reel moments and some significant victories.
The Marauders will graduate sixteen seniors, who led this team in every respect. There were players who played less in this final game, or not at all, but who played a lot this season, and more than usual. Some of them were the team's most improved players. They will be sorely missed. There are also a number of talented underclassmen, and their time will come next season. It's too soon to speculate on that, but this blog won't take being dormant well, and will be heard from.
There were many reasons for Hanover's success this year. The players prepared well for many months prior to the season, and worked hard throughout it. They were supported by a phalanx of parents whose contributions to the program are too numerous to mention, but which unquestionably made the Marauders better. Finally, and significantly, Hanover had an amazing collection of coaches.
Cerebral soccer Zen Master Brett Wanner, Technical Guru Eric Jayne, apple-cheeked and apple crunching, and Goalie God Toby Niles, whose influence made Hanover a defensive power. During tournament time, the staff swelled with the inclusion of Yosef Osheyack and Willie Johnson, and they also chipped in importantly.
There are celebrations yet to come, most notably the Four Team Celebration on November 9th. You won't want to miss the music recital! It's been a week since we posted here, but we hope many of you have stayed patient and kept looking. There is more to come before we close the books. Thanks to all for being part of this program.
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