Seniors Shine on Their Day; Marauders Top Mascoma

 Senior Day for the Marauders met high expectations before the game and exceeded them during the match, allowing Hanover to celebrate a 4-1 victory on a sparkling all afternoon. All healthy members of the class of 2021 participated in game, and many of them took leading roles, as the Marauders dismissed a good Mascoma side.  Hanover dominated the match from start to finish, allowing only a penalty kick goal, outshooting the Royals 30-5 and running their record to 6-0-0.

Hanover started 11 seniors, three for the first time, and looked polished from the start.  Matias Lee and Tom Lyons were right at home at center back, and Owen Stannard was very comfortable at center midfield. Jackson Lake continued making strong contributions offensively, nearly connecting while seated during a goalmouth scramble nine minutes into the game, and then hitting a strong shot on goal three minutes later,  forcing Mascoma goalkeeper Connor Thompson to make a good diving save.

Hanover did a good job containing highly-touted striker Ben Seiler, and Mascoma made few forays into the attacking end. Seiler slammed a free kick into the Hanover wall, and on their one penetration early in the match, a quick shot from close range gave Marauder goalkeeper CJ Wheelan to make an excellent quick reaction save at the 14 minute mark.  Two minutes later, Hanover took the lead when Pierce Hamlin megged a defender and then slid the ball into space for Henry Aspinwall, who sprinted into the left side of the Mascoma penalty area and slid the ball into the far corner for his fifth goal of the season.  Five minutes later, a Marauder foul on Seiler in the penalty area gave the Royals a penalty kick, and Seiler sent Wheelan the wrong way to tie the match 1-1. The Marauders responded with cruel professionalisms, two minutes later, as Nathan Subrahmanian hammered home a header on a Dylan Kotlowitz corner kick for his first goal of the season. Captain Kotlowitz now has five assists, leading the team.  The scene is working.

Hanover had a few other chances to pad the lead in the first half.  Oscar Miller nearly connected on a far post header, and Evan Nichols hit a crushing header on a Tucker Monson corner, forcing Thompson to make a spectacular diving save.  Murphy Hunt had a hard shot blocked at the edge of the box during injury time, and the half ended 2-1.

It took very little time after the interval for the Marauders to put their stamp on the game.  Pierce Hamlin took the ball on the left side of the Mascoma penalty area and made a sweet left to right run, finding room to couch a banger into the upper right side of the net for his first career goal, well-deserved.  Matias Lee, honored with a second half start, continued to play fluid futbal in the back, defending superbly and moving the ball with calm efficiency.

Eric Ringer, who led the team in shots, forced Thompson to make a good save in the 63rd minute, and then got hauled down in the box by defender by Royal defender Michael Steckbeck-Piper-Piper, and converted the penalty kick for his fifth goal of the season. The Marauders subbed liberally as the half continued, and first-timers Jackson Liu and Matt Cabrejo looked right at home.  Both of them recorded shots, and Cabrejo made a classic Marauder move, passing up a good shot to try and set up teammate Owen Stannard.  Classy.  Stannard had a chance to end the match with a flourish, given a free kick at the top of the box in the waning moments of the match.  The referee who shall go nameless committed the cardinal soccer sin of ending the game on a restart.  You just don't do that.  You particularly don't do it to the Marauders.  It's triggering.  But Stannard waved off the insult with his classic cheery demeanor, and the Hanover team, now 29 strong, celebrated the end of a wonderful Senior Day with Klondike bars.  Mmmmm.

The team has the chance to gather on Sunday at 1:00 at the high school for a short but important optional CROP Walk photo op.  Training Monday is 2:45- 4:45 on the turf, and then comes a week of uncertainly. Hanover is scheduled to play Lebanon on Tuesday, but all Raider activities are  cancelled through Monday due to Covid cases, and the status of the game is shaky.  Hanover now has two cases in the AUE, one each at Ray and RMS, and no one knows what will ensue.  Two days off for testing and tracing may help.  Come what may, the Marauders will adapt and continue. What a season it's been!