Varsity Boys Top Merrimack Valley 1-0 in Overtime

The Hanover boys beat a determined Merrimack Valley team 1-0 in overtime Friday at Merriman-Branch field, courtesy of a 40-yard laser to the far upper corner by Sean Gemunden. After dominating regulation play with a 24-2 shot margin, the Marauders moved to 2-0 on the young season on the senior midfielder's first career goal. Oddly, it was the third time in the past four home games that Hanover had beaten Merrimack valley 1-0. After dispatching the Pride 1-0 in their regular season finale last year, the Marauders then duplicated the feat in the NHIAA Quarterfinals.

Hanover dominated the first half, rolling up a 12-0 shot margin and authoring a 4-1 edge in corner kicks. The visiting Pride were intelligent and tenacious on defense, however, and were able to counterattack at least as far as the defensive third, where they were stopped cold by the back line of Gunnar Shaw, Dan Remillard, Nate Hanna and Matt Barth. A number of Marauders
had creditable scoring opportunities, with two shots by Ben Harris narrowly missing the upright, and a header by Isaiah Fariel being gobbled up by MV goalkeeper Codi Labreque. Midfielder Joe Carey created several scoring bids at the edge of the penalty area, but the half ended as it had begun, in a scoreless deadlock.

The Marauders wasted little time renewing the attack in the second half, and this time some of the scoring opportunities were downright serious. Eric Jayne was particularly dangerous up front, nearly connecting on a header on a centering pass from Hayden Pressey-Murray, and hitting a rocket from the right side that Lebreque met at the near post. Gunnar Shaw nearly duplicated his scoring feat from Tuesday's Kearsarge match, heading a corner kick on goal, only to be denied by Lebreque. Both Pressey-Murray and Aaron Segura had hard shots that barely missed connections.

The Hanover defense was tested rarely, but two Merrimack Valley opportunities were dangerous. Senior goalkeeper Sam Gest had to make a diving save on a slow shot by striker
Aaron Smith, and then had to come of his line to dive at the feet of attacker D'Mahl McFadden to snuff out another opportunity.

The Marauders stayed composed as the match moved into overtime, and it didn't take long for them to be rewarded. The Hanover defense won a ball on their left flank, and it was played to Dan Remillard, who expertly swung it to Matt Barth at midfield. Barth had the time and composure to locate Sean Gemunden, lurking on the right touchline with a world of space and time. The first-year senior moved quickly but didn't rush, and hit a ball that went exactly where it was supposed to go, across the face of the goal 40 yards away and driven hard. Although senior striker Jonathan Fenton was in perfect position off the far post, his finishing touch wasn't needed. The ball soared unerringly over the outstretched arms of a backpedaling Labreque and into the far upper left corner. Gemunden was buried by a mob of grateful teammates, and the Marauders had a well-deserved win, and a 2-0 season record.

The classy MV players were gracious in defeat. They had battled hard and put themselves in position to win the game had the Marauders faltered. Fortunately for their home team, their intelligence and tenacity on defense and patience on offense yielded them their third nearly identical result against a team that will surely find their way into the playoffs again this year.
And though the Marauders have a ways to go before they can even begin thinking about post-season play, the can just as surely savor a win that marked their ability to get a result. This was more than "yet another typical Hanover win". This particular version of the Marauders, young in many ways, may have an awareness of what's needed to succeed, but now they have shown that they can write their own history, and not worry about preceding teams.

Next on the agenda for Hanover is a tougher test, as they entertain the Hartford Hurricanes on Tuesday night at 5:30. Although these two sides are familiar foes in off-season play, this is the first fall meeting in nearly a decade. A veteran team guided by Coach Steve Sass, dean of Upper Valley soccer mentors, the Vermonters bring with them skill, competitiveness, and a deep thirst
for a win against their neighbors. This match has all of the makings of an instant classic, and the potential to bring out the best in both sides.