Pembroke Summary

HANOVER WINS BATTLE OF UNBEATENS TO GO 5-0

The Hanover High boys soccer team completed an arduous stretch of three road games in four days, the final two against unbeaten squads, posting a 2-1 victory Friday over Pembroke Academy to stretch their winning streak to five games. Goals by Yosef Osheyack and Eric Jayne and a tenacious defense were the keys to victory for the Marauders, now one of only two teams in Class I without a loss or a tie.

A large crowd lined the sidelines of the immaculate Northeast Soccer Club pitch, anticipating the showdown between three-time defending Class I champion Hanover and a 5-0 Pembroke squad considered by many to be a worthy contender for the crown. The game did not disappoint, featuring passion, physical play and a trio of highlight-reel goals.

Hanover made the first bid to break the ice when Ben Rimmer sent a long ball from the right flank across the mouth of the Pembroke goal, connecting with Yosef Osheyack, whose diving header was denied with a dazzling save by Spartan goalkeeper Sam Harty. Osheyack would not be denied in the eighteenth minute, taking a cross from Henry Caldwell and beating two defenders before lashing a shot inside the far post for his first goal of the season.

The Marauders increased the pressure as the first half wore on. Osheyack, continuing his high-level play, had two more shots, and Eric Jayne also began finding the range. With less than a minute to play in the half the Marauders struck for a second goal when Ben Rimmer battled in the box for a loose ball and slipped the sphere to Jayne, who ripped a shot inside the left post for his first goal of the season.

Sitting on a 2-0 lead at halftime should have been enough for almost any Hanover team, given their parsimonious defensive tendencies. Coach Grabill had done his best to rest players during strategic intervals in both the first half and throughout the previous night’s Laconia game, trying to minimize fatigue as a factor. Jayne, Miles Peterson Ben Harris and Joe Carey all saw first half action and were ready to spell the starters again in the second half.

Despite all of the above advantages, Pembroke dug deep and demonstrated that they were indeed for real. They didn’t dominate play, but they at least held their own, and did an excellent job of disrupting any attempts Hanover made to pad the lead. Mounting pressure on the Marauder defense more than once, the Spartans were denied a sure goal when Rhys Cyrus made a spectacular block of a close range shot by striker Bill Bernier at the near post. With less than ten minutes to go in the match their persistence paid off when they earned a corner kick and pulled a goal back with a textbook header, with Ryan Clark finishing off a Beckhamesque serve by midfielder Brandon Ricker.

Now completely energized and urged on by the vocal crowd, Pembroke pressed hard for equalizer and earned their fourth corner of the half, only to be denied by a Hanover defense which bent but never broke. Their poise under pressure paid off with several good clearances, and the Marauders were able to manage the game and walk away as victors in a match that could well be a preview of a postseason rematch at Stellos Stadium in November.

“That wasn’t artistic,” commented Coach Grabill, “But we clearly demonstrated that we know what to do at the end of a match to get a result, and I couldn’t be more pleased. We are exactly a quarter of the way through our season, and this team has learned a great deal in a short time. We haven’t had an easy game since the start of the season, and we are a great deal better for having experienced so much, and learned how to win games.”

The road-weary Marauders will welcome the weekend off, and then go back to work Monday in preparation for their fifth away game in six matches, a Thursday trip to Concord to play Bishop Brady. They will finally return home on Saturday the 27th for a match with cross-state rival Kennett. For now, they can rest for a few days and savor a 5-0 record and the satisfaction of knowing that it’s getting lonelier at the top of Class I