Plymouth Summary

HANOVER BOYS DISMISS PLYMOUTH 3-1; WIN STREAK NOW 8

The Hanover High boys continued their successful home stand on Wednesday, scoring three high-quality goals early in the first half to earn their eighth straight win by a 3-1 margin. The Marauders left little doubt of the outcome from the outset, outshooting outmanned Plymouth 13-2 in the first half, and pinning them in their half with strong defensive play from their back four plus one, Trevor Barlowe, Lord of the Air.

After settling into their rhythm in the first ten minutes, Hanover went on top 1-0 in the 14th minute when Nate Hanna drove a cross from his left back spot that found Ben Rimmer perfectly positioned in front of the Plymouth goal and beyond the range of Bobcat goalkeeper Alex Ellsworth. Rimmer rammed home his header for his fifth goal of the campaign and an insurmountable lead. Ten minutes later the Marauders struck for two goals in 29 seconds, both involving sophomore sniper Eric Jayne. Scheming from deep in midfield, Jayne launched a lead pass for senior Henry Caldwell, who took the ball in full flight and got his shoulder in front of his defender, holding him at bay until he delivered a cold-hearted finish under the advancing Ellsworth for his third goal. Less than half a minute later Jayne turned finisher, controlling a sublime pass from Yosef Osheyack and ripping a searing shot into the corner for his fourth marker of the year. In less than 12 minutes, Hanover had decisively turned Plymouth’s faint hopes into rubble.

Appropriately, the Marauders kept attacking. Osheyack launched a deceptive shot from well beyond the corner of the box that floated over a stranded Ellsworth and kissed the corner of the crossbar and the upright. Four inches closer, and it would have been the goal of the decade. Not to be outdone, Lou “Lord of Long Distance” Gemunden uncorked a Scud missile from 40 yards out on the right side that never got more than eight feet off the ground before it slid past the left upright, peeling the paint off on the way by.

The cast of characters changed in the second half, but Hanover’s territorial ownership did not. Joe Carey and Matt Barth slid into their spots on the back line, and shortly thereafter Miles Peterson and Isaiah Fariel took over up top. All four starting midfielders each hit one more parting salvo before giving way, with Oscar Eriksson’s drive from the top of the box earning two “oohs” and an “aah!” Ginger Barlowe had two decent rips, and both Rimmer and Osheyack got good looks before the foursome gave way to the lawless firm of Pressey-Murray, Bonecrusher, Not So l’il Jayne and Ben Harris. Roland “Ready for Prime Time” Stanzel-Hermann gulped hard and took over at left back, resigned to ending his scoring streak at one.

Plymouth kept plugging, and mustered a few shots on Sam Gest in the Hanover goal, including a reasonably good bid from Taylor Fletcher that required an equally good save from Gest, though not quite as showy as his first-half denial of a shot from Fletcher that needed to be tipper over the bar. As the clock wound down inside the final minute a moment of uncharacteristic sloppiness gifted Plymouth a goal that made the final margin a deceptive 3-1 but do nothing to reduce the quality of the victory.

The Marauders can now turn full attention to the derby this Saturday with Lebanon, kicking off at 3:30 as the second half of a doubleheader with the girls. Hopes are high that the four teams and their fans will collect a truckload of food for The Haven, and then let it loose for a match which won’t require any hype or motivational ploys. Four of the last seven games between these foes have gone to overtime. No mater how one-sided the series may look on paper, inside the lines it will be tooth and nail. It’s a must-watch. See you there.