Team celebratory pile after Hanover's golden-goal in the championship game
The New Hampshire Soccer Coaches Association has selected the 2008 All-State Soccer Teams, which will be announced shortly through the local media.
Four members of the Hanover High School Class I Champions were honored, including an impressive three members of the First Team, seniors Yosef Osheyack, Ben Rimmer and Trevor Barlowe. In addition, senior Kevin Dade was an Honorable Mention selection.
Osheyack, Rimmer and Barlowe have been invited to try out for the Lions Twin State Soccer Cup team this coming Saturday in Concord.
Ben Rimmer led the Marauders in scoring with 10 goals and a team-leading 12 assists. His three-year scoring total of 17 goals and 25 assists places him in a tie for ninth (with Elmer Maxfield 63-63 and Chris Clark 90-92) on the all-time Hanover list. Rimmer's spectacular goal in sudden death overtime gave Hanover a 1-0 win over Monadnock in the first round of the NHIAA Playoffs.
Yosef Osheyack will long be remembered for scoring the wining goals in both the Semifinals and Finals in this year's NHIAA Championship. His deciding goal in a shootout gave Hanover a win over Oyster River, and his dazzling run with two minutes remaining in the second overtime lifted the Marauders to the victory over St. Thomas in the title game. His scoring totals of 2 goals and 8 assists reflected an increased defensive responsibility, and few midfielders worked harder at both ends of the field. His career totals of 18 goals and 17 assists tie him for 17th overall in Hanover history. A member of the U.S. National Deaf Soccer team, Yosef competed in the Deaf World Cup in Greece last summer, and is hoping to rejoin the team this summer for the Deaf Olympics in Taiwan.
Trevor Barlowe was a standout member of the strongest Hanover defensive unit in school history last fall, and was asked to assume new duties this season as a defensive midfielder, filling the shoes of All-New England star Angus Kennedy. He succeeded far beyond those high expectations, dominating every game both in the air and as the best shutdown defender in the state. His ball handling skills allowed him to not only win balls but also initiate the attack in many instances, and facilitate the switching of the point of attack for a Hanover offense that was the most prolific in Class I. Like his co-Captain Ben Rimmer, Barlowe provided superlative leadership on and off the field.
Kevin Dade evolved from defender to little-used reserve in his sophomore and junior years to the team's leading scorer with 12 goals, part of a deadly tandem with fellow senior Henry Caldwell. Scoring six goals on headers from crosses and free kicks taken by classmate Lou Gemunden, Dade saved his best performances for big games, scoring the winning goal in a 1-0 victory over Lebanon, the winning goal in the 1-0 quarterfinal victory over Merrimack Valley, and tallying two spectacular goals and the game winning assist in the State Championship game (after the all-state voting deadline).
"All of these honors are richly deserved," commented Coach Rob Grabill. "These seniors and their classmates have worked hard to improve every aspect of their game, and it is appropriate for them to receive this recognition from the Class I coaches. At the same time it is important to recognize that what we stressed all season was not individual accomplishment, but cohesive team play. We were a championship team because every player contributed, even those who had limited playing time or none at all. It was our unselfishness and good chemistry that characterized our success, and it is in that spirit that we celebrate these individual honors."
It was also announced at the NHSCA meeting that Coach Rob Grabill was the recipient of the National Soccer Coaches Association of America Large School Coach of the Year award for New Hampshire. He is now eligible for the NSCAA Region 1 Coach of the Year award, an honor he received in 2007.
