Homecoming: Varsity Boys Beat Windham 3-2 in Statement Game

 Home again after three challenging games on the road, the Bears took an early lead against a strong Windham team and won a satisfying wire-to-wire 3-2 win. The win was the fourth in a row for Hanover, giving them a 6-1 record and ,moving them up in the Division One standings to second place.

Windham entered the game with an identical 5-1 record and plenty of motivation, having lost to the Bears in the D1 semifinals last year,  a 3-0 decision which avenged a 5-0 regular season loss.  However, it was Hanover on the front foot right from the start, beginning with a Zach Tracy shot that hit the post in the opening minutes, followed by the now-predictable Sam Ames header on the first corner kick. Less than seven minutes into the match, Andrew McGuire gave the Bears a 1-0 lead when he found enough time and space at the top of the box to last a left-footed drive past Jags goalie Black Berton for his fifth goal of the season. Four minutes later, Will Guerin's hard work on the left flank created a great feed to Zach Tracy, who finished with a well-placed chip past Berton to make the score 2-0.  Tracy leads the Bears now with eight goals on the season.

Windham quickly served notice that they weren't going to let the game get away from them, and pulled back a goal less than three minutes later.  Ben Breen sent speedy striker Kevin Brooks through a gap in the Hanover defense, and he professionally rounded keeper Wyatt Seelig and tucked the ball into the empty net to narrow the Bear lead.  It was almost a 2-2 match a few minutes later when Brooks broke free again and beat Seelig with a shot, only to see Sam Calderwood make a miraculous play to scrape the ball off the goal line.  Brooks was right back on the attack minutes later, colliding with a prone Seelig on a play that forced him out of the game.  Henry Cotter popped off the bench for the Bears and gave them the calm, competent play in goal that settled them right down.

Soon, Hanover was back on the attack, and it was all that Windham and their star keeper Berton could do to keep the Bears off the board.  Sean Smith worked free from the right side and hit a hard shot on goal that Berton saved with a full-out dive to his left.  Four minutes later, Will Guerin was tripped in the box and awarded a penalty kick, which Berton saved with another dive to his left.  In the scramble afterwards, a Windham foul resulted in ANOTHER.  This time, Zach Tracy stepped up to take this kick, and his shot to Berton's left was saved yet again.  It was 2-1 at the half, but Hanover felt as though they should have had a bit more breathing room.

The Bears have made a habit recently of making strong starts in the second half, and that was the case when play resumed.  Andrew McGuire was on the attack right from the start, ghosting in to just miss one of Charlie Forbush's excellent crosses from the right flank.  Minutes later he was denied by another good save by Berton,  Ten minutes into the half, Hanover got the goal they were seeking when Carter Guerin beat his defender on the right flank and closed on the baseline, pulling back a short, sweet pass to Ryder Hayes, who blasted the ball into the back of the next for a 3-1 lead and his fourth goal of the season.

Hanover kept pushing for more, which resulted in several good chances but did expose them to the always- dangerous Windham counterattacks.  With 11 minutes to play, Windham got a gift goal when a soft long-range shot by Brooks was spilled by Seelig, and in the ensuing scramble Breen hopped on the loose ball and tucked it in to pull the Jags to within a goal.

The final 10 minutes were white-knuckle time for both teams.  Brooks nearly tied the game when he was left unmarked at the right post following a free kick, but pulled his shot wide.  At the other end, Berton made another great save on a shot by Roan Palm that was headed to the far post.  Fittingly, the last great play of the game belonged to Seelig.  Once again, the elusive Brooks was open for a point blank shot, and somehow Seelig's lightning reflexes allowed him to save the shot and the game.  The final minutes were less frantic as Hanover managed the game and guided play into the corner as time expired.

While not always a work of art, the victory was an important one for the Bears, who showed that few teams can handle them when they communicate and share the ball.They made more than enough plays to deserve the victory, and had a chance to learn a bit more about themselves.  Next up for Hanover is a home match on Tuesday at 4:30 against Alvirne, which precedes a full week off.  Every player on the squad is excited about what lies ahead.