Bears Celebrate Senior Day, Beat Pinkerton 6-1, Finish First

During a preseason goal-setting session, Hanover Assistant Coach challenged the team to consider a new goal: win the league. Competing for a Division One title will always be an objective, but Ben's point is that it's harder to finish on top after a grueling 16-game season. It's a grind full of  challenges. But on Senior Day, the Bears shrugged off several challenges and beat a good Pinkerton team 6-1, and in doing so they finished on top of the table, winning the regular season D1 crown.  They are 14-2, tied with Windham and Nashua South (providing South wins Friday).  But Hanover beat both teams head to head, and can lay claim to the number one seed and the valuable bye that goes with it.  

Pinkerton sat in first place for more than a month, and they are an athletic, hard-working team.  But the Bears patiently took control of the match, and took a 1-0 lead on a nice goal by Andrew McGuire, set up by Will Guerin's penetration and pass.  Ten minutes later, Guerin put the game out of reach with a pair of goals only 11 seconds apart.  First, he intercepted a pass deep in the Pinkerton end and quickly capitalized. On the ensuing kickoff, the Bears won the ball and used two quick passes by Zach Tracy and Carter Guerin to set up Will for a 3-0 lead.

Hanover went back to work in the second half, and scored  a crucial goal 12 minutes after the interval.  Andrew McGuire broke into the box alone and was pulled down.  He converted the ensuing penalty kick for his 14th goal of the season and the Bears led 4-0.  They kept pressing, and four minutes later McGuire set up Zach Tracy for his 21st goal of the year and a 5-0 lead.  There were less than ten minutes left when Ryder Hayes put the icing on the cake, heading home a corner kick by Carter Guerin at the near post, and it was 6-0.

The Bears conceded a frustrating consolation goal for Pinkerton with 15 seconds remaining in the game. A foul called well outside the box gave the Astros a free kick, and Zack Smith converted the serve from Ethan Bellows with a nice header.

That small disappointment could not diminish the festive celebration post-game for 12 stalwart seniors and their families, honored after four years of dedication to the program, careers started in the truncated COVID season,

Next up for the Bears is the second season, that familiar tie of year when every victory extends the season and gives the team more precious time with each other.  The brackets won't be official until Monday, but the Bears know for sure that they get a bye.  They will use the extra time, and have planned a scrimmage with Lebanon, which nailed down the number one spot in Division 2.  Hanover will host a Quarterfinal match on Friday (time TBA), and it's likely that the game will be with the winner of a Goffstown vs. Winnacunnet match on Tuesday. Hanover has reached this point by staying focused and taking things one day at a time.  A week of training a preperation should have them ready to meet their first challenge.

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