Varsity Rallies From Three Down to Beat BG 8-3

 In one of the more astonishing games in Hanover's long history, the Varsity trailed Bishop Guertin by three goals with 27 minutes to play, and scored eight goals, including five in a five-minute span, to beat the Cardinals 8-3.  The win gives Hanover am 11-3-1 record and all but locks them into a top four spot in the Division One standings, providing they can get a result in Thursday's Senior Day clash with Winnacunnet.

Going into the match with Bishop Guertin, a team likely to finish out of the playoffs, Hanover expected to score a lot of goals and play everyone on the team.  That all happened, but hardly to way the anyone might have anticipated.  Hanover started the game flat, trailed after eight minutes, conceded another shaky goal on the 23rd minute, and then after Eric Ringer missed a penalty kick the would have cut the deficit in half, conceded a shocking third goal with five minutes to play, the second by the speedy Rayaan Hameed.

Trailing by three at halftime might seem daunting, but Hanover had been there or nearly so, against better teams.  Early in the season they trailed CVY by two goals, tied the game, conceded a third goal, and tied it again. Only two weeks ago they trained Dover by two with seventeen minutes to play and scored three times in six minutes to go ahead.  Briefly losing the lead on a penalty kick, they won the game on a goal by Eric Ringer with two minutes to play.  So this Hanover team knew how to come from behind.  The team's attitude at halftime reflected this.  There were no panicky lineup or formation changes, and no impassioned speeches.  They vowed to tighten up, and play better, and stay patient, and try to get back in the match.

BG's Hameed actually had two more showed right at the start of the half, giving him a total of nine, but before long long the table tipped toward Hanover's attacking end.  Murphy Hunt flicked a header wide, and Eric Ringer created several chances on the flank, and thirteen minutes into the half Hanover used the formula that had worked at Dover, and got dangerous on restarts.  Jacob Kubik-Pauw Pauw hit a corner kick into the mixer, and the ball squirted out to Ryder Hayes, and just as he had done against Dover, the sophomore midfielder scorched a shot into the net to start the comeback.  It took seven more minutes, but when Hanover struck again, it seemed like a mortal blow.  Luke Ives started the sequence playing a ball up the left side from midfield, sending Jack Gardner into the BG end.  Gardner muscled past a defender at top speed, found another gear and turned the corner, and absolutely crushed a short-range shot past goalie Dennis Jelley to pull Hanover within one.  

Only a minute later, a foul in the box gave Ringer a chance to redeem himself, and the Captain made no mistake with him spot kick, hitting it high and hard to the right, tying the game. It seemed like another goal would be coming soon, and less than two minutes later, BG looked like they were on the deck of the Titanic at the very end, cascading into the abyss.  Ringer teed up a corner kick into the box, the ball wasn't cleared, and Murphy Hunt had the time and composure to collect the ball, make a little circular run to find space, and then hammered it home to put Hanover ahead.  Hanover would have been forgiven for trying to protect their lead, but there was blood in the water, and less than a minute later, Gardner broke into the box again, stayed upright after a hard challenge, and was "fouled".  He never tried to sell it, and that may be what sold it.  From over half field, the trailing official called a penalty.  Marry Christmas. Ringer stepped to the spot again, and was equally unerring, and Hanover led 5-3.

After scoring four times in four minutes, Hanover wasn't through. They quickly regained possession from the shellshocked BG team, and Ringer sent a pass from the right flank that found Will Guerin alone in front, and the sophomore sniper collected his third goal of the season.  Finally, with fifteen minutes to play, the game settled down, and the original BG game plan, which called for a liberal use of substitutes, was begun.  With five minutes to play, Pierce Seigne got the ball to Sean Smith, outside the penalty area and dead center.  He lofted another goal of the year candidate for his first career goal. Three minutes later, Jack McGrath, who had unselfishly given up his uniform to a teammate, got into the act and collected his first career assist.  He teed up his specialty, a perfect corner kick, and Hayes was there to hammer it home with his head to finish off his brace.  Seems like only yesterday Ryder was working his way back from a concussion.

It may take a while before the team can process everything that happened under the full moon at Stellos, but there is scant time for reflection. Less than 48 hours after they celebrated their improbable rally, they will host Winnacunnet, good enough to beat Dover and Londonderry, on Senior Day.  If they win, they lock up a top four spot and the coveted second round home game.  For now, playing well enough in the first half in that match is enough of a focus.  Later, perhaps, they can reflect on some fairly amazing moments, as they write their unique history.