Senioritis

      Senior year. The pinnacle. On top of the world. Life is ahead of you. You know everything about everything (except how to financially support yourself).  Anything is possible (well maybe not for most of the teams trying to beat Hanover this year).  It’s a time of huge celebration, but also a game tinged with a bit of melancholy.  In fact this week in speaking to one of my work friends he said the only time he has cried in the last 20 years was driving home from his son’s last high school hockey game. For all hockey parents out there then, it is a time of proud reflection colored by a bit of sadness.  From the time they have been little learn to players, just about every weekend from October until March has been in part spent in a hockey rink.

      What makes it even harder is Dick Dodds, Dean Cashman, Alex Dodds, Pat Doherty, Wayne Burrell and all of the others who make playing for Hanover so much of a privilege and so much fun.  To be part of the Hanover tradition, to be part of something bigger than themselves, to commit themselves to their school and their town for four years – this is as much a celebration of that tonight than of the players themselves.  If it wasn’t so great, it wouldn’t hurt so much to say goodbye when it is over.

      And boy what a senior group of players it is.  Captain Hans Williams the shifty, sneaky, lateral presence ripping through the neutral zone time and time again.  Will Laycock, who is a better pound for than Floyd Mayweather and whose punishing for-check belies a sweet touch coming hard into the net.  Joey Goff, a hero of the 2018 state championship game who brings a big, hard, tough wing presence shift after shift.  Duncan Bailey, whose has left his imprint on many opposing teams (no, I mean literally left his imprint on them) with his hard nosed play and devastating wrister from the point. Sam Seelig, a smooth skating, steady defensive presence who half the team will be working for some day.  And finally captain Charlie Plottner, who defines what a captain needs to be – exuberant, tough as nails, picks everyone up, and is absolutely lethal around the net.

      So as this later afternoon game tipped off tonight between the first place (12-2 NHIAA, 13-4 overall) Marauders and the sixth place Blue Hawks from Exeter, it was with a sense of pride and sadness that we realized that there was a hockey game to play.  And this was a big one, for the next two weeks will determine seeding for the upcoming NHIAA tournament.  Hanover has four tough ones to go, and tonight would be yet another test for the defending state champions with Concord and Bedford waiting in the wings this week.

      The puck dropped at 4:20 and it was Matty Gardner unassisted from the high slot to put the locals up 1-0 just 24 seconds in….and then the wheels fell off the proverbial bus.  While the score was 1-0 going into the first intermission Exeter’s Brandon Doyle, in what was probably the game of his life, scored the first of his four goals on the night at 3:23 to knot the score.  Sylas Oberting answered unassisted a minute later, but it was Doyle who answered right back deep into the second to make it 2-2.  The last goal from Carter Auch on an assist from Hans Williams had a nervous Marauder squad up 3-2 going into the third.  And then boom it was Doyle again in the third at 4:46 to knot it up and then Sam Perry put the visitors up for good at 9:24 before Doyle closed it out with an empty netter at 14:12 – final 5-3 Exeter.

      So a bad, bad senior night loss.  And I suspect the only thing keeping the locals from a date with a Herb Brooks inspired practice is that in less than 12 hours, Concord comes to town. The game is at 2:45 and I suspect for everyone in Hanover nation this puck drop can’t come soon enough.  I have a feeling the Tide are going to be meeting up with a hornet’s nest tomorrow – let’s hope so.  See you at the rink.