Hanover
“I just can’t lose so many balls,” Seibel said. “They just keep disappearing.”
The Marauders have lost enough already during the last 10 months. First came a one-goal setback in the NHIAA Division II title game and then the graduation of top scorers J.J. Daniell (81 points), Sophie Lubrano (60) and Christine Croitoru (74). Finally, junior goaltender Kiely Smiga-McManus transferred to Rice High School in South Burlington, Vt., leaving inexperienced Katlyn Hurd in net.
It was a lot for even a successful program to absorb, but Friday’s 20-0 pounding of Pembroke, followed by Saturday’s decisive triumph, give an indication of how Hanover may respond.
“Skills-wise, that’s a better team than us,” Seibel said of Winnacunnet. “But we won because of our focus and effort and limiting mistakes and most importantly, playing as a team.”
Johanna Copeland was the game’s star, pumping in six goals and adding two assists. The junior midfielder showed determination in reaching the front of the net and patience and poise once she got there.
“In Maddie Lyons and Molly Seibel, Amelia Lubrano and Johanna Copeland, we probably have four of the strongest middies in the state as far as playing both sides of the ball,” Seibel said.
“Maybe today was Johanna’s coming-out party. She has always had the ability to be a scorer, she just needed to be in a leadership position and she bailed us out a lot on the offensive end.”
Molly Seibel and Lyons each had three goals and an assist, Lubrano had a goal and an assist and Sonthaya Lacy also tallied. Cate Wagner had two assists and Perrin Milliken one. Hurd stopped three shots.
“I think other schools would look at goaltending as our weak point, but I don’t think we’ve lost much from years past,” Chris Seibel said. “Kaytlin is probably the best goalie we’ve had at saving the ball with her body.”
Winnacunnet (2-1) scored the game’s first two goals during the opening 2 minutes, 31 seconds and held a 3-1 lead before surrendering nine of the next 13 tallies and trailing, 9-6, at intermission. The Marauders (2-0) allowed only two more goals during the second half, which warmed the cockles of Seibel’s heart.
“You win a lot of games when you can shut down an offense like the girls did today,” he said. “We seemed to be a little out of our depth covering them early on, but at halftime we illustrated how to … beat them to where they were going to go. The girls did a great job getting after it and being athletic.”
Added junior defender Mahler Meyerrose: “The older girls on the team really brought up the intensity after those first couple of goals. We decided it was our game. I don’t think we’re better than this team, but we had a want to score a lot more.”
Can the Marauders, 15-4 last season, reach at least the state semifinals for the fifth time in as many seasons under Seibel? The real tests loom ahead on the schedule, with Division II foes such as Windham and Portsmouth and Division I opponents like Bishop Guertin and Pinkerton.
“We did lose a lot of really skilled girls, but we have the speed and the hustle and we’re showing that,” Meyerrose said.
Tris Wykes can be reached at twykes@vnews.com or 603-727-3227.