When Hanover beat Middleboro 48-14 last Friday, the Indians earned the Patriot League Championship. This was a huge accomplishment for the team since it was their first league title since 2008. It was an important victory since it was against the team that defeated them last year on their own turf for the league title. I would imagine that it feels great as a player to turn the tables and be champions.

Although they have won the league, they are not quite finished yet. Hanover is the number 3 seed in Division 3 and will hope to continue their success into the postseason. The football team has not had the best of times in the playoffs. They have not won a state championship in many years. The Indians haven’t even won a playoff in game in some time, so they should be anxious and ready to go out and win their first post-season game this Friday.

On Friday night at 7:00pm, Hanover takes on 6th-seeded Westwood on our home turf. It is the first home playoff game that the Indians have had in awhile, so a large crowd should be there in support. Let’s hope it’s a first step in the direction of the state title game at Gillette Stadium.

The Boston Celtics are considered one of the most exciting young teams in the NBA this upcoming year. They have a surplus of young, exciting talents along with a head coach who is viewed as one of the best in the league. Last year, the Celtics finished with a 40-42 record and the 7th seed in the playoffs. They were swept in the first round by the eventual Eastern Conference Champions, the Cleveland Cavaliers. While it was an early exit, it was still viewed as a success because they exceeded the expectations of many. Most thought that the team wouldn’t win over 25 games, let alone make the playoffs. Now, people know that the Celtics are not a joke anymore.

The Celtics had four draft picks this year, three of which have been signed and will make the team. They added March Madness star RJ Hunter and Louisville starting point guard Terry Rozier; along with athletic forward Jordan Mickey. This summer, they re-signed Jae Crowder and Jonas Jerebko and brought in Amir Johnson from Toronto. Celtics fans have already seen how Crowder and Jerebko can produce and they hope that they can receive the same from Amir. Another big move that was made was a trade with the NBA Champions, the Golden State Warriors. They traded Gerald Wallace for former All Star David Lee. Wallace was nothing more than a bench warmer for Boston, so getting anything in return should be classified as a win. It appears that Lee could compete for a starting role and will most definitely get significant minutes this year.

The Celtics have one of the deepest rosters in the entire league. There are only so many minutes that can go around and there may be an issue with some of the budding young players not getting enough time. This is a good problem to have because a surplus of talent is always better than having a lack of talent. In the backcourt, Marcus Smart, Isaiah Thomas Avery Bradley are all players who are highly capable of starting. Not to mention you have Hunter and Rozier on the bench who also need to see the floor along with 2014 first round draft pick, James Young. These players are all capable of contributing now and there is no way to tell which way head coach Brad Stevens will choose to go; but as a Celtics fan, I have faith in his decision making. We have a similar logjam in the frontcourt. We have Tyler Zeller, Kelly Olynyk, and Jared Sullinger, who all performed very well last year for the Celtics, not to mention the additions of Amir Johnson and David Lee, who look to be as good if not better than the players mentioned above. All five veteran forwards will be fighting for a spot in Stevens’ rotation. Mickey appears to be the odd man out in this situation. He does have age on his side though; he is a young, athletic, forward who will only get better with time.

I am going to make some predictions for the Celtics. First off, I predict that Danny Ainge will address the logjam in the frontcourt and will trade at least one of the players listed above. Next, I predict that the Celtics will finish with about 46-48 wins and make the 6th seed in the Eastern Conference playoffs. There are many other budding young teams in the East so it should be an exciting race to watch. The Celtics have a talented young core and should be turning some heads as they continue their journey back to title contenders and Banner 18.

Having your team win whenever you attend a sporting event is always the most important thing in every fan’s eyes. But the experience you have at the stadium — the food choices, the view, the general atmosphere — influences how much fun you have at the game. I have been lucky enough to travel to eight different stadiums in my life. As an avid sports fan I can only hope that that number grows but here are my rankings of the best and worst sporting venues I’ve been to.

#8 Continental Airlines Arena- the Prudential Center

I was visited the home of the New Jersey Devils of the NHL in 2006 and then in 2009. The area of East Rutherford is a rural area but the stadium itself is average. Nothing special to it, just an okay stadium but does not stand out in any way from my experiences. Hence why it is ranked last.

#7 Gillette Stadium

As most know, the home of the New England Patriots is located in Foxboro, Massachusetts. It holds a total of 68,756 fans. It is home to the most loyal fans in all of sports, and Patriots games get so exciting and fun that the experience at Gillette is amazing. The problem though  is getting there and leaving. The traffic on the one road to get in and out is awful, taking over three hours all three times I’ve been to Gillette Stadium.

#6 Camden Yards

Located in Baltimore, Maryland,  I traveled to this wonderful home of the Baltimore Orioles in 2011. The area in which Camden Yards in located is beautiful. The inner harbor of Maryland is a great place to walk around before and after games. The seating is nice, as it seems there are not many bad views in the whole park. It’s also located right next to the Baltimore Ravens stadium, so although I did not go in the Ravens stadium, it was a cool experience to see that as well.

#5 Yankee Stadium

In 2009 I was at game one of the World Series between the New York Yankees and the Philadelphia Phillies. The stadium was massive, energy was electric and my experience was a great one. The seating was very comfortable, food stands cover almost every inch of the stadium and the centerfield scoreboard was enormous. Located in the Bronx, parking was tough but the atmosphere was like nothing I had ever seen at a sporting event: the fans around me were going crazy and so into the game that it made the game even better than it was.

#4 TD Garden

For basketball, the arena holds 18,624 and for hockey it holds 17,565. The Boston Celtics and Bruins have played in the same stadium since 1939. The Garden is very easy to get to as it is a final stop on the T, and  it’s easy to get into and leave. The TD Garden is a very small arena and there is a reason behind that. My experience is that when watching either basketball or hockey games at the garden, you feel as if you are on top of the action. It’s a  great environment for sporting events and one of the best in the NHL and NBA.

#3 Raymond James Stadium 

Located in Tampa, Florida, it is the greatest football stadium I’ve ever been to. It holds 75,000 people and is absolutely amazing. In the south endzone section, there is a 103-foot pirate ship that blasts a loud cannon noise for every Tampa Bay Buccaneer score and first down. The seating is great along with the size of the stadium and how open everything around it is. Lots of parking makes easy access to coming and leaving. The diehard Buccaneers fans make it even more special and the Florida weather definitely helps because warm weather at a football game was not something I was used to. Raymond James Stadium is one of if not the best Stadium in all of the NFL.

#2 Fenway Park

For 103 years the Boston Red Sox have called Fenway Park home and it is the oldest park in Major League Baseball. Its capacity is 37,673 and, to many, it is the greatest ballpark in all of baseball. Its traditional feel makes Fenway  a great place to watch a game. There are things about Fenway I do not like although I love the location, fans, and the environment. But the seating is bad. Some seats are directly in front of poles that support the upper deck seats. Seats are wooded and at times can be very uncomfortable. Despite that downside, I truly do love the park and am very lucky to attend it as much as I do during the baseball season.

#1 Tropicana Field

Though some people argue that this is the worst stadium in all of baseball, it is my favorite sporting stadium of any I’ve been to. The Trop, as it’s nicknamed, is home to the Tampa Bay Rays and is an indoor baseball stadium. Many old time baseball people curse the thought of indoor baseball because it’s not traditionally where baseball is played. Tropicana Field is located in St. Petersburg, Florida, and holds 31,042 people. The big thing is Rays’ fans usually don’t show much support at games. They haven’t sold out a game since game 3 of the World Series in 2008 (longest non sellout streak in baseball) and seats are always available at games. That’s why games are so great; you can sit anywhere you want and I mean anywhere. Complaints about the Trop center on the catwalk, which connects to the roof and when lights need to be replaced, maintenance goes up there to fix them. Fly balls hit from batters can hit the catwalk and impact play. I truly believe people dislike and hate the Trop because it’s different, and that’s exactly why I like it. 

Major League Baseball consists of a grueling 162-game schedule that stretches from the middle of April to the end of September. Now that October is upon us, it means postseason baseball is here.

The Kansas City Royals and Toronto Blue Jays are currently battling it out for the American League spot in the World Series. From the National League, the Chicago Cubs, who haven’t won a World Series since 1908 — and were predicted in the 1989 movie Back to the Future to finally win the World Series in 2015 — are trying to defeat the New York Mets.

When postseason play began, I predicted that the St. Louis Cardinals  of the National League would meet the American League’s Blue Jays in the World Series. But the Cardinals got knocked out by the long-suffering Cubs. So, even though I got that one wrong, I still believe the Jays will make it to the World Series, get the win, and earn starting pitcher David Price d the 2015 World Series Most Valuable Player.

Somehow we are already more than a month into school, and for some, the fall sports season. The girls volleyball team has been playing hard, one game at a time, with its eye on making the tournament.

Sitting in the stands of Rockland High School on Oct. 2, the RHS Bulldogs, our longtime rivals, had a rallying fan section equipped with all the necessary cheering and vocal power any school needs. Despite the large number of students they had, the Hanover fans that traveled to our neighboring town pushed right back with energy and cheering.

The ball flew through the air, bouncing back from each teams court, and senior Annika Rowland’s “Got it” pierced through the air as she went for the ball, the crowd and court silent after Rockland’s serve. The game was powerful, with a lot of effort  coming off both teams.

Junior Meaghan Raab played phenomenal for the Indians, smiling while being photographed with head coach David Jakub afterward. “The most important part of the game is your team. Without your team you can’t win,” Raab said. “We pulled together as a team, and we won. Coincidence? I think not.” Meaghan confirmed that her mantra on the court is to “play hard, but play smart.”

Emily Hennessy, a senior co-captain with Melanie Armstrong, had nothing but positive remarks on Friday’s fantastic match. “We all worked together and fought for every point even when we were down,” Hennessy said. “Almost every set (of the game) was won or lost by just a couple points.” Emily was not only impressed by the win itself, but also the communication and teamwork. “The Rockland match was the best match we’ve played technically and as a team.”

It was followed up by an exciting win for Hanover against Plymouth South on Monday, Oct. 5, which brought the team’s record to 7-6. With a few more wins, the team has a good chance of earning a spot in postseason play.

After the “Deflategate” scandal and its outcome, Harris Poll released a survey of the most beloved and disliked athletes in professional sports. Lebron James was, oddly, the most beloved and also the most hated athlete. The second most hated? New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady.

After Deflategate, it seems like, all over social media and some TV and radio stations, people are up in arms about Brady “cheating” again, and not getting a punishment. Most people, outside of New England, have a deep dislike for Brady, one that has shown itself more and more recently. But why?

To us New Englanders, he’s the savior. The legend. As close to a god as a human can get. Four-time Super Bowl winner, with a supermodel wife. He’s never had any run-in with the law, which cannot be said for many other NFL players today. He’s never arrogant, always putting the team first, and buys all of his offensive linemen a gift before the playoffs.

So why do people still hate Tom Brady to the core? I have a theory: people like to hate on the consistent success of somebody other than themselves. For us in New England, we love all the success Brady has brought to us. However, with the Patriots being so successful year in and year out in the NFL, going to six Super Bowls since 2001, it’s almost like no other team has a chance. People cannot, for some reason, attribute the success of a man and his team to hard work, dedication, integrity, and skill. No, of course not, they have to blame the wins on spy cameras and deflated footballs.

So, New Englanders, we have to accept the fact that outside our beautiful region, everybody hates Tom Brady. It’s a fact. But don’t worry, they’ll be hating him for much longer, because we Patriots fans know, Tommy God will be out to win more and more championships. Let’s all go out and hate someone who is actually arrogant, cheating, and self-centered, America. Like A-Rod.

The 2015 Hanover High School boys soccer season is underway. With high expectations, the team is locked and loaded with young and upperclass talent all over the field. Senior captains Jonny Ferrarini and Greg Chiarelli look to take more of a leadership role this season and have been a huge reason for the early success of the team this season. The team’s record is 3-2-1  and the boys have only given up four goals through six games, showing the defense and goal tending are some of the best the league as to offer.

Junior Zach Chase, who played varsity as a freshman, sophomore and now junior, expects big things from his team. “The group of guys we have here is deep and as the season goes on we’re only going to get better playing with one another.”

On Tuesday, they faced off against Division II state championship runner up Hingham High School and the game ended in a 0-0 draw. The tie was a success in my opinion as Hingham has some of the best strikers in Division II and has championship hopes on their mind.

Coached by Mr. Steve Rodday, Hanover boys soccer is set  to have an incredible season. I truly believe the high expectations will be met by all of the great players on this year’s team.

This year should be a big one for the Hanover football program. They worked hard all off-season with the goal of playing at Gillette for the State Championship. That is usually the goal for all teams heading into the season, but for Hanover it might not be that far-fetched. They recently were  ranked in the top 50 for all of Massachusetts, which is a great accomplishment due to the fact that the rankings include teams from all divisions.

The Indians have started the season off with a record of 2-1 with blowout wins against Oliver Ames and North Quincy. The loss came to an East Bridgewater team that was undoubtedly their toughest opponent on their regular season schedule. It was a close, competitive game until the very end. Hanover held a lead going into halftime but couldn’t hold off the explosive EB offense for the entire game. It finished with a score of 25-22 in favor of the Vikings. This Hanover team can score with the best of them, as shown in their first three games this year.

All in all, the next biggest goal for the program is to win the Patriot League; this is something they fell short of accomplishing last year. Their main competition in thei league looks to be Middleboro, the reigning Patriot League champions. The two teams square off on October 23rd in Middleboro. While trying not to look too far in advance, that is a matchup that could have serious Patriot League championship implications when it takes place.

This should be a great season for Hanover Football due to their impressive amount of talent combined with an intelligent coaching staff. They have all of the tools to succeed and it appears that they will do so. The key for the Indians will be their ability to keep scoring at this impressive rate. This will be an exciting team to watch and they should be a team that might be able to turn some heads this season.

This year’s Hanover girls soccer squad, coached by Michael Fraser, could end up being more dangerous than you think. However, there are some negatives that may slow them down: injuries. Junior scorer Kayleigh LaFreniere recently tore her ACL for the second time in as many seasons. Junior defender Kate Joy started the season off with a MCL injury, however she is recovering. Junior Meaghan Bishop dislocated her hip, and sophomore Marissa Shoulla tore her MCL; both will miss some time. These, along with several injuries to knees and ankles, have caused many of the girls to miss practices. The girls team also plays a brutal schedule. Tough teams in Notre Dame Academy and Whitman-Hanson Regional both dealt Hanover tough losses early in the year, putting their overall record at 3-5.

However, there are just as many positives that make it too early to rule out tournament play. This Hanover team returns many of its players from a young team last year that took down powerhouse Duxbury High 1-0 last year, the first defeat by Hanover over Duxbury in 25 years. Led by senior captains Great Barry (goalie), Emma Devine (center back), and Kaleigh Polatta (center back), this Hanover team hopes to overcome a tough early schedule and the slew of injuries in order to make a run at the league. Another huge positive for this team is their togetherness on and off of the field. “We work well together in all aspects,” says Joy. “We’re one big happy family and our team chemistry is undeniable.” This will be an immense advantage for the girls as the season goes on, especially if they can make the state tournament.

As the team takes on Plymouth North High next game, a league game, this will be an important stretch for the girls. Pay attention to this team, ladies and gentlemen. They just might end up ruling the fall season.

Senior Golfer is Second in State

Senior Sophie Morrill finished second in the state golf tournament at Wentworth Hills Country Club June 9. Her score of 74 was just short of the leader, Krystal Knight of Pentucket, who won with a 69.

Lacrosse: Girls Fall in Semifinal, Boys Knocked Out

Girls lax, with a record of 11-4, is seeded 3rd in Division 2 South, earning a first-round BYE. They defeated 6th seed Fairhaven 14-5  at HHS on June 4 to move onto the semifinal, but lost 17-8 to 2nd seed Cohasset to end their tourney run on June 9.

Boys lax, which finished the season 10-9, earned the 8th seed in Division 3 South. They beat 9th seeded Martha’s Vineyard 12-4 in a home game June 1 but they lost to top seed Cohasset on June 3 by a score of 11-8.

Softball Run Ends in Quarterfinal

The winners of the Patriot League (Fisher division) with a 16-4 record, the team earned 4th seed and a first-round BYE in Division 2 South. They defeated 13th seed Seekonk June 4 by a score of 3-1 but lost to 5th seed Bellingham in the quarterfinal June 7.

Baseball Falls in First Round

Despite a rocky season, the team earned a spot in the tournament under the Sullivan Rule, which allows a team with a losing record to qualify if it plays most of its games against bigger schools but had at least a .500 record against opponents in its league. Unfortunately, the squad ended its tournament run with a 4-0 loss to fifth-seeded Norwell on June 5.

Track and Field: Runner Competes at States

The track team, which saw Emma Buckley and Dan Padula both set school records in the 100 m dash in the regular season, sent several athletes to the EMASS Division 4 state meet June 3. Buckley finished 4th in the 100m and 6th in the 200m. She competed in the 100m in the All-States Championship on June 6.

Niamh Kenney took 5th place in the two-mile run, Stephanie Flynn finished 12th in the mile, and Amanda Lawlor finished 11th in the half-mile. Emily Sweeney finished 6th in the pentathlon, which includes the shot put, high jump, long jump, 100 m hurdles and 800 m run. Junior Sarah Miller came in 8th in the long jump.

For the boys, Padula came in 12th in the 100m dash.

Tennis: Girls Lose in First Round, Boys Fail to Qualify

Girls tennis, which was seeded 17th with a record of 9-9, faced Sandwich for its first playoff on June 5. Unfortunately, the team lost 4-1.

Boys tennis struggled this season, finishing with a 1-17 record.

Rugby Looks to Next Year

Hanover’s new rugby team had a strong first season, ending with  a 5-2 record. The team hopes to make tournament next year when it officially becomes a varsity team, according to junior Padraic McDonough.

Athlete of the Year Award

Jack Buckley received the HHS Athlete of the Year Award at the annual boosters sports rally on June 1.  According to Athletic Director Scott Hutchison, Jack was a state leader in scoring, a Patriot League All Star and an All-Scholastic for the Patriot Ledger, Boston Herald, and Boston Globe.  As a senior this year, Jack lead his basketball team to their first League Championship in over 20 years and their first State Tournament victory in over 10 years.

Athletics Paragon Award

Also at the boosters rally, senior Michael McLeod received the HHS Athletics Paragon Award for Overall Excellence in athletics, academics, leadership, and character.  Michael is a three-sport captain, three-sport Scholar-Athlete, as well a young man of great integrity, according to Hutchison.