In the last home game of the 22/23 season, third-division handball team SGSH Dragons lost to second-placed HSG Krefeld 27:30 (14:16). The 400 fans were enthusiastic despite the defeat.
Halver – There are final games in which there is more sporty summer handball to see. Even if there was nothing more at stake for the SGSH on Saturday evening, this was not the case against the guests from the Lower Rhine. As always between the SGSH and the big rival from Krefeld, there was music in the game, much more than the sporting situation would allow.
Of course, it also played a role that it was against ex-coach Mark Schmetz, against Christopher Klasmann and Philipp Dommermuth – the trio who said goodbye to SGSH late in the summer. Against this background, the SGSH fought for a good result with an aggressive 3:2:1 defense right from the start, and were even ahead up to 6:5 (9th).
The greater substance of the Krefeld then gradually prevailed, but the guests did not get away decisively, although Kevin-Christopher Brüren had caught a great day in the right backcourt. At 7:11 (16 th ) it looked as if HSG would break away, but far from it: HSG lacked consistency. By the break, König and Schetters had brought the SGSH back up to 14:16.
SGSH puts up a big fight in Krefeld: fans celebrate despite the 27:30 defeat
Even after the change, things remained tight because Luca Jannack showed an increasingly stronger performance, saving three times in the first five minutes of the second half in 1-1 situations against Brüren. It was the parades that can turn a noisy hall into a cauldron. At 19:20 and 20:21 the hosts were even close to a goal, but the turnaround ultimately didn’t work out because the HSG could rely on Brüren and now also on the cleverness of Merten Krings in case of doubt.
20:24, later 22:27 and 24:29. It wasn’t a thriller, but the spectators still celebrated the SGSH team with standing ovations at the end, because they continued to gas after the 24:29 and in the end a more than respectable result against the promotion round participant was recorded. Of course, against a participant in the promotion round, who in the form on Saturday should not be one of the favorites in the round of the best third division team in Germany.
“In the end we made the game a lot exciting, but in the end we deserved to win,” concluded Mark Schmetz after his return to Mühlenstraße and then said goodbye to a special group for debriefing: Klasmann, Dommermuth, Schetters, Diehl, Gipperich, Dmytruszynski and others even Fabian Hecker, who is now active for Ferndorfer. It was a bit like twelve months ago when the SGSH was looking forward to participating in the promotion round.
The SGSH meanwhile is looking forward to the last game of the season in Emsdetten – and then it’s time for the summer break. Before the home game against Krefeld, the board said goodbye to the long-time physiotherapist Marvin Schreyer, who wants to step down and, somewhat surprisingly, the young right winger Finn Schnepper and Michal Gorlas. Schnepper moves to southern Germany to study. He scored four spotless goals against Krefeld and played a really good game. The young Essener Michal Gorlas, who was mostly used in the Verbandsliga team this year, will also leave the club.
Best SGSH throwers: Schetters (7/3), König (6), Börner (4), Schnepper (4) – best HSG throwers: Brüren (12/1), Schulz (6/3)
