Dragons Comeback Late to defeat Howell 5-4...Rebels Then Rebound and Beat Midd North

By: Mark Ferrante

In advance, I’d like to apologize in advance for this taking so long, but I’ve had Midterms/Funeral to attend............Not my best work, but here ya go!

Just three days after defeating Freehold Township 5-2, the Rebels faced off against the #11 ranked Brick Dragons in front of 500+ spectators. In the last month, the Rebels have fallen from 15 to 28 in the state rankings. The message was clear from Coach Daley, perform or else the odds of getting a high seed in Shore/States will be very difficult.

The Rebels took a first period lead when Mike Leiro jammed home a rebound. Senior captain Eddie Pyskaty would add to that lead about 3 minutes later, putting the Rebels up Two-Nothing. Unfortunately the Rebels collapsed off the in-suing face-off as Tyler Martin scored on a breakaway.Momentum defiantly shifted at that point as Brick would later tie the game. After two hard hitting, emotion filled, high energy periods the scoreboard was knotted at two.

The third period presented joyful cheers, then disappointing heartbreak. Howell took the lead from a power play goal from Mike Kochenash. Brick would tie the game again, but Eddie Pyskaty would put the Rebels in the lead with a great individual effort. With 5 minutes left former Howell native Matt Gumina would pull the Dragons even with a beautiful backhand goal. The next four minutes, the two teams traded odd men chances, a few posts, but unfortunately Bricks senior defenseman Pat Kearns capitalized on a 2 on 1 rush with 50 seconds left to seal the Dragons victory.

This was another tough loss for Howell but yet again they proved they can skate with anyone in the state of NJ.

3 Stars
1) Eddie Pyskaty - The Senior Captain had 4 points and drew 1-2 penalties, he truly showed why he is a top 15 player in the state. It was amazing to see Eddie “lead by example” Tuesday night.
2) Matt Kotch - Very crafty/shifty with the puck, nice to have a calm presence on the ice for the Rebs.
3) Mike Leiro/Mike Kochenash - Both had a few points, but the real show was #77.

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Good for the Rebels, the disappointment of losing to Brick only lingered a few days as they suited up against A-North opponent Middletown North.

This game was honestly brutal, the game was played on the free skate rink (white rink), the fans didn’t want to be there, and it seemed like the team didn’t want to be there as well as they BARELY slid past MN 5-4.

Up Next - Tuesday - Rival Jackson Memorial @ Wall @ 8
Wednesday - Defending State Champs, Toms River South @ TR @ 6

Just a few things before I go and study for midterms
-Howell cannot look past Jackson in preperation to rematch TRS
-Need a full team effort to beat TRS
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A quote to ponder on......... “You've done it before and you can do it now. See the positive possibilities. Redirect the substantial energy of your frustration and turn it into positive, effective, unstoppable determination.”

In other news................
- CBA defeated RBC 4-1 about 4 two days ago, this blog was delayed (Midterm studying, Shoveling)
- Marlboro wins Shore D
- Brett/Matt Johnson will NOT be playing for Midd South for the rest of 2011
- Billy Dovenero is contemplating transferring to Howell for his senior year ;)

Also, I'd like for my readers to do a few things for me and some good causes!

http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=186243264730285 Its an ice skate for like $12 for Cancer Patient Nick Vega...Its a great cause for a great kid, get better soon Nick.

http://njpowerranking.com/id193.html And vote in your Rebels for year-end awards!!!

Howell Defeats TRN 6-0. Also, Howell Hockey Blog Explores the Top Players/Games Around NJ

By: Mark Ferrante

In front of a whopping crowd of 57, the Rebels ended there losing streak at two and defeated the Toms River North Mariners 6-0. Coach Bill Daley gave Junior Goaltender Zack Peras a break and started fellow Junior James Bodeker, the decision payed off. Bodeker del

ivered a 16 save shutout, his first in high school.

Leading the way for Howell was Pyskaty (2G), Kochenash (2G), Leiro (1G), Yaegal (1G).

Next for Howell is rival school Freehold Township on Saturday January 22nd @ 630.

Congratulations to........

James Bodeker on his first career shutout, James’ thoughts - “It was nice to be in net and get a chance to show what I can do for the team, a shutout is always a goalies dream.”

Brandon Yaegal on his first career goal, Brandon’s thoughts - “It was good, I’m glad I can help the team win, espicially scoring on a penalty kill, always a cool way to score.”

Since the Howell/TRN game was sort of a dud, I couldn’t post a 1 ½ paragraph blog entry just about that, so I decided to take a look around NJ about some of the best players/teams in the state of NJog entry, so I decided to focus on an Around NJ segment.

Around NJ segment!
5 Games to watch this week
1/18 - #17 Middletown South @ #23 RBC, at the Red Bank Armory, @ 815.
1/19 - #12 Bergen Catholic @ #7 CBA, at Wall, @ 500.
1/20 - #11 Brick @ #23 Red Bank Catholic, at the Red Bank Armory, @ 230
1/22 - #7 CBA @ #1 Delbarton, at Aspen Ice, @ 430
1/22 - #32 Howell @ #111 Freehold Township, at Wall, @ 630

I hope to attend two or three of these games, if I do, I will write a little blog about them. The game I’m most excited about is Midd South/RBC, great skill is displayed in this game, and I’m excited to see RBC play, Howell’s future opponent on Feb 15th.

Just for fun...Score predictions
Midd South 3 - RBC 2, Crispy shuts the door, espicially in the 3rd when RBC frantically tries to tie the game.

CBA 2 - Bergen Catholic 0, CBA starts to find a groove, Colts get goals from Rivera and Clifton.

Brick 5 - Red Bank Catholic 5, Both teams explode offensively, Gumina has a big day for Brick and as does Powell for RBC.

Delbarton 4 - CBA 1, Delbarton shows why there the best team in the state of NJ, defense is led by draft prospect Matt Killian.

Howell 6 - Freehold Township 0, Howell’s offense is too much for Townships defense, Roy keeps the Patriots in the game for awhile though. Bodeker recieves another shutout, his second in two starts.

5 players to watch in the 2nd half
1) Matt Killian, Delbarton, D, #5, Senior, very well could get drafted in the top 5 rounds of this years NHL draft in Minnesota.
2) Connor Clifton, CBA, D, #12, Sophmore, might be headed to the USNDP in Ann Arbor, Michigan.
3) Anthony Sidiero, St. Augustine, FWD, #18, Freshman, Southern New Jersey native, rumors swirling around that this could be sent to Shaddocks Saint Mary’s. Notable Alumni - Crosby, Parise, Jack Johnson, Jonathan Toews. Pretty elite company.
4) Matt Gumina, Brick, FWD, #7, Senior, Great two way hockey player, explosive with the puck
5) Jay Malone, TRS, FWD, #9, Senior, solidified 100 point scorer

Honorable Mentions: Matt Armenti, #9 RBC, FWD (Unfortunately injured). Kyle Shapiro, #30 CBA, Goalie. Chris “Crispy” Marsillo #37 Midd South, Goalie. Brendan van Riemsdyk, #17 CBA, Forward.

Also I'd like to break some bad news to those un-aware. Recently Bishop Eustace player Connor O'Kane passed away suddenly, everyone who knew him said he was a great kid. This is a tough week for Eustace players/fans, I wish them the best of luck for the rest of the season. Stay strong boys.

The Preview: Howell @ RBC

By: Mark Ferrante, Rob Ferraoili

Just days after getting embarrassed by SJV, your 2010-2011 Howell Rebels face off against #19 Red Bank Catholic looking to break out of their recent struggles.

Meet Your Opponent: #18 Red Bank Catholic Caseys

Captains
#9 Matt Armenti, Senior, Forward, Injured, out for the year.
#17 Jesse Deatherage. Senior, Defenseman
#18 Sean Branagan, Senior, Forward.

Starting Goalie
#30 Gavin Gatta, Senior.


What we know about RBC: “Tough customer”, very comparable roster to Howell, tough top two lines, then depth becomes an issue.. The Caseys’ were led by Howell Native Matt Armenti, but unfortunately for him, he suffered a fractured back, thus ending his season and his high school hockey career. With the loss of Armenti, it’s time for the other two Howell residents to provide scoring. Senior Mark Powell and offensive defenseman Jesse Deatherage regularly light the lamp for the Casey’s, but will have to pick it up even more so now in Armenti’s absence. Other notables for the Casey’s are speedster Pat Dwyer and four year starter in net, Gavin Gatta.

Howell Wins If:
1) They have a great start to the game.
2) Manufacture an early lead.
3) Stars shine (Pyskaty, Leiro, Peras, Kochenash, Heuser).
4) Smart plays from the top four defensemen.
5) They play with discipline and capitalize on the powerplay.

Quotes on going into a hostile environment such as the Red Bank Armory:

“Its going to be crazy, If we do play, we got new lines, I think we’re ready to go.”
#2 Frankie Gerbasi

“Well you know it should be a challenge, we know going in that its gonna be one of the hardest games we play all season. But its nothing we haven’t done before, and we have great fans so I’m pretty excited, Its a great opportunity to break out of a funk we’ve been in, so lets hope we can get the job done.”
#12 Matt Schiek

“We cannot listen to the crowd tomorrow, we have to zone out all of the distractions that we will face and worry about playing our game, ultimately coming up with the win.”
#28 Trevor Heuser

“Its going to be fun having 100 people yell at you. Hopefully we can make them quiet.”
#30 James Bodeker


Experts provide predictions:
“Just play the game, take it one step at a time. Be cautious, but not too careful either. I hate to say it, but its probably a must win for Howell. Desperation shows, 5-3 Rebels.” -Brandon Caputo

“No doubt Daley has a struggling team all fired up. They’ve been awful, Daley expects nothing but perfection out of them. Howell needs to play as the team that started undefeated and really get their stride and confidence back. RBC is more talented team but Howell has the firepower to make something happen and pull the upset. 6-4 Howell.” -Brian Deakyne

“Once again watch out for the top four defensemen for Howell. The pairing of Heuser and Morelli is one of the best in the state. Kotch and Schiek are playing great hockey as well. Realistically, I think Peras/Gatta have a great goalie duel, ending in a 2-2 Tie.” - Kevin Kolbenschlag


There is no doubt that this game will be a huge test for the Rebels, a telling one, that in the grand scheme of things, this match could be the pivotal game in this season, that will show what this team is truly capable of.

On another note, to all fellow Rebel fans, or Casey fans:
Due to the possibility of inclement weather, there is a decent chance that the game could be rescheduled or postponed, so stay tuned to the even page, as any updates will be posted there if we get any info.

Q+A with Freshman Defenseman Trevor Heuser

By: Mark Ferrante

Recently I was fortunate to be able to sit down with "Calder" or Rookie of the Year Candidate Trevor Heuser. Heres the conversation we had............

MF: "First off congrats on a great first half of the year."

TH: "Thanks so much, I love playing."

MF: "What Middle School did you attend?"

TH: "Farmingdale."

MF: "Favorite NHL team? Favorite player?"

TH: "New Jersey Devils, and PK Subban."

MF: "Now lets get back to Howell Hockey, what is the one thing you learned from the upper classmen?

TH: "Leadership."

MF: "Who is the prankster of the team?"

TH: "Zack Peras."

MF: "Whats your opinion on the fans?"

TH: "Very supportive, energetic, just keep up the numbers!"

MF: "Favorite Chant?"

TH: "R-E-B-S REBS REBS REBS!"

MF: "Biggest game you have circled on your calender for the rest of the year?"

TH: "RBC."

MF: "Your opinion on Tuesdays 6-3 loss against the defending state champions Toms River South?"

TH: "I thought we out played them in most aspects of the game but even though we out shot them, we need to get higher quality shots and mostly get to the net for rebounds. We lose and win as a team."

MF: "There's alot of speculation you 'Lead by Example', thoughts?"

TH: "(Laughs) I just play my game, and try to just worry how I play and perform."

MF: "How would you grade your your play so far?"

TH: "I think I have played good, but there is always something I can do better and improve on?"

MF: "The teams play?"

TH: "I think that we all need to play our game and play our role and correct a few things to get back on track."

MF: "Thanks for the time Trev, keep leading by example."

TH: "No problem, thanks."

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Keep up the good work Trev, even if PK Subban is your favorite player...

Howell Falls to Defending State Champions 6-3

By: Mark Ferrante, Rob Ferraioli

With heavy hearts the Howell Rebels took the ice Tuesday night against defending state champions Toms River South. In what was expected to be a tight defensive game, these two teams had just that in the first period, as it ended with a scoreless 0-0 tie. Kochenash started the scoring mid way through the second but Toms River quickly answered with two of there own goals, both directly off of sloppy defensive play by the Rebels. At the end of two Toms River South led 2-1. The start of the third showed the level talent in this game. Pyskaty quickly tied the score with a snipe through Pet Kerry’s five hole. Unfortunately for Rebels fans, TRS’s top forwards, Jay Malone and Todd Unger showed exactly why they are considered some of the best players in the state. They both capitalized on each chance they got, equating to a 5-3 lead for Toms River going into the final minute. Jay Malone put in an empty netter to complete his hat trick and placing the final stamp on a 6-3 win for Toms River South.

Well Rebels, if you want respect you need to start winning big games. So far, Howell has failed to deliver in games versus top ranked schools such as Middletown South(2-1 loss) and Toms River South(6-3 Loss). Lucky for Howell, they will get another chance to prove themselves against elite competition on Tuesday when they take on #12 Red Bank Catholic at the Armory(8:15 P.M.).

Those who know the sport best will tell you that hockey has a certain rhythm to it. Every shift, every game, and every season is inevitably packed with ebbs and flows. Teams are never as bad as they appear during there lowest points, and never as good as they seem during there highest ones. The very best clubs then must be not just talented, but resilient. Not just hungry, but focused. Their sport demands it. Over the next 3 months, the Rebels face off 15+ more times. Through utter dominance, and frustrating struggle, they are revealing the rhythms of a season, and the mysteries, wonders, and tortures of hockey. Get em’ going, Rebs.

High school hockey fans always love to debate, is this 3rd year Howell team “for real”? How good are they compared to the rest of NJ? Can they go deep in states? We will soon find out.

Players thoughts on the loss:

“I’m frustrated. We need to score more on our chances.” - #93 Greg Buckley

“We were a bit unlucky, but that's no excuse.” - #2 Frankie Gerbasi

“I definitely think that we did not come ready to play, We did not play a good defensive zone cover which was what really killed us.” - #8 Austin Crane

“I thought we played an overall good game, they just capitalized on our mistakes and their goalie played well.” - #4 Brandon Hodes

“We dominated most of the game, we just couldn’t finish and they did.” - #29 Matt Morelli

“Lousy effort from our team, no emotion.” - #33 Mike Kochenash


Three stars of the game
1) Mike Leiro - Leiro established dominance with the puck all game long against a tough TRS defense. He also sacrificed his body all game long with numerous blocked shots and big hits. Karma rewarded Leiro as he scored against the Indians.
2) Matt Morelli - “Matty Mo” once again had a stellar performance against a big opponent and his play is validating the ice time he is getting.
3) Mike Kochenash - MK33 is quietly leading the Rebels in goals with 15. The junior has relieved some of the scoring responsibility from Pyskaty and Leiro. He has been a threat to score every time he has the puck.

Fan of the Game: Greg McEvoy- Your dedication is truly appreciated by your follow fans. Your always enthusiastic and ready to chant, keep up the good work Greg.

Whats Next: Howell faces off against SJV on Saturday at Wall Gold Coast Arena (5:45 P.M).
After that Howell heads into Red Bank’s armory to take on private school and rival Red Bank Catholic.

Our words of wisdom:

MF: Keep the pedal down boys, if they score, don’t feel sorry for yourselves, get a quick answer. Have fun, fans are always behind you.
RF: Pretty much what Mark said. Just try and sustain momentum, and play with a little more intensity. When we have fallen behind, the team and fans seem dispirited, and we need to loosen up a bit.

Merry Christmas from the Howell Hockey Blog!

By: Mark Ferrante

First off, we would like to wish everyone a Merry Christmas and Happy Holiday's! Now lets get back to Hockey talk!

Take a look at our Christmas list!

I feel every item on our Christmas List is more than achievable.

The team currently is ranked 10th in the state, which is better than future opponents RBC (#17), Brick (#19), and Toms River South (#20).

Howell faces Ridge (#18) in the Bridgewater Holiday tournament on Tuesday @ Bridgewater @445.

Players thoughts on their record so far...............

"Were playing some great hockey so far, but we still need to work on some certain things. We have some tough tests coming up, we just need to play our Rebel hockey and we'll come out on top." - #14 Stephen Bernhardt

"The season has gone fairly well, everyone is excited for the rest of the season." - #33 Mike Kochenash

"Season has gone great so far, imagine what I would of said if we were 7-0, but theres no time to think about the past, gotta finish strong." - #29 Matt Morelli

Fans thoughts on the Rebels early success............

"Everyone is really pumped for the rest of the season, 6-1 so far, playing awesome, and they get Buckley in the lineup." - Mike Daniel

"Good start, time will tell how they do, the games only get tougher." - Max Gilbert

"I expect better crowds and good results in the second half of the season." - Ryan Bocchetto

"I think Howell Hockey's early dominance has officialy put them in the ranks as an elite hockey power house in the shore. But the best is yet to come, with due time Howell hockey will be a house hold name, Buckley is going to make a huge difference." - Tom Dunwoody

Rebels Rebound, Defeat Wall 7-1

By: Mark Ferrante

In the final game of there season series, the Rebels defeated the Wall Knights 7-1 with Goals from Leiro (2), Kochenash, DiPasquale, Crane, Hodes and Pyskaty. Howell also had very strong goaltending from the tandem of Peras/Bodeker.



Unsung hero(s): Brian George/Brandon Yaegal/Stephen Bernhardt
The Rebel’s third line does not get a lot of playing time, but against the weaker talent Daley rewards these three players by quality 5v5 time and some power-play time. Its tough not getting playing time, but when they step on the ice, they make the most of it. Keep up the good work boys.

3 stars
1) Mike Leiro- Leiro had two goals Wednesday night, on pace for 30 goals
2) Austin Crane - Very good with the puck against Wall, made his presence known early and ofter.
3) Joe Dipasquale- Dipasquale had his first career goal as a Rebel against Wall, look for the freshman to get some more ice time.


Rebel Stars Leaderboard
1) Pyskaty - 7 points
2) Leiro - 7 Points
3) Kochenash - 4 points


Fan Of the Game - Frankie Falotico
Frankie goes to almost every game, and usually is the person who starts up the “R-E-B-S!” chant, now that's senior dedication!

Whats Next For Howell?
Howell takes on Ridge in the first round of the Bridgewater holiday tournament on monday @ 4:45 in Bridgewater. If Howell manages to win this game, they take on everyones favorite: MIdd South in the next round.


Season Record: 6-1-0
Overall Record: 41-9-7

Box Score:
M. Leiro 2 goals | 2 points
M. Kochenash 1 goal | 1 point
A.Crane: 1 goal | 1 point
J. Dipasquale 1 goal | 1 point
M. Kochenash 1 goal | 1 point
B. Hodes 1 goal | 1 point


Z. Peras - 2 Periods 1 GAA
J. Bodeker - 1 Period 0 GAA


“They don’t get thrown out for that?”