1/4--The Preview

Monroe Falcons (2-3-1) at Howell Rebels (6-1-3)
Meet the opponent: The Monroe Falcons, coached by Girard Minter, have been nothing but mediocre in 2009-2010. Suffering from an opening night loss vs the Marlboro Mustangs, the Falcons have kept their season--and state playoff hopes alive--by defeating both Red Bank Regional and West Orange. They have lost to Manalapan, a front-running candidate for Shore C, South Brunswick, and Jackson Liberty. Facing the Rebels will be Monroe's biggest test so far, and it's truly a measuring stick for the Falcons.
Monroe Falcons X-Factor: 'Scoring'. I'm not going to single out a specific offensive player for Monroe, but they will need to score goals. They are facing a team that has the ability to score with anyone in the state, as they display four or five forwards and a defensemen who have the ability to score at will. They will need to beat likely goaltender Kyle Conrad, who has been stellar in two starts, filling in for regular netminder Zack Peras who has a concussion, and James Bodeker, who is out with a respiratory infection. If the Falcons find a way to crack the Rebels defense, they will have a shot at defeating one of the most lethal teams in the Shore Conference.
Howell Rebels X-Factor: 'Defensemen Eddie Pyskaty'. Pyskaty started out the season hot, becoming the first Howell player to record a hat trick this season against Marlboro. Since then, Rebels players have recorded three (two byMike Liero, one by Billy Acquaviva). Offensivley, Pyskaty is still a focal point of the offense, and still quarterbacks an extremely dangerous powerplay. Still, the man everyone simply refers to as 'Eddie' across Howell will need to jump off his scoring-slide, and will need to have an impact on the scoreboard tomorrow.
Outcome: Howell defeats Monroe 5-3. I see the Faclons showing a lot of heart, and should be adrenanalized in a game against such a high-standing opponent, but in the end, Howell has too much talent for Monroe to truly compete with, and Howell will move closer to qualifying for postseason play.