Until a team faces the pressure, a coach never knows how it’s going to react. All the preseason scrimmages and workouts matter little when the games count.
PHOTOS BY ERIC SUCAR staff Colts Neck running back Ashton Jackson dives into the endzone for a touchdown during the first quarter of their game against Howell in Colts Neck on Saturday. Howell High School football coach Cory Davies learned the most valuable of lessons on the afternoon of Sept. 8 about his Rebels – they will not panic when things aren’t going their way.
“We’re real resilient,” he said. “We fell behind early and were able to overcome adversity.”
In a battle of state playoff teams from a season ago, the Rebels survived a shaky start, falling behind 10-0, before rallying to beat Colts Neck, 28-26, at the Cougars’ home.
This was one of the marquee games of the Shore Conference’s opening weekend, pitting a pair of 2006 state playoff teams against each other, and it lived up to expectations.
Howell’s spread offense, with new quarterback Tim Lamirande in charge, didn’t miss a beat, piling up 311 total yards against a good Colts Neck defense.
Howell running back Mike Hering (left) tries to break free from the grips of Colts Neck linebacker Ryan Moore (right) during the first quarter of his team’s 28-26 victory. The Rebels put the ball in the air at will with Lamirande completing 22-29 tosses for 226 yards and three touchdowns. Just as important, he threw no interceptions.
“Tim played well,” said Davies. “We were confident in his ability to play the position.”
Chance Carrick (eight) and Brian Battaglia (six) caught 14 of Lamirande’s passes. Carrick, who also kicked a 25-yard field goal, accumulated 102 yards on his catches. His 7-yard touchdown reception from Lamirande gave Howell a 28-19 lead late in the fourth quarter.
It was a breakout game for Lamirande, who was Sean O’Reilly’s understudy the last two years. The senior answered any questions about his ability to move the football and lead the team.
David Hayes ran for 76 yards on 11 carries for the Rebels, another plus for the team. Howell had a nonexistent running attack at times last year and Hayes’ running will give opponents’ defenses something else to worry about this fall.
Howell’s defense and its revamped 3-4 front had a very good day despite the score.
A muffed punt and a poor punt gave Colts Neck a chance to break the game open early.
After the muffed punt, the Cougars took over on the Howell 10, but lost 12 yards and had to settle for a 39-yard field goal by Eric Spillane.
Colts Neck got the ball on the Rebels 25 after Howell punted out of its own end zone. This time, Colts Neck cashed in on the scoring opportunity with Ashton Jackson scoring from 5 yards out to give the Cougars a 10-0 edge.
Howell got its footing before the first quarter expired with Carrick’s 33-yard field goal getting the team on the scoreboard.
Lamirande’s 1-yard keeper and 2-yard touchdown pass to Battaglia put Howell up 15-10 in the second quarter.
Spillane’s 20-yard field goal made it 15- 13 Howell at the half.
Howell stretched its lead in the third quarter when Lamirande went deep, connecting with Joe Amato on a 59-yard strike that made it 21-13.
Colts Neck would slice the lead to 21-19 early in the fourth quarter on a 66-yard scoring pass from quarterback Chris Chiarelli to Kevin Callelo, who got by the Howell secondary. Howell stopped the two-point conversion to stay in the lead.
The Rebels then answered the Cougars drive with one of their own, culminating in the Lamirande to Chance hookup. Lamirande’s PAT gave Howell a 28-19 lead.
Jackson would score again on another 5- yard run to make it 28-26. But when the Cougars went for the onsides kick, Lamirande demonstrated sure hands, recovered the ball and the first game of the season was Howell’s.
Jackson, who rushed for 75 yards on 21 carries and two scores, had burned the Rebels with big plays last year. The Cougars senior was bottled up this time and didn’t get the momentum-swinging breakaway run.
“We played very well against him,” said Davies. “We wanted to make sure he didn’t beat us and we almost got beat by their sophomore quarterback [Chiarelli].”
The Cougars signal caller made an impressive debut himself, completing 10-15 pass attempts for 186 yards and one score.
But the story for Howell was preventing Jackson from getting outside and turning upfield where his speed is a weapon.
“We were very conscious of him [Jackson],” said Davies. “He’s a very good football player and we knew that. We brought our corners up and they beat us deep a couple of times. The defensive line played really well.”
Nick Riccio, Chris Puglisi, Matt Hering and Joe Sabatelli were the Rebels defensive linemen up front who kept Jackson in check.
On Saturday, the Rebels will play their home opener against another Freehold Regional High School District and Shore Conference Constitution Division rival, Manalapan.
The Braves hosted defending NJSIAA South Jersey Group III champion Lacey on Sept. 7, only to find that the Lions were still roaring, rolling up more than 250 yards on the ground in a 29-9 win.
Craig Peterson’s 37-yard field goal and Dave Presby’s 5-yard run accounted for Manalapan’s scores.
Colts Neck will look for its first win of the season at Middletown North on Saturday (1 p.m.). Middletown North lost to Brick Township, 26-3, on Sept. 7.
Elsewhere in the FRHSD, Freehold Township had a tough home opener on Sept. 7, falling to Toms River East, 48-0. The Patriots will look to put that behind them as quickly as they can. They will be at Brick Memorial on Saturday for a 7 p.m. start. Brick Memorial is 0-1, having fallen to the Long Branch, 41-20.
Freehold Borough and Marlboro drew their bye weeks on the opening weekend of the season. They will kick off their 2007 campaigns on Saturday.
The Colonials will travel to Lakewood to play the 1-0 Piners in a 7 p.m. start. Lakewood beat Pinelands, 21-14, in their opener Sept. 7.
The Mustangs will also hit the road. They will visit Jackson Memorial, which is coming off a 6-0 loss to Southern Regional. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m.

