Elissa Connell is back home. After starring for Howell High School’s field hockey and softball teams, she is now a Rebel head coach.
“It’s pretty cool,” she pointed out. “It’s a nice feeling coming back. Hopefully, I can have the same influence on them that I had at Howell.”
“I never thought I’d be here, but over the years I moved towards it [teaching/coaching],” she added. “After graduating in 2003, I went back and got my teacher’s certificate.”
Her first full-time job turns out to be at her alma mater.
Connell has the Rebels off to a nice 6-2- 2 start (5-2-1 in A North).
“We’re where we’d like to be,” she said. “The girls are playing well together.”
Connell inherited a veteran team and took the approach that if it’s not broken, don’t fix it. The transition to a new coach was made easier by the fact that the coach and players were familiar to each other from Connell being a member of Julie Hoebee’s staff last year.
Experience is what the Rebels have going for them.
“They communicate with each other,” said Connell. “The girls know where each other are on the field.
“It’s been an all-around effort,” she added. “Our attack players come back and help on defense.”
Connell pointed to the team’s dedication for making them an A North Division contender this year,
“They played summer ball together,” she said. “They are determined. They are motivated to do well. They knew that A North was up for grabs.”
Entering the final week of division play, the Rebels 5-2-1 record put them in third place behind Middletown North (7-1) and Middletown South (6-2-1)
The defense has meshed around sweeper Alicia Appell and stopper Nicole Payeta. Kayla Auci and Meagan Mueller are outside defenders.
“They play well together,” Connell said of her defense.
In Amanda Kaszuba, the Rebels have a first-rate goalie that takes charge and can make the big stop.
Annie Lynch, Amy Wuysick and Katie Stoughton are the midfielders who are equally effective creating scoring chances for the team’s forwards or getting back playing defense.
Michelle Bonivato, Taylor Germaine and Gabby Ciacciarelli are the attack forwards. The scoring has been spread out among this trio. The team isn’t relying on any one player to carry the bulk of the scoring load.
Brittany Romeo, Kelly Lord, Rachel Ferraro and Hellen Heinbach provide a spark as substitutes.
Connell pointed to an early-season tie with Middletown South and an overtime win over Freehold Township as the earlyseason confidence boosters her team.
“It put us out there,” she said.
The deadline for teams to be .500 or better in order to qualify for the state playoffs is Tuesday. Howell is one win away from securing the postseason bid.

