Howell clinches title; state playoffs next

First division crown in football since 1985

BY TIM MORRIS Staff Writer

The timing couldn’t be more perfect for the Howell High School football team.

The Rebels drew their bye last weekend, giving them plenty of time to celebrate their first division title since 1985 and refocus on their second goal of the 2007 campaign, the Central Jersey Group IV playoffs.

Howell visits Marlboro Saturday (1 p.m.) with the chance to gain the top seed. At 6-1 overall, the Rebels led the powerpoints rankings heading into last weekend’s play.

The Rebels played for the CJ IV title for the first time in school history last year at Rutgers Stadium, falling to Hunterdon Central.

Running back Dave Hayes said that last year’s playoff run gave the team confidence and motivation for this season.

“It’s an inspiration to us,” he pointed out. “Our motto has been ‘complete the mission.’ ”

The team’s first mission was accomplished on Oct. 20 when the Rebels beat Brick Township, 36-14, and wrapped up the Shore Conference Constitution Division championship. They finished the division schedule with a perfect 6-0 record.

Howell knew going into the game that it had already clinched no worse that a share of the division title, but that wasn’t enough for the Rebels. They wanted it all to themselves.

“It’s a great thing for our kids,” said coach Cory Davies. “We knew that we had a share of it going in, but we wanted to win it outright. That’s what we talked about during the week.

“The kids are really proud, they get to put a banner on the wall,” he added.

Howell, which has the most proficient passing game in the Shore, turned to the run against the Green Dragons. Hayes responded with an immense game, carrying the ball 35 times for 289 yards and four touchdowns. It was more than he ran run all this year. The bulk of the yardage came on draw plays.

“Brick usually plays a 4-3 defense but they went to a 3-4,” said Davies. “We ran some draw plays to see what happens, and it was working.

“They made some adjustment, but our guys were blocking, and David ran well,” added Davies.

Hayes, who had never carried the ball more than 14 times in a game this year, couldn’t believe what was happening.

“We weren’t sure what they were going to run against us,” said Hayes. “We tried the draw a couple of times, and it worked.

“After a couple of times, I thought they would get to me and stop it, and they didn’t,” he added.

Hayes, who was able to display his speed and cutback ability in the open field, was picking up first-down yardage at will. A 25- yard play set the Rebels up on the Brick 12, and on the next play, Hayes ran it in for Howell’s first score. Brian Battaglia ran in the two-conversion that gave Howell an 8-7 lead late in the first period.

Brick (3-3), playing for a state playoff seed itself, scored first on an interception, which was returned for a touchdown by Ken Brancaccio to grab the early 7-0 lead.

Howell responded with Hayes’ TD run.

The Rebels did not abandon the passing game. The took a 15-7 lead when Tim Lamirande connected with Chance Carrick in the right corner of the end zone for a 28-yard scoring strike. The drive had been set up by a Carrick interception.

Before the half, Howell mounted a 60- yard scoring drive that featured both the run and the pass. A 16-yard Lamirandeto Jason-Amato pass play put the ball on the two, and Hayes took it in from there to give the home team a 22-7 lead at the half.

Brick would make a game of it, scoring on its first possession of the second half on a seven-yard run by Matt Cuccinello. It was a long, time-consuming drive dominated by the running game.

But Howell answered with Hayes capping its own scoring drive with a one-yard run. He called that drive the biggest of the night for Howell.

“They [Brick] wanted to change the momentum of the game,” he said. “Scoring after they did was big.”

Hayes would complete his night with a seven-yard TD run in the fourth quarter that ended the scoring.

The most that Hayes had carried the ball in a game before Saturday night was 14 times. He credited his conditioning with helping him not wear down.

“I run track and keep in condition in the offseason, and it paid off,” he explained. “I felt great. The adrenalin takes over. I kept driving my legs.”

Hayes could use the extra week of rest after carrying the ball as often as he did.

Lamirande finished the night 11-20 for 120 yards and one touchdown. Carrick, with five catches for 46 yards, was the leading receiver.

Carrick and Battaglia each had a pass interception.

The victory against Brick came on the heels of Howell’s first loss of the season, 28-14 to Jackson Memorial (Oct. 12).

Hayes admitted that the 5-0 start had “a lot of us on cloud nine.” The loss brought them back to earth, and the Rebels responded in the best way they could: a title-clinching victory.

The race for top seed in CJ IV is close between West Windsor South (6-1), Sayreville (5-2) and the Rebels; Howell had 59 points after the first seven games, followed by WWS with 57 and Sayreville, 55.

The state playoffs begin Nov. 9 and 10.

Lamirande leads all quarterbacks in passing yards, with 1,322. He’s completed 108 of his 170 tosses, 11 of them for touchdowns.

Carrick is by far the leading pass receiver, with 43 catches for four touchdowns. His 630 yards also tops Shore wide receivers.

Battaglia has 28 catches for 294 yards and three TDs, while Amato has 22 for 215 and three scores.

Thanks to his 289-yard night against Brick, Hayes has joined the leading rushers in the Shore with 566. He’s rushed for five scores.

So balanced has the Howell offense been that no one is among the leading scorers in the Shore on touchdowns alone. Carrick is there with 44 points thanks to his 20 points via 11 point-aftertouchdowns and three field goals.

Battaglia has two picks as a defensive back.