MONTGOMERY: Wanke finishing for hockey team

Junior helps Cougars into state A quarterfinals

By Justin Feil, Assistant Sports Editor
   Opponents of the Montgomery High School ice hockey team have picked their poison, and Kevin Wanke has been deadly.
   ”I’m just trying to help out the team as best I can,” said the MHS junior forward. “I’m playing with a lot of good guys. I’m with Jeff Garinger again this year. We have a lot of chemistry going. A lot of people focus on him so much that I’m able to get open.”
   Expectations for Wanke were higher this year after the Cougars graduated so many players from last year’s team that went 20-4-3 and reached the state semifinals. Wanke has not disappointed.
   The junior forward scored three goals and had an assist in the third-seeded Cougars’ 8-0 win over 14th-seeded Roxbury in the second round of the public A Division tournament Wednesday. Wanke had a goal and four assists in their 8-0 win over Southern in the first round of states Monday.
   ”Kevin’s probably our leading goal scorer this year,” said MHS head coach Rob Scarpa after improving to 19-7. “A lot of it is his linemates. A lot of teams are attracted to Jeff. They forget Kevin is back there. Jeff will get it to him and he’s putting them in. He’s really had a nice scoring touch this whole year.
   ”He’s a good finisher, especially on the power play. I think he’s quadrupled his numbers. People are really looking to take away Jeff and take away Luc (Esposito). He’s the third cog in the wheel. We have five guys with really good skills on the power play.”
   And when the Cougars’ defense is playing this well, they don’t need many goals to win. Wednesday’s game marked the fourth shutout in six games for Montgomery, which got 29 saves from Zach Schiavo. MHS advances to the quarterfinals, where it will play the No. 6 Hillsborough-No. 11 Ridgewood winner 6:30 p.m. Saturday at Ice Vault Arena.
   West Windsor-Plainsboro North and WW-P South were both eliminated in the first round of the A Division tournament. The 19th-seeded Knights lost, 8-4, to Roxbury on Tuesday. Dylan Strober, Casey Litwack, Sam Engel and Ben Bugge each had a goal. Marc Kolber had two assists as WW-P North finished 8-8-4.
   Sixteenth-seeded WW-P South lost, 5-1, to No. 17 Middletown North on Monday. The Pirates hit several posts and never got the bounces they needed while falling to 9-7-3. Chris So scored the lone goal for WW-P South off a feed from Joe Cangelosi.
   ”We’re expecting to have a tough game against either Ridgewood or Hillsborough,” Wanke said. “We’ve seen Hillsborough a couple times already. We know they’ll be a tough team to beat.”
   If their opponent is Hillsborough, the Skyland rivals split their first two meetings of the year. Montgomery had the chance to see Ridgewood in the Jefferson Holiday Tournament, but the teams did not meet. The Cougars have won nine of their last 10 games with their lone loss coming in the Skyland Conference tournament final to Pingry, a team that given them three of their losses.
   ”Everybody is working together,” Wanke said. “We’ve been playing together as a whole. I see a lot of chemistry so far in states.
   ”We have a lot of new kids playing this year. A lot of those new kids just understand their role and they’re playing better now.”
   Wanke has found the perfect role as the complement to Garinger. In lacrosse, the two draw about equal attention and both can score. On the ice, Wanke has found his scoring touch and is making teams pay for sleeping on him.
   ”I’m happy definitely,” Wanke said. “Goals don’t matter to me. It’s about the wins.”
   Against Southern, it was a mix of the established veterans and newcomers that added up to an easy win. Garinger had three goals and three assists, Esposito had a goal and three assists, Erik Pedinoff, Brian Papsin and Conner Fox had one goal apiece while Louis Masson had two assists and Steve Krafcik, Liam Sullivan, and EJ Leppert had an assist apiece.
   Against Roxbury, Esposito, Pedinoff, Maxx Berteletti, Garinger and Fox had one goal apiece, Esposito had four assists, Sullivan, Masson, Fox and Patrick Huang had single assists.
   ”We’re doing what we’re supposed to do,” Scarpa said. “There are still some things we want to improve on. I’m pretty happy with the way they’ve come out so far.”
   The Cougars pulled themselves together at the perfect time to put together a stretch run. They are riding the momentum into the state quarterfinals.
   ”In the beginning, I didn’t really know what to expect,” Wanke said. “Midway through the season, I could tell this team was ready to go all the way.
   ”It was a little surprising, but I knew they were good enough to do it. I didn’t know how long it would take.”
   As a veteran, Wanke has tried to lead by example while doing his job on a line with Garinger and Papsin while also playing a bigger role on the power play this year, too.
   ”I think Scarpa expects more out of me,” Wanke said. “We had so many seniors last year. We don’t have that many seniors this year. Everyone plays a big role for the team.”
   The Cougars will need leadership for the next hurdle in the state tournament. They will go from playing a couple of blowout games to potentially a rivalry.
   ”It’s an enormous jump in competition,” Scarpa said. “I didn’t think this would be a game that would get out of control, but this next one we have to be ready to play. From here on out, it’s going to get very intense, and it’s fun. Usually minor mistakes cost you the game.”
   Added Wanke: “We have to stick together as a team. It’s not about how good teams are when it comes down the stretch, it’s about (eliminating) mental breakdowns.”
   When the Cougars do that, they are a tough team to stop. Montgomery has found the right combinations, which has it back and ready for another deep state tournament run..
   ”The key for us is top continue to work hard in the offensive zone and not have the breakdowns we’ve been avoiding the last 10 games,” Scarpa said. “They have to stay loose. They have to realize the opportunity is there for them. They have to relax and enjoy the game.”