I ce hockey fans will get a preview of the Middletown high school teams when they host a six-team jamboree at Middletown Ice World this weekend.
Each game is a 20-minute running period, with Middletown High School North playing Middletown High School South at 6:50 p.m. on Nov. 21, following Middletown North’s mini-game against St. John Vianney High School at 6:20. Middletown North plays Brick Memorial High School at 4:15 p.m. on Nov. 22 before taking on Wall High School at 5:25.
Middletown South’s other mini-games are against St. John Vianney at 7:30 p.m. Nov. 21, Rumson Fair Haven High School at 6:35 p.m. Nov. 22, followed by Wall at 7:05.
Middletown North is laden with experience under veteran coach Matt Clemente, with 15 of the 20 players back from last year’s 14-10 season that included a tie for second place in the Shore Conference A North Division with Freehold Township High School behind Christian Brothers Academy (CBA).
“Most of us have been playing together for three years,” senior forward Tim Felice said. “It’s communication and chemistry which helps us to perform better. We can beat most of the teams we play, if not all of them.”
The Lions open their season on Dec. 2 against Marlboro High School at the Jersey Shore Arena in Wall. They take on Middletown South on Dec. 5 at 6:20 p.m.
Middletown North has won four straight meetings over the last two years against Middletown South, which is the home team for that game. Middletown North plays its home opener at 7:30 p.m. on Dec. 23 against Manalapan High School.
Middletown South, meanwhile, has a new head coach in Anthony Nemati, who succeeds Stan Gutt, the coach over the past 11 years.
“The rink is beautiful,” Clemente said of Middletown Ice World, which opened last year. “George Haviland did a great job heading the project. It’s great playing at a place that has only our two schools teams and Mater Dei, which is starting a girls team. We don’t have to see 20 teams’ banners hanging down. We feel more like a home team.”
Clemente said he also likes the 10-foothigh glass panels along the boards, which are more than twice as high as the ones at Wall. They allow the puck to ricochet back into play and not have as many stoppages in play.
“Some teams will be looking to play the puck off the glass,” Clemente said.
Although forward/defenseman Scott Huber and Jack Meyer, who were captains last season, graduated along with goaltender Hunter Dillon and backup Jack Heuer, there’s plenty of firepower back from last year’s team. The Lions made two tournaments, winning openinground games before being eliminated in the second round of the NJSIAA Public B Tournament by Glen Rock High School, 4-3, and in the Shore Conference Tournament by Point Pleasant Borough High School, 4-2.
“With all the guys we have coming back, it’s 160 points back for us,” Clemente said. Senior Tom Terranova (25 goals and 19 assists), junior Khristian Acosta (20 goals and 22 assists) and senior Vin Tomasetti (18 goals and 13 assists) lead the way. All are forwards with plenty of talent along with the Felice brothers — Tim, a senior, and Kevin, a junior. Junior forward Bob Hampton, a transfer who had 73 points last season at CBA, will sit out per the 30-day state rule for transfers until Jan. 1.
“In practice, he fits in great with all the guys we have coming back,” Clemente said of Hampton. “He and Terranova work out together and went through middle school with Acosta and Tomasetti. They know what he brings to the table.”
Mike Corella, a senior who started on junior varsity the past three seasons, is a front-runner to start in net, but freshman Jake Frontera has also been practicing there. Senior captain Nick Kirch anchors the defense along with junior Ryan Davidson and senior Jake Gazette, a forward who volunteered to play back on defense. Junior Kevin Toland, sophomore Brian Colucci and freshman Kyle Goworuk look to crack the three shifts there.
“We have a lot of firepower, but we don’t want to win games 7-5,” Clemente said. “We want to win 2-1 games because that’s the way it’ll be at the end of the year with the playoffs. We want to concentrate on defense right off the start. If we play sound defense, I’m not worried if we can score enough goals.”
“As far as the defense goes, our top two lines can score a lot of goals. And if the defense can come together and put some shots on net, that will help,” Tim Felice said.
Along with his younger brother, Kevin, Tim was one of three Felice brothers on the ice two years ago when older brother James was a senior.
“We know each other when we’re on the ice, and it’s really cool to have someone on the team who is your brother,” Tim Felice said.
Last year’s team showed a knack for reaching the back of the net, which was most evident in an impressive 8-6 victory over Rumson-Fair Haven Regional High School when the Lions came back twice from three-goal deficits. The Lions also had an impressive 3-0 victory over West Milford High School in their state tournament opener, as well as putting three goals in the next round on Glen Rock, which won 22 games at the time and hardly allowed any goals in its other tournament games.