Jackson Memorial High School’s ice hockey team will put a young group on the ice when it opens its season at 6:30 p.m. Nov. 30 against Toms River High School East at Jersey Shore Arena in Wall.
Only four seniors return from last year’s team that lost eight players to graduation and a lot of scoring punch. Last season, the Jaguars (13-7-2) reached the Shore Conference and state tournaments. In the NJSIAA Public A tournament, they lost in the second round to eventual finalist Howell High School.
Jackson Liberty High School, meanwhile, has a veteran team, according to coach Kyle Weise, with nine seniors and six juniors. The Lions open their season at 8:15 p.m. Dec. 3 against Middletown High School South at Jersey Shore Arena. Three players graduated from last year’s 10-10-2 team: scoring leader Cole Moskal, versatile player Connor Moschetti and defenseman Mike Sheerin. That squad reached the NJSIAA Public B tournament for the first time in school history, losing to eventual champion Middletown High School North.
This year, Jackson Liberty plays its final season in Shore Conference B, which will dissolve after this season and the teams will disperse into the other three divisions: A South, A North and A Central. The Liberty Lions were second in the division last year,
Jackson Memorial coach Larry Clayton said the team is a little untested but has some talented returnees and players coming up from the junior varsity team that won the Jersey Shore Area Junior Varsity League last season.
“We need more team play, less ‘me’ hockey than last year and a little better defense,” said Clayton, whose staff includes Mark Likes and Chuck Lowrey, who also coaches the junior varsity. “We lost scoring, but I think we have people who can pick up the slack. I don’t care if it’s one guy or two guys or six guys. Scoring from different areas makes us tougher to defend.”
The seniors include forwards Chris Petrone, who took off last year to explore options in junior hockey, and Mike Termine and defenseman Justin Mayer.
Other forwards include senior Austin Floyd, juniors Kyle Lalley and Willie Petterson and sophomores Joe Jablonski III, Cameron Satkowski and Noah Sampson.
Trevor Cear, a junior, and Cody Jablonski, a sophomore and younger brother of Joe, lead the defense along with junior Spencer Swain and sophomore Connor Lowrey. They’ll look to minimize scoring opportunities against new goalies Matt Tousson, a sophomore, and Trustin DeVito, a freshman. “We could surprise a lot of people,” Clayton said.
Freshmen Nick Swain, who is Spencer’s brother, and defenseman James Termine, who is Mike’s brother, are also pushing for playing time.
Despite losing some integral players, Weise said Jackson Liberty should be better.
“We were a pretty good offensive team that last year scored goals that kept us in a lot of games,” the coach said. “We still have scoring, but we’re a deeper team with three lines — all seniors on the first two lines and the third one might end up being the best.”
Leszek Gronowski, one of the top scorers last season, with 22 goals and 20 assists, is on the first line at right wing with Tyler Seyglinski on the left side and Joe Low at center.
“We’re hoping for a big year from him,” Weise said, referring to Low, who missed some games last year while also playing junior hockey.
He is not playing junior hockey this year. Low scored 17 goals and had 14 assists and comes into the season with 85 career points.
Joe Labianca centers the second line with wings Nick Severino on the left side and Matt Daudelin on the right. Freshman Nick Labianca, Joe’s brother, centers the third line with Joe D’Andrea and Ryan Verile.
“He’s going to be a good player,” Weise said of the younger Labianca.
All three were linemates on the Brick Hockey Club for a number of years.
Chris Stefanowicz is back in goal. He did not play club hockey last year but has been playing in the Brick Hockey Club this year. He started all but about two weeks of last season when he sat out recovering from an injury.
Jackson Liberty’s first scrimmage this preseason was a 4-2 victory over Brick Township High School.
Senior captain Tyler Melnick anchors a defense with Nick Uliano, another senior. Juniors Matt Meyer and Ryan Abline, who plays for the Toms River club team, are second line defensemen and freshman Joe Granza, who also plays club hockey for Brick, is in the mix.
The coaching staff includes assistants Steve Acropolis, Joe Labianca and Sean Daudelin.