By Wayne Witkowski
The Middletown High School South and Middletown High School North ice hockey teams both played games that could define their seasons, but they had sharply contrasting outcomes.
Middletown South won its first three games in its best start since the 2008-09 season, but a 3-0 loss to state powerhouse Christian Brothers Academy (CBA) Dec. 13 could set the tone for a season of high expectations, as both Middletown teams move into the Shore Conference A North Division this season.
Middletown North, meanwhile, eased its concerns about scoring when it hammered one of the flagship teams of New Jersey high school hockey, Brick Township High School, by a 12-2 score Dec. 16. The win put Middletown North at 2-1-2 on the season.
“The CBA game showed what we can do and gave our guys confidence,” Tony Nemati said as he embarks on his third season as Middletown South head coach. “That loss proved our defense can be a very strong asset for us. If our scoring is not on, our defense can keep us in the game. That game showed we can be very well-rounded defensively and offensively.
“We expect a high level of competition and one of the toughest schedules booked for our team. We want the competition level high to be well-prepared for a strong run in the states and Shore Conference.”
Middletown South gave up an empty net goal in the closing seconds to CBA, as Clay Simonsen, who started in goal as a freshman last season, kept his composure.
Nemati feels his team will score plenty of goals during the season behind senior left wing Greg Gulash, who reached the 100-point mark for his career last season and has eight goals this year — half of them in a season-opening victory, 7-3, over Middletown North Nov. 29 that was a departure from past closely contested games of the crosstown rivals. Gulash is a wing on a line of senior center Ryan Lambert and junior right wing Deven Ralph, who are playing together on that first shift for the third season.
“You can argue that he is one of the best players in the state and one of the top five players in the Shore Conference for sure,” Nemati said of Gulash.
The Eagles scored enough goals, but the defense could not hold back Bridgewater-Raritan High School, which won, 6-5, Dec. 17. They’ve also beaten St. John Vianney High School, 6-2, and Toms River High School North, 3-1, in their 3-2 start.
After a Dec. 20 home game against Southern Regional High School, the Eagles play Jackson Liberty High School at 8:15 a.m. Dec. 27, Hunterdon Central High School at 10 a.m. Dec. 28 and Brick Township at 11:45 a.m. Dec. 30 in a three-game holiday showcase at Middletown Ice World. Middletown North also plays three games in the showcase.
Middletown North has gotten solid scoring from John Dinnocenzo, who fired in four goals against Brick Township, including the first three of the game, as the Lions broke open a 2-1 lead in the first period with seven goals in the second period. Seven players scored in that game.
Dinnocenzo leads the team with seven goals while centering the second line, followed by four goals each from junior linemate Justin Skelly and first line center senior Brad Heuser.
“We’ve been able to play good defense and get good goaltending, but we’ve been figuring how to score more goals,” Middletown North coach Matt Clemente said before the Brick Township game.
Clemente’s squad played at CBA Dec. 19 in the first of six games in 10 days, including Toms River North Dec. 20, Montclair High School at 6 p.m. Dec. 23 and then the Middletown Ice World three-game showcase against Brick Township at 10 a.m. Dec. 27, Jackson Liberty at 11:45 a.m. Dec. 28 and Hunterdon Central Regional High School at 8:15 a.m. Dec. 30.
The Lions came into the season lacking the established firepower from the past two seasons, as seven players graduated off last season’s team that won the Shore Conference Handchen Cup, 8-6, over Rumson-Fair Haven and lost, 1-0, to Ramsey High school in the NJSIAA Public B semifinals. The team particular misses Bob Hampton, Khristian Acosta and Kevin Tomasetti. They were key figures in the Lions’ state championship drive two years ago.
The defense is solid with senior Anthony Manfredi back in goal, while defensemen Bryan Colucci, a senior, Kyle Goworek, a junior, and John Hallard, a sophomore, each started a number of games last season.
“We know we’re not going to score much on offense, so from day one, we’ve concentrated on team defense,” Clemente said. “It’s different from the high-flying days.”
Senior Kurt Kroper and junior Evan Hall are the wings on Heuser’s line. Freshman Chris Retman has earned a spot at right wing on the second line with Dinnocenzo and Skelly. Senior center Ray Breen and sophomores Dan Quiles, Anthony Tavares and Zane Claudio give Middletown North plenty of depth at forward.
The team showed resilience offensively in its two ties, coming back twice in a 5-5 deadlock with Manalapan High School Dec. 2, as Dinnocenzo closed the scoring on a power play goal with 2:30 left, and then got a game-tying power-play goal from Kroper late in the second period of a 1-1 tie with Southern Regional High School Dec. 9.
The Lions beat Red Bank Catholic High School, 4-1, Dec. 6. Dinnocenzo opened and closed the scoring, and Heuser and Hall put in the other goals.
Unlike Middletown North, there is a shortage of established depth at Middletown South. Dan Berkowitz, a senior, centers the second line with wings Ryan D’Amelia, a senior, and Nick Lioudakis, a junior. Defensemen Matt Torre, a senior, and Craig Bahrs, a junior, have played well moving up to forward.
On the other hand, Joe Guercio, a junior, has moved from left wing to defenseman with returning junior starter Mike Racioppi. Bob Matthews, a junior, also started on defense the last two years, and freshman Demetri Forand has been playing a lot, as Nemati still is experimenting with combinations and who will start.
“It can change from game to game,” Nemati said.
Senior Greg Johnson also is in the mix.
Middletown South plays Middletown North again in its regular-season finale Feb. 20 for the Mayor’s Cup.