By Wayne Witkowski
Jackson Memorial High School’s ice hockey team is on a late-season surge and on the threshold of its first division title. If that happens, it could make for a crosstown showdown of division champions scheduled for Feb. 14 against Jackson Liberty High School.
Jackson Liberty already sealed its end of the deal, winning its first division championship in Shore Conference B South during a 12-4-3 season (7-1-2 in B South).
But Jackson Liberty coach Kyle Weise cautioned that the game may be preempted by Shore Conference and state tournament schedules for both teams.
“It’s been a good season for hockey in Middletown,” Weise said. “It shows how much hockey is played in this town.”
Jackson Memorial (8-5-3 overall, 6-1-3 in A South) comes off a penalty-filled, 5-3 interdivisonal loss to St. Rose High School, which scored three power play goals Feb. 5, but the Jaguars would be able to clinch A South if they could come up with wins against both Brick Memorial High School Feb. 8 and Toms River High School South Feb. 10. Earlier this season, Jackson Memorial beat Brick Memorial, 3-1, and Toms River South, 6-1.
“If we don’t play our game on any given night, any team can beat you,” Jackson Memorial coach Larry Clayton said. “We have to pay attention to small details.”
The Jaguars were on an unbeaten streak of 4-0-2 before the St. Rose loss.
The small details include cutting down on penalties and capitalizing on opponents’ penalties in power play situations. Jackson Memorial showed how potent that could be when it avenged its only division loss of the season to Brick Township, 5-3, by rolling to a 9-1 victory Jan. 29 as Trevor Cear had a hat trick and Mike Termine added two goals and three assists.
“We’re starting to play very well,” Clayton said.
Clayton said sophomore goalkeeper Matt Pousson is getting progressively better with defensive support from Cear and fellow senior Justin Mayer, who plays as both a forward and defenseman; junior Spencer Swain; and sophomore Tony Jablonski, who Clayton said is playing really well.
Juniors Joe Jablonski and Kyle Lally and freshman Nick Swain up front are part of a deep roster.
“We try to play as many players as we can,” Clayton said.
As for Jackson Liberty, its regular-season schedule is complete, aside from the Jackson Memorial game, and Weise said the key to the Lions’ success has been better consistency.
“Every night we put in a hard effort, more than in the past,” Weise said. “Skills are probably not much different. Defense and goaltending have been better than it has been.”
Credit that to senior goalkeeper Chris Stefanowitz, who has two shutouts and only twice this season allowed as many as four goals in a game. He’s supported by senior defensemen Nick Uliano and Tyler Melnick, junior Matt Meyer and freshman Joe Granda.
Senior forward Joe Low is enjoying a 40-point season and is joined on the first line by senior Leszek Gronowski and freshman center Nick Labianca. Senior Joe Labianca, Nick’s brother, centers the second line with junior wings Joe D’Andrea and Ryan Verile. The third line is a mature group of all seniors — Matt Daudelin at center and Nick Severino and Tyler Seyglinski at the wings.
With that solid depth assuring fresh legs on the ice most times, Weise said his team is ready for the big tournament games ahead.
