Howell High School is back on track and is in pursuit of an NJSIAA South Jersey, Group 4 boys’ soccer sectional tournament title.
The Rebels, the fifth seed in the state sectional tournament, opened state sectional play on Oct. 29 against Rancocas Valley Regional High School, the 12th seed.
Coach Rich Yuro’s Howell team had started the season with nine victories in its first 11 games. But it went just 1-4 in the five games leading up to the state sectional tournament, including a shootout loss to Southern Regional High School in the second round of the Shore Conference Tournament.
During its 9-2 start, Howell was an oddly efficient club. The Rebels did not generate many shots, but they seemed to capitalize on an unusual percentage of the shots they did create.
In a victory over Middletown High School South on Oct. 4, Howell scored four goals on four shots on goal. It literally posted a perfect shooting percentage.
But that type of statistical anomaly rarely lasts long, and it didn’t for the Rebels, either. The goals dried up during their 1-4 skid. They scored just twice in those four losses.
“We didn’t create many chances. It was a problem with our style of play. We want to just get it and go,” Yuro said on Oct. 4. “We should be more of a possession team, but we just kept trying to chase that one ball.”
“We have some big, strong, fast kids, so we get some chances, but it usually ends right there,” Yuro added. “Once we do create, though, we finish.”
Entering the state sectional tournament, Howell needs to create more offense and chances.
“We needed to play the ball around. Midfielders were working too hard, trying to beat three guys,” Yuro said. “When they pass it around, it keeps the whole team on our toes, knowing that we’re going to get a pass. We can’t be sitting around watching guys lose balls. Then the defense stays in their defensive positions and they don’t help out in the offensive spots. The kids knew they needed to do it. It’s just tough to break old habits.”
The Rebels will have to continue to break old habits if they want to advance in the state sectional tournament. A victory in the opening round will allow Howell to seek revenge when it plays Southern Regional, the fourth seed in the sectional tournament, in the quarterfinals on Nov. 1.
If Howell wins that, it will play in the semifinals on Nov. 5. The South Jersey, Group 4 championship is three days after that, on Nov. 8.
Howell has the talent to get that far. It just needs to stay on track by keeping possession and attacking the opposing goal.
