Photo by Chris Rotolo: (Gavin Cherella of Ocean)
OCEAN TOWNSHIP/SHORE REGIONAL
Head Coach: Dave Smith, 16th season (185-147-34)
Record Last Year: 11-13-2
Division/Classification: Class A Central/Public B
Home Rink: Jersey Shore Arena
OPENING DRAW: The Spartans fell just shy of a state playoff berth a season ago, and saw three of their top point-producers in Ian Hendricksen (21g, 9a), Joe LaValle (18g, 13a) and Alexi Laughlin (8g, 7a) walk at graduation, but there’s much to be excited about in Spartans country coming into the 2017-18 campaign.
USHL: Watch Freehold Township alum Julian Kislin score first junior hockey goal
HAAR DAY’S NIGHT: Dylan Haar starred on the wing for the Spartans a season ago as a sophomore, breaking out in a big way with a team-leading 38 points on 23 goals and 15 assists. Haar will be back to anchor the Ocean Township offense after logging 12 points on six goals and six helpers during an NJYL campaign with the Brick Hockey Club, a 16UAA outfit that captured a Southern Division Championship and skated for a New Jersey State title at the Prudential Center in November.
Photo by Chris Rotolo: (Dylan Haar of Ocean)
As a junior Haar will be at the helm of an Ocean Township forward core that includes senior co-captains Gavin Cherella and Tom Stuppi, who combined for 31 points on 13 tallies and 18 assists last year.
IN THE TOP SIX MIX: According to Coach Dave Smith, a pair of highly skilled freshmen will be inserted into his top six mix of forwards as Kenny Maxwell (a 2002-born winger who skates a competitive USPHL schedule with the Jersey Shore Whalers 16U club) and Ryan Convery (who has helped place a Jersey Shore Wildcats Bantam A team in the hunt for an NJYHL Central Division Championship) are expected to make immediate impacts. Another freshmen in Chris LaValle, sophomore Nicolas Ciancio (1a) and junior Zak Heuston are also expected to see plenty of ice time.
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Photo by Chris Rotolo: (Scott Sirianni of Ocean)
THE DEFENSIVE END: Filling the skates of a quality four-year varsity skater like the aforementioned Hendricksen won’t be easy, but the path is certainly cleared for Scott Sirianni to continue his emergence as a two-way force on the Spartans blue line. Sirianni — who played 16UAA for the Red Bank Generals in the pre-season — will look to build upon a freshman cmpaign in which he registered 20 points on seven goals and 13 assists. Sirianni is at the reigns of a defensive unit that includes fellow two-way contributor Brendan Convery (3g, 5a), a junior, and classmate Evan LaValle (1a), as well as sophomores to watch Patrick Brannen (2g, 4a) and Richard CanPneto (1g, 5a).
DIVISION RIVAL: Central Regional enters 2017-18 off winningest season in history
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THREE IN THE CREASE: The Spartans had three netminders see time between the pipes last season, and all three will make a return in the new year with senior Sean Harrington expected to maintain his starting role after leading the trio — which includes junior Brennan Mulvey and sophomore Kevin Schoenberg — with 179 saves in 2016-17.
CLASS A CENTRAL ALIGNMENT
Freehold Township
Lacey
Manalapan
Manasquan
Marlboro
Red Bank Regional
