Story and photos by Rich Chrampanis
The 16 team Shore Conference hockey tournament bracket is down to four teams. Two teams will be crowned champions on Thursday at Jersey Shore Arena. Here’s a look at the finals in the Dowd Cup and the Handchen Cup:
HANDCHEN CUP FINAL
(4) Rumson-Fair Haven (13-3-2) vs.
(1) Middletown North (16-2-1)
6:15 pm, Jersey Shore Arena in Wall
HOW THEY REACHED THE FINAL:
RUMSON-FAIR HAVEN
Quarterfinals – defeated
(13) Saint John Vianney 9-2
Semifinals – defeated
(5) Jackson Liberty 10-3
MIDDLETOWN NORTH
Quarterfinals – defeated
(16) Central Regional 10-0
Semifinals – defeated
(8) Jackson Memorial 6-4
OUTLOOK:
Rumson-Fair Haven doesn’t get a chance to compete in the state playoffs due to accumulating too many disqualifications in the regular season, so this is their state finals and they are facing a team that is the top seed in the upcoming Public “A” bracket and defending state champ.
So much has been made of Bobby Hampton and Khristian Acosta, and rightly so, but the Lions have gotten contributions from many others. In the semifinals, sophomore Justin Skelly stepped up with a hat trick. Kevin Felice and Vincent Tomasetti are great senior leaders who have shown time and again to step up on the big stage.
RFH has outstanding talent of its own with Conor Deverin, Brendan Ban and Robbie Garavente. Middletown North has had the bullseye on its back all year long and with their only losses coming against Non-Public power CBA (who didn’t participate in the Shore Conference Tournament), the Lions are used to getting a team’s best shot. The intensity level in this game should be off the charts and serve Middletown North as the ultimate tuneup before beginning the road back to the Prudential Center and the state championship.
Dowd Cup Final
(7) Middletown South (11-5-2) vs.
(6) Southern Regional (15-4-4)
8:15 pm, Jersey Shore Arena in Wall
HOW THEY REACHED THE FINAL
MIDDLETOWN SOUTH
Quarterfinals – defeated (10) Saint Rose/Donovan Catholic 7-2
Semifinals – defeated (2) Red Bank Catholic 7-5
SOUTHERN REGIONAL
Quarterfinals – defeated (11) Manalapan 7-4
Semifinals – defeated (3) Howell 4-3
OUTLOOK
Motivation is easy at this time of year and Middletown South may have found it when the state playoff seedings came out. A lot of high school hockey experts were surprised to see the Eagles get a #22 seed in the Public “B” playoffs.
On the day that the brackets were revealed, Middletown South made a statement that they will be a dangerous post-season squad with a 7-5 shocker of two time defending Shore Conference champ Red Bank Catholic.
Ryan Lambert and Gavin Gulash have been fantastic in the first two games of this tournament.
The recipe for hoisting the Dowd Cup for the Eagles is to follow the blueprint of the RBC upset – Middletown South raced out to a 4-0 lead on the Caseys and will need a quick start against Southern.
The Rams have great talent headlined by Matt Scalvino and Nick Godfrey and are currently riding a five game win streak after an 0-2-2 stretch in late January.
Winning a title will be a landmark moment for either program, which means we should see a highly emotional exciting game in the nightcap of the Shore Conference finals.
