After another thrilling week of the high school hockey season, it’s time to look back on the best performances in Bergen, Passaic, Morris, Sussex and Essex counties.
Read about the players who stood out last week and let us know who you think should be the North Jersey 3 Stars of the Week in the poll at the bottom of this page. Each voter can vote for up to three players.
Voting closes at 5 p.m. Thursday.
Brent Beswick, Northern Highlands
The senior forward had a four-point game in the Highlanders’ lone game of the week. Beswick scored two goals and had two assists in a 9-3 win over Northern Valley on Tuesday. It’s the fourth time this season that Beswick has scored at least four points in a game. Beswick is five goals away from 100 in his Northern Highlands career.
Nicholas Colatrella, Pope John
The junior forward had a pair of three point games this week with victories over St. Peter’s Prep and St. Joseph (Metuchen). Colatrella was involved in all three goals in Monday’s win over St. Peter’s Prep, scoring twice and assisting on the other in a 3-1 victory. Two days later, Colatrella had three assists in a 5-1 win over St. Joseph (Metuchen). The junior has hit a career best with 15 points through games last week.
Owen Dargan, Pascack Valley/Pascack Hills/Park Ridge
The junior forward played a part in all five goals scored by the Panthers in Tuesday’s 5-1 win over River Dell/Westwood/Emerson. Dargan had two goals and three assists for his first five-point game of the season and setting a career best in points (29) in the process.
Sami Essabbar, Lakeland/Hawthorne/Waldwick
The senior forward recorded two goals and two assists as the Lancers outlasted West Milford/Pequannock/Pompton Lakes, 7-6 in overtime, during Wednesday’s Passaic County quarterfinals. Essabbar’s first goal of the night tied the game at four after two periods. After an assist tied the game at six and sent it to overtime. Essabbar’s power play goal was the game-winner to send the Lancers to the county semifinals.
Michael Ferrante, Fair Lawn/Dumont/Bergenfield
The senior forward had 11 combined points during three games this week, winning two of them. Ferrante had a goal and an assist in a 6-5 loss to Clifton United on Monday. Ferrante also had two assists and the game-winning goal in a 4-3 overtime win over Tenafly/Cresskill/Leonia on Tuesday. On Friday, Ferrante had two goals and four assists in a 7-4 win over River Dell/Westwood/Emerson.
Troy Knause, Tenafly/Cresskill/Leonia
The junior forward had eight total points in a pair of games this week. Knause had a goal and two assists in a 4-3 loss to Fair Lawn/Dumont/Bergenfield on Tuesday. Knause added three goals and two assists in a 7-1 win over Hoboken/Weehawken/Secaucus on Friday.
Robert Hemenway, Parsippany Regional
The junior forward had 11 total points across three victories this week. Hemenway had four goals in an 8-1 win over Newark East Side on Tuesday, followed by three goals and two assists in a 10-0 win over Vernon on Wednesday. Hemenway ended the week with two goals during a 5-0 win over Morris Catholic/St. Elizabeth/Newark Academy on Friday.
Logan Hughes, St. Joseph (Montvale)
The senior forward had a goal and two assists during a pair of key victories this week. Hughes had the lone goal in a 1-0 win over Morristown Beard on Monday, handing the Crimson their first loss of the season. Two days later, Hughes had a pair of assists during a 5-0 win over Ramsey/Indian Hills in the Bergen County semifinals.
Angelo LaCognata, Passaic Tech
The senior forward had two goals and two assists to help the Bulldogs gain a pair of victories this week. LaCognata had an assist during a 5-0 win over Paramus/Lyndhurst/Mahwah on Wednesday, then had two goals and an assist in a 6-1 win over Lakeland/Hawthorne/Waldwick in Friday’s Passaic County tournament semifinals.
Rian Lahar, Don Bosco
The senior forward enjoyed his first career hat trick during an 8-0 win over Ridgewood in Wednesday’s Bergen County tournament semifinals. Lahar’s first goal of the night extended the Ironmen lead to 5-0 after two periods. Lahar would score twice more in the third period, including a power play goal.
Jake McCloud, Morris Knolls/Morris Hills
The senior forward scored in all three games this week for the Golden Eagles. On Tuesday, McCloud had two goals and three assists in a 7-2 win over Bernards/Somerville/Middlesex. McCloud would score his team’s only goal in a 5-1 loss to Summit on Friday. A day later against Ridge, McCloud had a hat trick during a 5-3 win over the Red Devils.
Shane Melly, Randolph
The junior forward contributed to a pair of victories this week. On Wednesday, Melly had three goals and an assist in a 5-3 win over Morristown Beard. Two days later, Melly added two more goals and an assist during a 9-2 victory over KJS United. Melly is currently riding a five-game multi-point streak with 11 goals and seven assists during that span.
Matthew Smith, Seton Hall Prep
The senior forward had three goals, including two power play goals. during a 5-3 win over Gloucester Catholic on Monday. Smith would add a goal during a 5-3 loss to Hill (PA) on Wednesday. Six of the Pirates’ nine wins this year have come when Smith earns at least one point.
Aiden Taylor, Mountain Lakes/Boonton
The freshman forward has been impactful for the Lakers since earning his first varsity point on Jan. 8. Taylor had three assists during an 8-1 win over Morris Catholic/St. Elizabeth/Newark Academy on Monday. On Saturday, Taylor earned his first varsity hat trick, scoring four goals in a 10-0 win over Vernon.
Owen Young, Chatham
The freshman forward scored his first career varsity hat trick during a 5-0 win over Morristown on Thursday. Young’s 10 goals lead the Cougars in scoring this season as Young becomes the seventh different player with double-digit points this season for Chatham.
