Howell vs West Windsor South @ State Final
Piscataway, NJ – (Written by Louis Rossi for NJSI.net/Photos by Jon Ramirez)
CLICK HERE for the game photos or HERE for the marching band otherwise just enjoy the pictures below and read on…
The Rebels from Howell would finally get the chance to avenge their previous year’s 42-24 
championship-game loss
Friday, November 30th, at Rutgers stadium. They would rally, scoring at least 6 points every quarter, to take down the West Windsor South Pirates 46-13.Meticulously pass work by Howell Rebel’s Quarterback, Tim Lamirande, and a superior defensive scheme would end up being the key factors for Howell’s 46-13 victory at the NJSIAA/Gatorade Central Jersey, Group 4 championship.
Lamirande was on target all season, coming into the game having passed 2,107 yards. There was no faltering during this season’s final game: 16 for 19, 3 TD passes, and ending up just shy of 250 total passing yards for the day. He would later state that “Getting back here was huge for [us]. The experience factor really showed.”
The Rebel’s asserted itself early. The second play of the game yielded an interception a long pass from Connor Farrell leaving the offense to take over on own 30. Wideout Jason Amato would receive an 18 yard pass, scrambling for the touchdown and capping a 70 yard drive by the Rebels.
Shortly after Amato’s first score, his teammate Rob Handy would break away from a short post that broke for a 43 yard reception, putting the ball just one yard out of another Rebel score. Lamirande would sneak the ball the remaining one yard to set his team up 14-0.
Amato’s influence was felt on both sides of the ball, intercepting two passes in the second half; the first was taken back 35 yards for a touchdown that increased the lead to 39-6. He ended the game with six receptions and 66 yards, two touchdowns, and two interceptions.
Twamley, West Windsor South’s tailback, finally produced the Pirates first points when be broke multiple tackles on a
33-yard TD run that reduced the deficit to 26-6 halfway through the third quarter. In the first half Twamley rushed for 91 yards totaling 19 carries and kept on pushing his team through the second half, finishing the game with 38 carries totaling 254 yards.
Howell would quickly answer West Windsor South’s first score when Carrick took a pitch from Brian Battaglia, who had just gained 14 yards on a pass from Lamirande, who would fly down the left sideline for the remaining 20 yards putting the Rebelsup 32-6.
The interception from Amato would yield another touchdown and an even larger lead for the Rebels; seemingly shutting down the Pirates for the remainder of the game.
West Windsor South’s Loss (finishing the season 10-2) extends Mercer County’s streak without a sectional championship to 18 years. The last Mercer County School to win a sectional title was Notre Dame of Lawrenceville, which earned the Parochial A South title in 1989.
“We knew coming in we had the ability to throw the ball. We have five kids capable of catching it,” Howell coach Cory Davies said about the victory. “Tim is very accurate and he makes great throws. That gives everybody a lot of confidence.”
During the third quarter of the Central Jersey Group IV Championship at Rutgers Stadium on November 30, 2007, Howell’s Jason Amato # 22 catches his second interception of the game and returned it back for a 36 yard touchdown. Amato also had a total of six receptions for 65 yards and the two touchdowns while on offense.
