Rebel Duo Ready For High School Football Finale

The U.S. Army All-Shore Gridiron Classic has rapidly become a tradition for the Handy family, with a family member making its second trip in two years to suit up for the senior all-stars from Monmouth County.

Monmouth takes on the senior all-stars from Ocean County at 7 p.m. on Thursday at Toms River North in the 34th edition of the state’s oldest all-star high school football game. Two Howell players will be part of the squad, including defensive back/kicker Ryan Handy, who will participate in the game one season after his older brother, Rob, played for Monmouth in its 12-10 win over Ocean. The younger Handy will join record-breaking wide receiver Michael Clark on the Monmouth squad.

“It’s definitely a lot of fun playing with everyone we played against or read about,’’ Ryan Handy said after Monmouth County’s practice at Rumson on Monday. “Everyone is so talented, and the game moves a lot faster.’’

Rebels fans can also get a glimpse at this upcoming season, as the Rebels won the Monmouth County 7-on-7 tournament behind rising star senior quarterback Ryan Davies on Monday. They will face the Ocean County champion, Toms River North, in the Shore Conference 7-on-7 championship game at 5 p.m. on Thursday in advance of the big game at Toms River North. It also will be a preview of the season opener, as Howell and Toms River North will kick off the 2011 campaign by playing one another.

Handy, who will continue his career at Stonehill College, had 73 tackles, 5 tackles for a loss and an interception as a defensive back this season. As a wide receiver, he also had 32 catches for 563 yards and 6 touchdowns. The All-Class A North selection also averaged 34.7 yards on 20 punts, went 34-for-39 on extra points and hit two field goals as a kicker/punter. He should see some action as a kicker along with Shore Regional’s Shane Carroll on Thursday night in addition to playing in the secondary.

He and the rest of the Monmouth County defensive backs will face an Ocean County wide receiver group that includes first-team All-State wideout Mike DeTroia of Barnegat, a New Hampshire recruit, along with Manchester’s Monwell Brown and Pinelands’ Jake Hartman.

“I didn’t get to play against those guys this past season, so it will be fun to see what I’ve got against them,’’ Handy said.
Meanwhile, Clark will be trying to torment Ocean County’s secondary after a first-team All-Shore season in which he caught what is believed to be a Shore Conference single-season record 17 touchdown passes. Playing in Howell's no-huddle, spread passing attack, Clark exploded for a Shore Conference-leading 1,053 yards on 47 catches as a senior after being stuck behind several talented wide receivers, including Rob Handy, as a junior. He also had a school-record six touchdown catches in a win over Middletown North.
Clark will do a post-graduate season at Milford Academy, a prep school attended by former Howell star Ryan McGuinness before he moved on to have a great career at New Hampshire, a Football Championship Series (Division I-AA) power.
"I've been watching this game for six years now, and it's been my dream since I was a freshman to play in it,'' Clark said. "I think I'm up for the challenge. I like that there's competition, and that people are going to come after me.''
With a resume like that, Clark knows that the Ocean County secondary will certainly be keeping an eye on him.
“I like that people are going to come after me,’’ he said. “Hopefully I will do my best and come out on top.’’

The presence of Handy and Clark is a continuing symbol of Howell’s leap into a perennial contender after years of struggles. After head coach Cory Davies installed the spread offense in 2005, the Rebels took off behind former quarterback Sean O’Reilly. In 2007, the Rebels won their first state sectional title in school history, capturing the Central Jersey Group IV championship. They have remained a contender and were a state playoff team last season.

There is now a whole group of young players in Howell who only know the program as a winner.

“It’s definitely turned into something a lot more positive,’’ Handy said. “Winning is now part of the picture. We started something pretty good, and hopefully they will keep the program going next year.’’