Bulldogs Look To Defend Title Despite Heavy Graduation Losses

RUMSON – There’s good news and there’s bad news for two-time defending Central Jersey Group II champion Rumson-Fair Haven entering the 2018-19 season.

First the bad news: The Bulldogs graduated four integral pieces and lost another to the transfer route off last year’s NJSIAA Central Jersey Group II championship team, including three All-Division players and two sharp-shooting guards that were their primary three-point shooters.

All-Division selections Devin Cooper and Elijah McAllister graduated while All-Division swing man Phillip Wheeler – who was expected back and has an offer from Seton Hall University – transferred to Ranney to play for the No. 13 team in the country.

Three-point shooting specialists Teddy Sourlis and Jack Solano also graduated leaving the Bulldogs a little thin when it comes to perimeter shooting.

The good news is: They return second-team All-Shore selection Ian O’Connor - arguably their best player over the last two seasons - along with All-Division pick Jackson McCarthy – both seniors this season.

“Ian and Jackson were my two best players in last year’s playoff run and our leading scorers,” said Champeau. “So, they will be our base. Ian’s pretty much been our MVP the last two years when we won back-to-back championships. We’re going to use those two as our core and work in some of the guys that got some minutes last year. We’re confident that the guys that come up through the system are going to take advantage of their chance to play.

“I like what I see,” Chambeau added. “We might be a little shaky early but hopefully by mid-January we’re ready to roll.”

The 6-foot-4 O’Connor led the Bulldogs in scoring a year ago averaging 15 points a game along with four rebounds. As a sophomore, O’Connor lead the team in rebounds grabbing 154 boards, but last season it was the 6-foot-7 shot-blocking specialist McAllister who controlled the paint averaging 10.15 boards a game – good for third in the Shore Conference.

With McAllister now playing football for Vanderbilt University, you can expect to see double-digit rebounds out of the extremely athletic and powerful O’Connor and don’t see surprise if you also see his scoring average approach the 20-point per game mark. If he can do that, he’ll easily eclipse the 1000-point mark for his career.

A 20-10 season is not out of the question for the gifted O’Connor, who’s already committed to Lehigh University for football as a tight end.

“Ian’s the heart and soul of the program,” said Champeau of his star player. “He’s one of the top three guys I’ve ever coached and the toughest kid I’ve ever had. He’s one of those guys that make you feel like you made the right decision in becoming a coach. He does everything you ask of him. He’s humble, unselfish and he’s just tough. He’s the type of kid every coach in the Shore would want to have.”

O’Connor and several other athletes on the basketball team, Including McCarthy, Drew Frankel, Ryan McCann and Tim Kelly just recently helped lead the Bulldogs to their fifth sectional title in six years and a victory in the first-ever Central-South Bowl game.

Speaking of McCarthy, he had the game-winning touchdown in the Bulldogs bowl win and he’s coming off a breakout junior campaign that saw him average 10 points and four boards a game.

“Jackson was arguably our best offensive player down the stretch last year,” said Champeau. “He’s a rangy 6-foot-5 guard that jumps out of the gym. He’s getting some D1 looks now and had a big summer. He can knock down the three’s and people have trouble staying in front of him. He’s another kid that’s tough and will dive on the floor.

“Between those two that’s a pretty tough combo,” Champeau added. “So, we have two D1 athletes anchoring a bunch of guys around them that hopefully come together at some point in the season and we can make a run.”

O’Connor likes what he sees of this year’s team. “We’re going to be a tough, really physical team. Not just offensively by defensively. We’re going to play aggressively and we won’t back down to anyone. We have a good supporting cast and we’re excited about our young talent this year and as seniors we’re going to help them grow.”

Both O’Connor and McCarthy are penciled in at guard this season with either one of them bringing the ball up court.

“We’re going to use those two (O’Connor and McCarthy) as our core and work in some of the guys that got some minutes last year,” Champeau said. “We’re confident that the guys that come up through the system are going to take advantage of their chance to play.”

As a sophomore last season, Frankel saw limited court time in nine games with the reason being the three senior guards in front of him.

This season, however, the point guard position is all his and you can expect big things out of this skilled multi-sport athlete, who had a crucial fumble recovery in Rumson’s bowl win.

“Drew will start at the point for us,” Champeau said. “He’s a long 6-foot-3 now and a great football player. He has good size and is quick and probably would’ve started last year but Devin came in and took the starting job. A lot of people don’t know about him, but he has great court vision and he’s ready to shine. I see him being one of the best guards in the division.”

Sophomore John Baker, a 6-foot-6 forward/center who dressed varsity last year, appears to have the inside track at one of the front-court starting jobs along with the 6-foot-5, 270-pound McCann, who will be playing football at Yale next season.

“Baker’s a skilled big man who’s going to be a good player for us,” Champeau said. “Ryan’s another big body who will see minutes, so I could roll out a group where the smallest guy is 6-foot-3. And we have a bunch of sophomore guards that are fast and quick, so we could be two different Rumson teams this year built around Ian, Jackson and Frankel.”

Senior Cole Staisel is also in the mix at the guard rotation after seeing limited minutes on the court last season.

Champeau mentioned sophomore guards Ryan Ruane and Jackson Patton and juniors Dutch Donlon, Hunter Reid and Jack Carroll as potential candidates for increased playing time as well.

“Everyone’s jumped off the band wagon already,” said Champeau. “We love being the underdog. We’ve won back-to-back state titles and haven’t lost a division game in three years but people are writing us off already, which is fine. We lost a lot to graduation and Wheeler transferred but we’re ready, we’re fine, we like this position. Forget about us? Good, we’ll see you in February. For us it’s the same old thing – stay humble, stay hungry.”

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