OCHS Teams of the 90's

---

---

Kevin Sinclair, Doug Colman top OC football players of 90s!

By TOM WILLIAMS
Gazette Staff Writer

When you have a decade like Ocean City High School did in football during the 1990s, picking an all-decade team can be quite a chore.

Ocean City won three South Jersey championships in those 10 years and the Raiders were 9-1, 8-2 and 7-3 in three of the seasons they did NOT win the NJSIAA title. In fact, there was such a depth of talent that you could put together a pretty good team just from among the players who do not make this all-decade team.

Two things are pretty clear. Kevin Sinclair is the OCHS Offensive Player of the 90s and Doug Colman is the Defensive Player of the 90s.

Sinclair set state scoring records and Cape-Atlantic League rushing records during his spectacular career. He was named the top senior athlete in the state by one group during his final year.

Colman was South Jersey Defensive Player of the Year in 1990 and also rushed for over 1,000 yards during his career. Even if you don't consider what he has accomplished since graduating (and we don't in these All-90s selections) he was Ocean City's best on the defensive side of the ball.

Joining Colman on defense at inside linebacker was Greg LeFever. The outside linebackers are Jay Toscano and Britt Busby. The defensive secondary is the very athletic trio of Josh Baker, Ray Rogers and Steffon Davis.

The defensive line features two-time CAL all star Heath Muzslay and sack king Ernie Nelson at the ends, two-time all star Pete Simon and Bob Brown at the tackles. Matt Chila is the punter.

The offensive line includes Dennis Singleton, Nick Bailey and Stacy McCray at the tackles, Bryan DiDonato and Josh Roe at the guards and Brendan Gheen at center.

Sinclair is joined at running back by Austin Martin and Dan Davis. The wide receiver is Scott Lipford and Chila, at tight end, becomes the only player selected at two positions. Matt Daher is the placekicker.

That brings us to quarterback. Do you choose Matt LeFever, who had a tremendous career that included the school's only 11-0 team and spectacular passing efficiency ratings? Or Al Genz, who set most of the school passing records and quarterbacked two South Jersey champions?

"I'm not going to make that decision," said OC coach Gary Degenhardt when asked for his opinion. "I'd be happy to send my team out with either one."

But somebody has to make the choice or the Raiders will be flagged for too many players on the field. So, Genz gets the slight edge as the quarterback on this All-90s team. But, as in the NFL, great teams need more than one quarterback and Ocean City had two great ones in the 1990s.

In fact, it is easy to forget how many talented athletes played football for Ocean City over the 10 seasons from 1990-99 until you start putting this team together. "It's quite a team," admitted Degenhardt. "I think we could win a few games with that team."

But, as Degenhardt would be the first to point out, you don't win 71 games in 10 seasons with just 24 great players. The Raiders needed every one of thse talented athletes who wore the red and white on fall weekends.

These two dozen were simply the best.

OCHS Football in the 90s
Year....Record....Coach............Leading TD Scorer
1990....4-5....Wayne Colman.......Doug Colman 9
1991....4-5....Gary Degenhardt....Dan Davis 8
1992....7-3....Gary Degenhardt....three tied 9
1993....3-6....Gary Degenhardt....Rick Lipford 7
1994....9-1....Gary Degenhardt....Kevin Sinclair 21
1995....8-2....Gary Degenhardt....Kevin Sinclair 30
1996....11-0...Gary Degenhardt....Kevin Sinclair 30
1997....6-4....Gary Degenhardt....Ray Rogers 7
1998....11-1...Gary Degenhardt....Austin Martin 24
1999....8-4....Gary Degenhardt....Brian Coggins 16

The All-90s Raider Offensive Football Team
WR....Scott Lipford
TE....Matt Chila
T.....Nick Bailey
T.....Stacy McCray
T.....Dennis Singleton
G.....Bryan DiDonato
G.....Josh Roe
C.....Brendan Gheen
QB....Al Genz
RB....Kevin Sinclair
RB....Austin Martin
RB....Danny Davis
PK....Matt Daher

The All-90s Raider Defensive Football Team
E.....Heath Muzslay
E.....Ernie Nelson
T.....Bob Brown
T.....Pete Simon
ILB...Doug Colman
ILB...Greg LeFever
OLB...Jay Toscano
OLB...Britt Busby
DB....Josh Baker
DB....Ray Rogers
DB....Steffon Davis
Pu....Matt Chila