May 4, 2005
The Raiders of spring
By TOM WILLIAMS
Sports Columnist
There were times this spring when it looked like it would be a tough season for Ocean City High School
teams. But the Raiders have bounced back.
In recent years, OCHS has become known as a fall school. Championships in soccer, field hockey, girls
cross country and football have been a regular part of the scene. This past fall was more of the same, with
the addition of a South Jersey title in boys cross country. There was also a division championship in boys
basketball during the winter, but the fall again seemed to dominate the Raider landscape.
But this spring could be special.
On Monday afternoon the Raider girls lacrosse team defeated Clearview, putting it five games above .500
with five games remaining until the NJSIAA deadline. That means OCHS will play in the lacrosse
tournament for the very first time. In addition, the girls are still undefeated in the National Division of the
Olympic Conference, putting them on track for a first-ever championship in the sport.
The Clearview game was the beginning of the annual “road trip” for these Raiders. They go to Cherry Hill
Wednesday to face No. 5 ranked Camden Catholic, travel to No. 3 ranked Washington Township on Friday
and then head back to Cherry Hill on Monday to face Cherry Hill East.
The baseball team, after letting some games get away in late innings, turned things around last week with
late-inning wins over Mainland and Vineland. With a win over Atlantic City on Monday, the baseball team is
just a win away from returning to the NJSIAA tournament.
George McNally’s boys tennis team, with a different lineup than many might have expected in the
pre-season, has been holding its own with some of the top teams in South Jersey and moving into the Top
20 itself. The tennis team is waiting for the announcement of the seedings and pairings for the Group 3
tournament, hoping to get a home match.
The crew teams, still in their infancy, are winning heats almost every weekend.
And then there is track.
Despite the unfortunate injury to Brittany Sedberry, the best of all runners, the girls track team, ranked No.
6 in South Jersey, has run very effectively. They have demonstrated their great depth, most recently in the
Penn Relays. In their only loss, to No. 12 Mainland, the Raiders won every event on the flat track, losing
by eight points only because of the Mustangs’ superiority in the hurdles and in the jumping and throwing
events.
Chris Armstrong’s boys track team is undefeated and has somehow been overlooked in the rankings.
Among the Raiders’ conquests was Oakcrest, which is ranked No. 16, while Ocean City is nowhere to be
found in the Top 20.
Still, OCHS has a chance to win a conference title if it can find a way to beat No. 6 Vineland on Monday.
And with the efforts being put forth by Jim Crowley, Pat Tolomeo, John Oberg and a handful of
accomplished distance runners, this team should be a force in the South Jersey meet.
The public relations people say that Ocean City is “twice as nice” in the fall. They’re talking about the
weather but it has pertained to high school sports, as well.
During 2004-05, however, things have been pretty nice all year round for the Raiders.
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