August 31, 2005
Some OCHS sports questions & farewell to Chris Gayle
By TOM WILLIAMS
Sports Columnist
There has been great success for Ocean City High School high school fall sports teams during in the 21st
century, as was outlined here last week.
There are some teams returning with expectations. And there are a few questions that effect OCHS teams.
First of all, can senior Brittany Sedberry come all the way back from the stress fractures that caused her
to miss last spring’s track season?
Brittany has won the NJSIAA Meet of Champions twice in cross country, something no other CAL girl has
done even once. She has made it known that winning the event a third time is her driving motivation. And,
as John Richardson said last week, nothing that Brittany does should surprise anybody.
Can her cross country team complete another undefeated season?
The Raiders have not lost a girls cross country meet since 1999, winning 57 straight meets over more than
five seasons. Only once in OCHS history has a program had six straight undefeated seasons. That
happened from 1990-95 when Mike Naples’ girls track team didn’t lose for six straight seasons. That
program then lost once in 1996 and had two more undefeated seasons in 1997 and 1998. If Brittany and
her teammates can win them all again this year, they will equal that six-year record.
Can Mike Pellegrino’s boys soccer team put together a second three-peat?
The Raiders have won two straight South Jersey titles in boys soccer and, from 1999-2001, won three
straight. No OCHS program has ever had two different streaks of South Jersey titles each totaling three
years or more.
Phil Birnbaum’s boys tennis teams won three straight from 1974-76. Trish LeFever’s field hockey clubs
took three straight from 1997-99. Naples’ girls cross country teams took four straight from 1986-89. And
the longest streak was the one by Naples girls track teams, winning five straight from 1990-94.
But nobody has ever won three straight South Jersey championships twice!
Can Katie Ruiz and Rachel Hunter repeat their All-South Jersey seasons?
Both were the only Cape-Atlantic League underclassmen selected first team, All-South Jersey last year in
their sports – Ruiz in soccer and Hunter in field hockey. Ruiz was also third team, all-state. Both teams
will be among the favorites in American Conference races again this fall.
Will Mike Hinsley become the next Jim Crowley?
Hinsley, another three-sport star, may rarely come off the football field this fall, much like Crowley last
year. He is one of the league’s best tight ends and a major force on the Raider defense. In addition, in the
absence of Dave Beyel, who is not playing football this year, he is punting and may end up becoming the
place-kicker again, a job he filled as a freshman.
The answers to these questions will start coming next week.
--------------------------------------
For three seasons, from 1980 through 1982, Chris Gayle and Chris Rackley were Ocean City High
School’s starting backcourt. It was one of the quickest guard combos the Raiders have ever had. Rackley
did a lot of the shooting, Gayle got him the ball.
As sophomores, along with Randy Julian and 6-7 Bob Warrington, they upset Mainland, which was ranked
in the Top 10 in South Jersey, to end the regular season. Then, in the Group 3 Tournament, faced the
Mustangs again and, after falling behind by 20 in the first half, rallied only to lose the game in the third
overtime. Gayle had 127 assists that year, including 11 in a game twice.
As a junior, Gayle missed eight games with an injury but still managed 69 assists on a team that also lost
to Mainland in the second round of the tournament.
Then, in 1981-82, they were part of a team including Matt Watts, Homer Baker and Jay Hannah, that was
the only OCHS team in the last 41 years to win 20 games. They were 22-6, including a spectacular
comeback win over New York’s Power Memorial, alma mater of Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, in the Seagull
Classic. Three of their losses were in overtime. And they got to the South Jersey semi-final before losing to
Kennedy of Willingboro. Gayle had 152 assists that year, missing Ed Paone’s school record by two.
In addition to his success in basketball, Gayle also had a good football career, gaining nearly 650 yards
rushing.
Chris Gayle died last week in Virginia after battling a lengthy illness that had brought an end to his 18-year
career in the Marines. He was part of one of Ocean City’s special families, which produced a number of
talented athletes. Chris is survived by his wife and two children.
“What a shame,” said his high school basketball coach, Jack Boyd. “He was a great kid who turned into a
greater adult. He always had a smile on his face.”
Read more of
Tom Williams' columns