January 25, 2006
Remembering the Cape May County champions
By TOM WILLIAMS
Sports Columnist
Cape May County is an interesting place.
At one end is a Victorian town, at the other a popular family resort. In between,
there is the Doo Wop Capitol of the World and a diverse group of communities that
grow from a quiet, sleepy existence in the winter to a bustling series of resorts
in the summer.
People from all over the East spend millions and millions of dollars just to
visit the county for a few weeks.
There are six high schools in the county and, once upon a time, they used to
decide the Cape May County high school basketball championship. It was a big deal,
though it was usually won by either Wildwood or Ocean City.
Things have changed in high school sports. There are showcase events throughout
the season that attract teams. Wildwood hosts the largest holiday coed tournament
in the country. Some schools have grown, others have gotten a bit smaller. And,
along the way, the county title has slipped into history.
Only one Cape May County boys team (Lower Cape May) plays all five of the other
teams. And, if we kept the standings, Pat Holden's team would probably be in
first place. The Tigers are 2-1 against county teams. Wildwood Catholic is also
2-1, but losing to Lower would drop them into second place. Middle Township is
2-2, Cape May Tech 1-1 and Ocean City and Wildwood are 1-2.
There are still eight boys games left this season between Cape May County teams,
so a lot could change in those standings.
Among girls teams, Ocean City and Wildwood Catholic are both 2-0. Sadly, they do
not play this year. Lower Cape May is 2-1, Wildwood 1-1, Middle 1-4 and Tech is
0-2. There are still six games left between the county girls teams.
Is there a way to re-establish the county championship? Maybe make it even
better?
When the NJSIAA added two games to the maximum number a team could schedule this
year, it opened the door. But the Cape-Atlantic League took four or five of those
games back by requiring all teams to play twice against teams from the opposite
division, starting next year.
Wouldn't it have been great to have the six county teams seeded right after the
holidays? The top two get a bye. Then, on three consecutive weekends, they
compete for the county title, with the championships decided in a girl-boy
doubleheader.
This year, based on the games within the county, Lower would probably get the top
boys seed with Wildwood Catholic second. They would get the byes. Middle would be
third, Tech fourth, Wildwood fifth and Ocean City sixth. That would match Ocean
City with Middle in the first round, the winner to face Catholic. And Wildwood
would face Tech, the winner to play Lower.
Ocean City and Wildwood Catholic would be the top girls seeds. Lower would be
third, Wildwood fourth, Middle fifth and Tech sixth. That would pair Lower with
Tech, the winner to face Catholic. And Middle against Wildwood, with the winner
meeting Ocean City.
It probably won't ever happen, but it sure sounds like fun!
----------------------------------
Another event that used to be part of area basketball was the Cape-Atlantic
League Freshman Jamboree.
Every school in the league (there were only about seven or eight at the time)
would send their freshmen teams to the same location on a Saturday. There they
would be matched up in a series of 16-minute games (eight minutes per half) until
there was a champion. Any freshman could play, even a varsity starter.
You could no longer do this in one day with all the schools that make up the CAL
now. You'd have to have two separate conference tournaments with the winners
playing. With the struggle some schools are having with their freshmen programs,
especially in girls basketball, maybe this would be a way to strengthen the
freshmen presence.
Just a trip down Nostalgia Lane - from the days when Tom Jorgenson, John Roberson,
Ed Gargan and Jack Buchanan prepared young players for high school - remembering
a couple of competitions that helped make basketball in Cape May County rather
special.
Read more of
Tom Williams' columns