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September 26, 2007

Some OCHS records that have endured

By TOM WILLIAMS
Sports Columnist


Last Thursday, Vinnie Djukanovic probably became the first OCHS quarterback to both throw and pass for more than 100 yards in the same game.

During the winter, Trey Severs made more free throws in one season than anybody in OCHS history. And he finished his career with more three-pointers than any player in CAL history.

Last fall, John Duffy became the first Ocean City kicker to make two field goals in one game.

Casey Beyel set a new school record for lacrosse goals last spring. And Kayla Ghanavati graduated with a trio of school track records.

Records are always being broken. Half the fun of keeping records is seeing them broken. It's the only real reason to keep records, so somebody knows what they have to do to break one.

So, let's take a few minutes to look back at some Ocean City High School sports records that have really stood the test of time.

In 1958, Mike Fadden made 22 field goals in one game. He scored 48 points in the game. That record was broken when LaQue Lee scored 50 in 1995. But nobody else has ever made 22 field goals in one game.

When she graduated in 1979, Lisa Foglio had scored 1,970 points for Ocean City. It was a South Jersey record at the time and still ranks among the all-time best. But, with all the talented players who have played for the Raiders in the 28 years since Lisa moved on, nobody has come close to that record.

Joe Broadley scooped up a fumble in an Ocean City football game in 1925 and raced 95 yards for a touchdown. It was a school record then and it still is more than 80 years later.

In the early 1960s, Charles Mumford was a successful pitcher and a successful hitter for the OCHS baseball team. Over his career, he hit .439. Only a handful of players have hit that high in one season but nobody in more than 40 years has hit the ball as successfully over their career as Mumford.

In the 1954-55 basketball season, Frank Wickes grabbed 387 rebounds. That is almost 17 rebounds per game. Wickes finished his career with 811 rebounds. Both records still stand 53 years later.

In 1977, Joe Myers started 12 games as a pitcher for the Raiders. He pitched 12 complete games, finishing with a 9-3 record. He struck out 122 in 82 innings. Those are all still school single-season records for starts, complete games, wins, innings pitched and strikeouts 30 years later.

In a 1954 football game, George Loder intercepted three passes and recovered a fumble. Those four recoveries still stand as a school record more than half a century later.

In the 1972-73 basketball season, both Bill "Pop" Rackley (23.7) and Brad Bryant (21.1) averaged over 20 points per game. Never before, nor in the 34 years since, have two players averaged 20 a game on the same team.

One of the few marks that survived the Kevin Sinclair assault on the football rushing records was set in 1959 when Don Tarves averaged 9.8 yards per carry over the entire season. That has not been accomplished again in nearly 50 years.

In the 1983 boys track season, Ocean City had a terrific lineup of throwers. Two in particular, John Betts and Mike Stockley, formed one of the best combinations in South Jersey. Betts' javelin throw (220-1) and Stockley's shot put (57-10) are still school records nearly a quarter of a century later.

Back in 1959-60, Ken Leary had a triple-double for the Raiders, getting 19 points, 10 rebounds and 11 steals against Pleasantville. Bill Fisher had a triple-double 16 years later (33 points, 11 boards, 11 steals against Lower Cape May) and Bob Warrington (12 points, 13 rebounds, 11 blocks against Lower) did it three years after Fisher. It has not been equaled in the 28 years since, showing what a unique accomplishment it is.

With all the talented OCHS quarterbacks who have come along in the last 35 years - Matt LeFever, Al Genz, Rick Henshaw, Jordan Torroni, Kevin McCann, Jared Bauer, among others - one record survived them all. In 1951, Bert Avis threw four TD passes in a game against Hammonton and, in 1972, Dave Andrews equaled that record in a game against Burlington Township. No other Raider has ever done it.

And, maybe the most remarkable record of all. In a 1969 football game at Maxwell Field in Wildwood, Ocean City was about to punt. But the snap from center, by Bruce Beaver, sailed over punter Mike Wolicki's head and out of the end zone for a safety. The snap covered 39 yards.

Now that is a record that may never be broken.



Read more of Tom Williams' columns