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August 7, 2002

Chris Armstrong returns, Rachel Constantine hurt

By TOM WILLIAMS
Sports Columnist


Ocean City High School’s sports program got some good news and some bad news this summer.

First, the good news. Chris Armstrong, former Raider football and track star, has returned to his alma mater as a teacher and will join Gary Degenhardt’s football coaching staff. Armstrong played for OCHS in the mid-80s, mainly as a defensive back. He made 75 tackles in two seasons (1985-86) and carried the ball 39 times for 120 yards. He also held the county meet record for the pole vault for 10 years.

Armstrong played his college football at the College of New Jersey and was head football coach at Wildwood for three seasons, compiling a 10-17 record. He coached the Warriors to a 6-4 record his final year, Wildwood’s only winning season during the last 36 years. Armstrong was an assistant coach at Egg Harbor Township last year.

His first game on the Raider sidelines will be on Sept. 21 against Oakcrest which, interestingly enough, just signed two former Ocean City players to its football coaching staff.

Doug Colman, who played in the Super Bowl with the Tennessee Titans and on two NCAA champions at Nebraska, will be teaching and coaching for the Falcons. Colman gained over 1,000 yards as a running back for OCHS and was named to the All-Century team as a linebacker. He was an Ocean City freshmen coach last fall.

Also joining the Oakcrest football staff will be Chris Bauer, a two-way player who was a Colman teammate at OCHS. Bauer gained 304 yards for the Raiders his senior year.

Unfortunately, Ocean City has probably lost one of its most competitive athletes for her senior year. Rachel Constantine, a starter in soccer and basketball, tore both her ACL and MCL during a fall in a summer basketball game at Mainland recently. She is waiting to be scheduled for surgery and could be out for eight months.

Constantine transfered to OCHS from Wildwood Catholic after her sophomore year, sitting out the required 30 days at the start of the season. She was expected to be a key member of the two teams as a senior.

Other Ocean City High School graduates and students making sports news include:

Matt LeFever, who was inserted into the starting lineup of the Cape Fear Wildcats in the Arena 2 Football League, took advantage of his opportunity. He completed 7 of 10 passes for two touchdowns and was named Offensive Player of the Week. Cape Fear defeated the Richmond Speed in the playoffs and will now face the Albany Conquest. Among the players in the Richmond lineup was Kevin Harvey, who set New Jersey scoring records during his career at Paulsboro.

Matt’s twin brother, Greg, is in Japan where he will play in the X League for the Fujitsu Frontiers.

Raider senior Gwen Hunter was one of 122 field hockey players from around the country selected to the Junior Olympic team.

Former Ocean City and UMass basketball star Tricia Hopson will serve as a varsity assistant coach to Paul Baruffi during the Raider girls basketball season. Hopson was head coach at Oakcrest for one season.

Abbey Woolley, who has completed successful field hockey careers at OCHS and North Carolina, is in Africa with the United States Under-23 Field Hockey Team. The team is 1-1-1 in its first three games.

Ryan Reich, remembered best for the “shot heard around South Jersey” in the 1999 Group 3 basketball final, had a good season on the Princeton baseball team. Reich batted .296, starting 38 games at third base and leading the team in doubles with 11.

Some dates to write onto your fall calendar:

Aug. 31 – Ohio State, featuring Jenee Doto, opens its field hockey season at Stanford, featuring Missy Halliday.

Sept. 14 – Villanova, led by pre-season All-Atlantic 10 tight end Matt Chila and featuring freshmen quarterbacks Marvin Burroughs (Atlantic City) and Ocean City resident George Smith (St. Augustine), will open its home season against Maine.

Oct. 9 – Chad Severs and Penn State play soccer in New Jersey at Seton Hall. The Nittany Lions will also be in Philadelphia, at Lehigh, on Oct. 30.

Oct. 13 – Princeton’s field hockey team, led by Cory Picketts, will face Boston University and Meredith Long.

Nov. 1 – Ocean City at Mainland in CAL football.


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