November 5, 2003
CAL to remain the same for 2 more years
By TOM WILLIAMS
Sports Columnist
The Cape-Atlantic League will be pretty much the same the next two years.
League athletics directors met last week and approved the enrollment figures that will keep the four
divisions intact. The only exception is in girls tennis and field hockey, where both Lower Cape May and
Hammonton will be dropping down into the National Conference.
That will make the LeFever family a little happier.
It means, for at least the next two years, that Trish LeFever’s Ocean City field hockey team will not have to
play two games every season against stepdaughter Tracey LeFever’s Hammonton team. Those games,
including last week’s meeting, are an emotional roller coaster for the entire family.
But the tension is not over yet. If Ocean City and Hammonton both win their Group 3 Tournament openers,
they will meet for the third time this year in the South Jersey semifinals.
Maintaining the same alignment for 2004-05 and 2005-06 means that American Conference football teams
will still need two non-conference games. That problem is a little easier for Ocean City and Atlantic City,
who play non-conference rivals on Thanksgiving Day. But the Raiders would probably like to play someone
in New Jersey – and in Group 4.
Academy Park was a nice trip and the people in Sharon Hill could not have been much nicer. But the
Raiders look like they are going to be pretty good the next two seasons and would probably like to play a
Group 4 team, giving them more potential ratings points than they get from Academy Park, equivalent to a
New Jersey Group 2 school.
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Speaking of Ocean City football, wasn’t Saturday’s game an impressive sight?
Both sides of Carey Stadium filled and sunny weather in the low 70s. There is no more pleasant place to
watch a high school football game in the CAL – possibly in South Jersey – than Carey Stadium. Views of
the ocean and the boardwalk, plus the brand, new school growing up before our eyes.
But what if Ocean City installs lights?
Quite frankly, it would be a shame not to continue playing the Raiders’ home games on Saturday in that
daylight setting. Playing Friday nights like every other CAL team, rather than being the only game in the
area on Saturday, certainly wouldn’t make much difference in crowd size.
There has not been much serious talk about lights. Most officials, when asked, indicate it has been
mentioned but nothing formal has been proposed.
Lights on that field could be used for many purposes – summer concerts, twilight track competitions, the
return of the South Jersey Barons. And, if lights were installed, it would be difficult not to turn them on for
high school games.
But it would be a shame to ruin the best view a high school football fan gets all season.
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As suggested here last week, Matt Chila’s college football career is over. Further examination indicated
that his left knee injury will require surgery.
Chila (6-3, 250) was All-Atlantic 10 last season with 48 catches for 514 yards and five TDs and was
considered one of the top tight ends in the country coming into his senior year. This year he had 20
catches for 121 yards.
He had already been invited to the College Football All-Star Classic to be held on Dec. 30 at Lockhart
Stadium in Ft. Lauderdale, FL.
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Here is the quote of the fall season, so far.
They were all set to start the girls race in the CAL Cross Country Meet at Richard Stockton College last
week when the irrepressible Jack Boyd, a veteran track official, delayed the proceedings.
“Hold up,” Boyd said, pointing to a runner from Middle Township who had forgotten to remove her jewelry,
“this girl has more gold on than Mr. T.”
As usual, Boyd has the last word.
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