OCHS tennis team advances, Marty Cattie breaks lacrosse record

By TOM WILLIAMS

The Ocean City High School boys tennis team moved into the South Jersey Group 3 semifinals today with a 4-1 win over visiting Toms River South.

The victory advanced the Raiders to a match in Moorestown on Thursday. Moorestown (20-2) is ranked No. 1 in South Jersey and No. 8 in the state. The Quakers defeated Highland, 5-0, in their quarterfinal match today.

Seniors Tanner Tomassi and Manav Randheri were both straight-set winners for the Raiders in singles. Freshman Mike Jacobsen clinched the win for Ocean City when he won a tie-breaker in the first set and took the second, 6-3. The fourth OCHS point came when junior Rich Flemming and sophomore Joe Kelly won in straight sets at second doubles.

The boys lacrosse team (15-4) won its final regular season game tonight, 11-7, over Highland at Carey Stadium. Christian Kuhn and Marty Cattie each scored three times for Ocean City. Cattie (below), only a junior, set a new school record for career offensive points, breaking the mark held by Owen Dierolf. Jake Schneider scored twice for the Raiders with Trent Laveson, Bill Kroeger and Harry Pfeifle each adding a goal.

It was announced this morning that Joe LaTorre’s team was the No. 1 seed in the NJSIAA South Jersey Group 2 Tournament. The Raiders will open tournament play on Wednesday at Carey Stadium (5pm) against Jackson Liberty (4-13). With a win on Wednesday the Raiders would host the winner between Ocean Township (9-5) and Somerville (5-13) on Saturday. The OCHS boys have never won two NJSIAA tournament games in one year.

The baseball and softball games scheduled today with Cedar Creek were both postponed by wet grounds. Both games were re-scheduled for Wednesday, baseball in Egg Harbor City and softball at Dick Grimes Field. If the baseball team wins that game with Cedar Creek it will clinch the National Conference championship.

Tomorrow, the baseball team travels to Pennsauken to play Bishop Eustace, the No. 1 ranked team in the state, in a Diamond Classic game. The Ocean City golfers will attempt to defend their South Jersey championship tomorrow at Running Deer Golf Club. And the boys tennis team will play at Middle Township in an effort to tie the Panthers for the National Conference title.

Follow the day-to-day results of the OCHS spring teams at http://www.oceancitysports.com/OCDiary.html.