OCHS swimmers, wrestlers won tonight – 2019 starting strong for all Raiders teams

By TOM WILLIAMS

Ocean City High School sports teams are off to a pretty good start in 2019

The boys swim team (5-2) defeated Vineland, 124-46, tonight with Nate Hays winning twice and swimming on two relay winners. And the girls swimmers (5-1) topped the Fighting Clan, 109-61, with Alex Antonov winning twice.

In addition, the OCHS wrestlers (4-4) defeated Cedar Creek, 63-12. There was originally a wrestling tri-meet scheduled for tomorrow at Schalick but Schalick has cancelled its wrestling season so OCHS and Cedar Creek, the other two teams in that tri-meet, made it a dual match and moved it up 24 hours and into the Dixie Howell Gymnasium.

The boys basketball team (7-2) defeated Absegami last night, 70-49, with two players registering double-doubles.

The girls basketball team (6-3) used a 24-5 advantage in the second quarter last night at the Dixie Howell Gym to defeat Absegami, 58-35.

And, in the afternoon, the OCHS swim teams both defeated Middle Township at the Aquatic & Fitness Center. The girls won, 128-42, and the boys were 126-41 winners.

On Sunday, the indoor track team will compete in the Bears Invitational at Ursinus College and the boys basketball team will play Bordentown in the Shoot Down Cancer Classic at St. Augustine Prep.

In boys basketball in Galloway Township last night, the Raiders never trailed after running out to a 24-11 lead after one quarter. Senior Joe Sacco had his first career double-double with 20 points and 10 assists. He also had four steals. Sophomore Gannon Brady had his fourth double-double of the season with 12 points, 11 rebounds, two steals and four assists. Seniors Donovan Graham and Luke Varallo chipped in with 18 and 10 points, respectively. The win was the 398^th for head coach John Bruno.

On Bruno’s birthday, two days earlier, Sacco (above) had a career-high 21 points, nine rebounds, four steals and four assists in a 58-48 win over Mainland. Brady added 15 points and seven boards and senior Ian Aungst came off the bench and hit a trio of three-pointers to score a career-high 11 points. Sophomore Mike Rhodes grabbed 10 rebounds. Tom Zanaras led Mainland with 14 points and Luke Mazur added 12, hitting four three-pointers including one from 40 feet to beat the first quarter buzzer. Bruno’s teams are now 8-5 on his birthday.

The Raiders also defeated Howell, 66-56, in the Seagull Classic with Brady scoring a career-high 25 points and being selected the Game MVP. Sacco added 13 points, five steals and eight assists; Graham scored 11 and had four assists; and Varallo scored 10 and grabbed seven boards.

After Sunday’s game in the Shoot Down Cancer Classic, Bruno’s team plays three home games next week. The Raiders host Oakcrest on Tuesday, Lower Cape May on Thursday and will play Egg Harbor Township a week from tomorrow (Jan. 19) in the Butch Gleason Memorial Coaches vs. Cancer Day.

Paul Baruffi’s girls will play the same schedule next week, though the Oakcrest and Lower Cape May games will be on the road.

Ocean City got 17 points, including a trio of three-pointers, from senior Danielle Donoghue (above) in the girls basketball win over Absegami. Emma Finnegan added 13 points and Savanna Holt scored eight. The Raiders, ranked No. 15 in South Jersey, struggled against Lenape Sunday in the Seagull Classic, shooting only 21 percent and losing a 54-32 decision. Holt had 12 points and six rebounds.

In addition to the double by Hays (100 butterfly and 100 breaststroke), Brian Walsh won twice (100 and 200 freestyle) and was on a winning relay team tonight in Vineland. Also, Ben Wiley won the 50 free, Max Carter the 500 free and Dolan Grisbaum the 100 backstroke.

Hays won the 200 freestyle and swam on two winning relay teams against Middle Township. Other OCHS boys to win against the Panthers included Dom Dipalato in the 200 individual medley; Wiley in the 50 free; Carter in the 100 butterfly; Tanner Driscoll in the 100 free; Nick Bianchi in the 500 free; Luke Bowman in the 100 backstroke; and Ethan Ellis in the 100 breaststroke.

Antonov won the 200 and 500 free tonight in Vineland. Claudia Scherbin won the 200 IM, Brooke Powell the 50 free and Andrea Teofanova won the 100 free.

Against Middle, Antonov was also a double winner (50 free and 100 breaststroke), also swimming on a winning relay team. Claudia Scherbin won the 200 free; Olivia Scherbin the 200 IM; Emily Myers the 100 butterfly; Powell the 100 free; Teofanova the 500 free; and Isabella Pagan the 100 backstroke.

The swim teams host Millville on Tuesday.

The OCHS wrestlers (4-4) started tonight’s match with Cedar Creek with four straight pins by Charley Cossaboone, Lou Williams, Tom Oves and Jacob Wilson. With four forfeits coming, they knew that put them in control of the match.

In their 39-33 loss to Egg Harbor Township, Bill Kroeger (3:27), Aidan Nelson (0:56), Nick Sannino (1:06), Charley Cossaboone (1:25) and Tom Oves (1:07) racked up pins for Ocean City.

Dan Calhoun takes his wrestlers on the road next week – at Mainland on Wednesday, at Cumberland on Thursday and to Clayton on Saturday for a quad with Oakcrest and Gloucester City.

In the South Jersey Relays in Toms River, the OCHS indoor track team took first place in the girls 4×800 with Casey McLees, Brooke Farr, Erin Hamlin and Alexa Palmieri (left to right, below).

Also, Emma Sacco was second in the high jump; the team of Anthony Conte, Gavyn Fox, Tyler Greene and Luke Kramer was second in the 4×800; and the 4×400 quartet of Nicole Rhodes, Delaney Gould, Megan Gereaghty and Erin Hanlon finished third.

Check out all the daily results and schedules in the Raider Diary – http://www.oceancitysports.com/OCDiary.html.