OCHS teams win trio of championships

By TOM WILLIAMS

Chalk up three more championships for the Raiders.

The Ocean City High School cross country teams both finished first in the Cape-Atlantic League Meet today in Millville. And the boys soccer team blasted Lower Cape May to clinch at least a tie for the National Conference title.

Matt Purdue’s boys (8-1) edged Mainland, 41-42, to win the CAL Meet. The Mustangs had beaten the Raiders last month in a dual meet that ended the 91-meet win streak by OCHS. Senior Gavyn Fox was the first Ocean City runner to finish – coming home third overall. Mainland junior Kevin Antczak was the individual winner, finishing 30 second ahead of the field.

For OCHS (above), junior Anthony Conte was seventh, sophomore Tyler Greene finished ninth, junior Luke Kramer 10^th and junior Max Kelly 12^th.

Trish Henry’s girls (8-0, below) easily outscored second place Mainland, 47-76. Three Raiders finished among the top five – sophomore Alexa Palmieri was second, junior Becca Millar was fourth and junior Casey McLees finished fifth. In addition, senior Brooke Farr was eighth and freshman Kailey Grimley was 28^th. The individual champion was junior Olivia Schafer of Egg Harbor Township who finished less than five seconds in front of Palmieri.

Both cross country teams are off now until Nov. 3 when they run in the NJSIAA South Jersey Group 3 Meet at Delsea Regional High School in Franklinville.

Also today, Aaron Bogushefsky’s boys soccer team (13-5) defeated Lower Cape May, 8-1, with Anthony Inserra and Hunter Paone each scoring twice, Cameron MacDonald, Trevor Paone and Luke Varallo added goals. The victory assured the Raiders of at least a share of the National Conference championship. They can win the title outright tomorrow by winning at Cedar Creek.

The OCHS boys soccer team will host Timber Creek on Monday at Carey Stadium (2pm) in the opening round of the NJSIAA Group 3 Tournament. Ocean City is the No. 2 seed.

In today’s other action, Kelsey Mitchell’s field hockey team (16-3-1) spanked Cherry Hill West, 10-0, in the opening round of its Group 3 Tournament. The Raiders are the No. 1 seed and will host Absegami on Tuesday at Carey Stadium in a quarterfinal game. It will actually be the first game of a doubleheader at 2 p.m. The OCHS girls soccer team (13-5-2) will also play Absegami at 4 p.m. in the first round of their Group 3 tournament.

In today’s field hockey win, Reese Bloomstead, Tara McNally and Chloe Prettyman each scored twice, Prettyman also adding a pair of assists. Jaclyn Charbonneau, Nya Gilchrist, Sophia Gresham and Molly Reardon each added a goal.

In addition to the boys soccer game tomorrow, the football team (3-3) can clinch a share of the Independence Division championship by beating Mainland tomorrow night. And the girls tennis team can win a share of the American Conference crown by beating Bridgeton on Tuesday.

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