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Reviewing the 2018 OCHS soccer and field hockey seasons

By TOM WILLIAMS

The winter sports season started yesterday for the Ocean City High School sports teams. Then, 24 hours later, a snow storm emphasized the change of seasons.

In yesterday’s action – varsity swim meets with Atlantic City at the Aquatic and Fitness Center – Shane McGrath’s OCHS boys defeated the Vikings, 131-39, and Ian Keyser’s girls were 108-62 winners.

Nate Hays and Ben Wiley each won two individual races for the boys and were both part of two relay wins. Brian Walsh, Ethan McCarron and Dolan Grisbaum each won once with Walsh and McCarron swimming on two relay winners each.

In the girls meet, Alex Antonov won two events for Ocean City and swam on a winning relay team. Andrea Teofanova, Claudia Scherbin and Emily Myers each won once with Teofanova and Scherbin each joining two winning relay teams.

But yesterday’s early start to the winter season won’t be followed by any more varsity action for 10 days. Next Friday (Dec. 14) the boys basketball team opens its season at Middle Township, the girls are at Millville and the two swim teams resume their season at Vineland.

So, before we turn all of the focus onto the winter teams, let’s look back on a remarkable fall.

First, the soccer and field hockey teams.

Aaron Bogushefsky’s boys soccer team (15-5-1) had quite a season. His Raiders won the Cape-Atlantic League’s National Conference championship and won the inaugural CAL Tournament. They decided not to play in the South Jersey Coaches Tournament but they defeated St. Augustine Prep, the team that won the Coaches Tournament, in the CAL final. The season ended with a shootout loss to Cherry Hill West in the NJSIAA Group 3 Tournament.

Some talented seniors will be graduating in June. Leading the way is two-time CAL first team all star Hunter Paone (33 career goals, 17 assists). There is also all star Matt Brook (34, 19), Luke Varallo (30, 18) and all star Trevor Paone (20, 20). Bogushefsky will also need to replace first team all star Joe Sacco plus goalkeeper Brian Calderon, Matt Leap, Jaden Efrati and Thanasi Koutsfetsoulis.

Anthony Inserra, Fisher Hudak and John Lindsay are among the players who contributed this year and will play bigger roles next fall.

OCHS Boys Soccer Stat Leaders

Goals
11 – Hunter Paone
10 – Trevor Paone
10 – Luke Varallo
7 – Matt Brook
7 – Fisher Hudak
6 – John Lindsay

Assists
9 – Matt Brook
9 – Fisher Hudak
6 – Hunter Paone
6 – Trevor Paone
6 – Luke Varallo
4 – Matt Leap

Kelly Halliday’s girls soccer team (14-6-3) was eliminated from the NJSIAA Group 3 Tournament by powerful Moorestown, 5-0, in the South Jersey semifinals. Her team defeated Rancocas Valley in the South Jersey Coaches Tournament but lost to Eastern, which went on to win the tournament, in the second round. The Raiders tied Mainland in the CAL Tournament final but lost the shootout. The Mustangs had beaten them twice – 1-0 and 2-0 – during the regular season.

But this team wasn’t about its losses. It was a competitive team, still very young, that took on challenges throughout the season.

Halliday will return two-time CAL first team all star and the team’s leading scorer, Faith Slimmer, along with Delaney Lappin, another repeat all star. Goalkeeper Abbey Fenton and impressive freshman Summer Reimet will also be among those returning in 2019, along with Carly Reighard, Paige Panico, Hope Slimmer and Kelsey White.

But there will be holes to fill. Anna Devlin, a three-time first team all star, will graduate. So will Tori Rolls – who leaves with 33 career goals and 14 assists – plus Alyssa Liebrand and Tanis McDonnell.

OCHS Girls Soccer Stat Leaders

Goals
14 – Faith Slimmer
12 – Delaney Lappin
11 – Summer Reimet
5 – Carly Reighard
4 – Paige Panico
4 – Tori Rolls

Assists
12 – Faith Slimmer
10 – Tori Rolls
5 – Carly Reighard
5 – Hope Slimmer
4 – Summer Reimet
4 – Kelsey White

Kelsey Mitchell’s field hockey team (19-4-1) dominated the Cape-Atlantic League and won Ocean City’s 16th South Jersey championship in NJSIAA Group 3. The Raiders gave up a goal to Vineland in their first game and finished their 14-0 CAL season by outscoring league opponents, 92-1. It was Ocean City’s 21st CAL field hockey title in 22 years. These Raiders won South Jersey by beating defending champion Clearview, 3-1.

Reese Bloomstead, whose name belongs in the conversation about the great OCHS field hockey players, was a two-time all star who scored 44 career goals and assisted on 31 others. She will graduate, along with all stars Jaclyn Charbonneau and Maddie Kahn, the goalkeeper who kept those opposing teams off the scoreboard, plus Shannon Decosta and Sophia Gresham. But first team all stars Molly Reardon and Morgan Pizagno will be back along with Chloe Prettyman, Tara McNally and Nya Gilchrist.

OCHS Field Hockey Stat Leaders

Goals
27 – Reese Bloomstead
22 – Jaclyn Charbonneau
21 – Molly Reardon
13 – Tara McNally
12 – Sophia Gresham
9 – Nya Gilchrist

Assists
19 – Chloe Prettyman
14 – Reese Bloomstead
14 – Jaclyn Charbonneau
8 – Molly Reardon
7 – Shannon Decosta
4 – Nya Gilchrist

A look back at the cross country and girls tennis teams will be next.

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