Big games continue for OCHS sports teams

By TOM WILLIAMS

Ocean City High School’s sports teams have had some big results over the past five days – county championships in cross country, a pair of wins by the girls soccer team in the South Jersey Coaches Invitational and a field hockey win over the No. 12 ranked team in the state.

But there are even more important competitions to come.

Tomorrow (Wednesday) the impressive march by the girls soccer team (18-1) will continue in Cherry Hill when Kelly Halliday’s team takes on Rancocas Valley (15-1-2) in the semifinals of the South Jersey Coaches Invitational.

This will be an opportunity for the Raiders since RV is the only team to beat them, winning a 2-1 decision at Carey Stadium on Sept. 16. The other interesting story surrounding this re-match is that Rancocas Valley’s only loss was to Egg Harbor Township, 2-0, back in early September. Ocean City has defeated EHT easily twice. OCHS is ranked No. 16 in the state, RV is No. 15. Eastern and Shawnee are playing in the other semifinal.

One Ocean City win over EHT was 4-1 in the opening round of the Coaches Tournament when sophomore Summer Reimet scored her fourth three-goal hat track of the season. Hannah Keane added the other goal and both Delaney Lappin and Faith Slimmer had two assists.

Ocean City followed that with a 2-1 win over Williamstown in the tournament quarterfinals with Faith Slimmer and Paige Panico getting the goals and Reimet and Hope Slimmer the assists. The versatile Abbey Fenton was as solid as always in goal for both games, making a combined six saves.

Reimet and Faith Slimmer have both scored more goals this season than any player in OCHS girls soccer history and Slimmer has a new record for assists in a season. Fenton has 13 shutouts, tying a record she already shares with Brittany Cates.

Though the NJSIAA Group 3 seedings will not be finalized until noon tomorrow, Ocean City will be the No. 1 seed in the South and should open tournament play against Timber Creek at home on Monday.

Kelsey Burke’s field hockey team (14-5) is the No. 2 seed in NJSIAA South Jersey Group 3, got a first round bye and will open play on Saturday morning against Absegami, a 1-0 winner today over Winslow Township in the first round. In their only meeting this season, Ocean City defeated Absegami, 12-1, with Molly Reardon scoring four times and both Tara McNally and Nya Gilchrist scoring three times. The winner of the OCHS-Absegami game will play the winner of Saturday’s game between Cherry Hill West and Mainland in Linwood.

The Raiders were ranked No. 18 in the state but that was before they defeated No. 12 Bishop Eustace on Monday on McNally’s overtime goal. Chloe Prettyman scored other OCHS goal and each assisted on the other’s score. Nora Bridgeford made three saves.

Before that Ocean City spanked Mainland, 8-0, with Gilchrist getting her second hat trick and Prettyman scoring twice. Reardon had a goal and three assists and Bridget O’Kane and Olivia Vanesko each added a goal. Bridgeford stopped eight Mustangs shots for the shutout win.

The boys soccer team (6-6), seeded No. 9 in South Jersey, will open Group 3 Tournament play on Tuesday at Lacey Township. Aaron Bogushefsky’s Raiders defeated Cedar Creek, 2-1, today when Ori Levy-Smith and Fisher Hudak scored first half goals (the sixth of the year for both) and Kyle Plenn made six saves to preserve the win.

In addition, the boys and girls cross country teams, both undefeated, will run in the Cape-Atlantic League Meet on Thursday in Millville. The girls tennis team (11-3) will continue in the often-postponed CAL Tournament tomorrow. And the football team (5-1) will go to Oakcrest on Saturday looking for a win to set up its divisional showdown with undefeated Mainland and to move closer to a home game in the NJSIAA Group 4 playoffs.

Get all the information in the Raider Sports Diary.

Its another big fall season for the sports team in Ocean City.