Issac Wilson (3) has been a big part of the Ocean City offense.
By TIM KELLY
It’s tempting to think that the Ocean City High School football team’s biggest rival in Saturday’s game at Oakcrest is overconfidence.
The Red Raiders, who improved their overall record to 5-1 last week with a dominating 45-0 win over Triton, appear to some to be in another mismatch against the Falcons (2-5 overall, 1-2 in the West Jersey Football League’s Independence Division).
That outlook would be a mistake, according to Ocean City Head Coach Kevin Smith.
“Oakcrest is a hard place to play, and it seems like any time we play them we are in for a tough time,” Smith said following the Triton game.
The game kicks off at 1 p.m. on Saturday at Oakcrest’s Mays Landing campus.
Except for a 35-3 loss at St. Augustine on Oct. 4, Ocean City has crushed all comers, posting four shutouts and rolling to leads of more than 35 points in all five victories, activating the state’s “running clock rule.” With a five-TD advantage, officials let the clock run except after scores, and penalties, or for timeouts or injuries.
To some, Oakcrest appears to be another candidate for similar treatment by the Raiders, who currently sit in the ninth spot for the NJSIAA’s Group 4 South Jersey playoffs, according to Oceancitysports.com. The Falcons are coming off one of their worst outings of the year, a 42-6 pasting at home to Cedar Creek.
Wonderland Pier’s Ferris wheel provides a unique backdrop for the student section at Carey Stadium.
Prior to that, however, Oakcrest had a three-game stretch that could’ve easily produced three wins and not the actual 1-3 result. Only a missed extra point separated Oakcrest from Egg Harbor Township, followed by a 13-12 win over Middle Township and perhaps most telling, a hard-fought 21-14 loss at Mainland, currently tied with Ocean City atop the Independence standings.
Both teams have a lot to play for this week. According to the Oceancitysports.com projections, the Red Raiders would move into the eighth Group 4 playoff slot with a win. That’s significant because the top eight seeds are guaranteed to host their first round contest.
A win would also guarantee a non-losing season for the Red Raiders and give them momentum heading into the following week’s showdown at arch-rival Mainland, currently deadlocked with Ocean City in the Independence race at 3-0.
Oakcrest, currently tied with Absegami at 1-2 in the Division, could move to within a game of Ocean City in the Division race if the Braves can pull off the upset. The Falcons have a running and passing threat in QB Angel Casanova who combined those talents for 117 yards in the win over Middle Township, and a good receiver in Tayvion Gray.
Those who pay attention to such things point out the Red Raiders will be playing their first day game of the season and their first Saturday game, suggesting the team’s normal work schedule changed this week and could disrupt their normal rhythm.
Ocean City was idle for a bye week following St. Augustine, a change in the usual routine which proved to be beneficial. The added time to prepare was evident in the Triton game.
“It was a great Homecoming,” Smith said in an e-mail. “Congrats to the Wilson brothers, Issac and Jacob, who became the first brothers to score in the same game for OCHS since A.J. and Chris Harris did it back in 2006.”
The Wilsons each rushed for a pair of scores, accounting for four of the six Ocean City touchdowns. Brendan McGonigle booted a 27-yard field goal along with going 6-for-6 on extra points.
Issac Wilson (3) has been a big part of the Ocean City offense.
