Ocean City Edges Mainland in Soccer Rivalry

By LESLEY GRAHAM Ocean City High School boys’ soccer team hosted rival Mainland on Saturday morning, defeating the visiting Mustangs, 3-2. The win brings the Red Raiders’ record to 3-0 early in the season, while Mainland drops to 2-1. Ori Levy-Smith led all scorers with a goal and assist, while teammates John Lindsay and Ben Steiger each recorded a goal for the Red Raiders. Kyle Harper also notched an assist for Ocean City. Joey Cino and Luca Bongiovanni scored for Mainland. Ocean City goalkeeper Kyle Plenn had four saves. The Red Raiders opened up the scoring early in the game with less than two minutes ticked off the clock, when Levy-Smith found the back of the net thanks to some fancy footwork. Unfortunately for the Red Raiders, they found themselves knotted at 1-1 when the Mustangs answered right back within a minute. Ocean City's Ori Levy-Smith (12), the game's leading scorer, crosses the ball to a teammate. The next 20 minutes was a back-and-forth effort between the two teams – both battling to gain an advantage on the scoreboard. Ultimately, the Red Raiders would be the next to score, as Steiger tipped in a pass from Levy-Smith to give Ocean City a 2-1 advantage at halftime. As the second half got underway, it was much of the same as the first half – both teams vying for control.  The Red Raiders dominated possession, keeping the ball in their offensive end for the majority of the second half. With under 10 minutes to play, Lindsay would net what was ultimately the game winner, putting Ocean City ahead 3-1. Mainland would continue to fight for a chance to get back in the game, scoring off a free kick when Ocean City was given a card. Red Raider John Lindsay dribbles through the Mainland defenders With three minutes left to play, the Mustangs were battling back from a one-goal deficit, but Ocean City was not about to let the lead slip away. The defense stepped up and the team was able to eke out a victory. Ocean City Head Coach Aaron Bogushefsky said the Red Raiders did enough to get the job done. “I am happy with the result, but there is plenty of room for improvement,” Bogushefsky said after the game. As the season progresses, Bogushefsky said the ultimate goal is to win the last game of the season so this year, with its shortened preseason and change of schedule, the Red Raiders are working through all of those potential issues within a tighter timetable. “We have the ability. We just need to be more disciplined to be consistently great. Consistency is the key to being successful,” he said. Ocean City's defense readies itself for Mainland's free kick.