By TIM KELLY
It’s been an exciting few days for the Ocean City High School football team, and especially its defensive coordinator, Sean Matthews.
Just eight days ago, Matthews’ wife Katie gave birth to a new son, the couple’s first, Bo Charles Matthews.
On Friday night, his defense gave the family a new baby gift, shutting down high-powered Long Branch in the South Jersey playoffs semifinal at Carey Stadium by a 45-10 count.
The Green Wave, seeded third in the tournament, was averaging 30 points a game, and had revenge on its mind for the second-seeded Red Raiders’ 21-20 playoff win two years ago. But the O.C. defense held firm, and its offense rolled, outscoring Long Branch 28-7 in the second half following a relatively tense first half.
The win, Ocean City’s 11th of the season, kept the Red Raiders undefeated and set up a finals matchup next week at Millville, the top seed, which defeated Pennsauken, also on Friday night.
“I thought we tackled well, and we did a nice job of keeping Long Branch from making big plays,” Head Coach Kevin Smith said of the defensive effort.
“On offense, we were really physical on the line and our backs ran hard. It was a great recipe. I’m really proud of our kids. They are so much fun to coach,” Smith added.
After a scoreless first quarter, Ocean City kicker Brendan McGonigle capped a 92-yard drive with a 38-yard field goal, his career 12th, and longest of his career, tying Chris Curran for the most ever at Ocean City. It also made McGonigle the highest scoring kicker in the Cape Atlantic Conference this year.
It was a roughing the kicker penalty on a McGonigle punt in the first quarter that allowed the Raiders to be in a position to score.
On fourth down on the Raider 8-yard line, a Green Wave defender nearly blocked the punt but got a piece of McGonigle in the process. McGonigle went down, drawing the roughing flag and allowing the drive to continue.
Instead of getting the ball back with great field position, Long Branch gave the Raiders a first down, eventually leading to the field goal.
Long Branch Head Coach Dan George, coaching in the final season of his 23-year career (156 wins), tried a trick play on the Green Wave’s next possession, which could have turned the game around. Facing fourth down at the Wave’s own 6-yard line following middle linebacker Zach Holt’s sack, George called for a fake punt.
The Green Wave “punter” had a wide open receiver with nothing but open field in front of him, but he could not hang onto the ball.
The incompletion gave O.C. the ball, where Jacob Wilson ran for a six-yard score on the next play and McGonigle hit the first of his five extra points. That sequence seemed to put the Red Raiders in control, even though Wesley Garcia’s 21-yard field goal for Long Branch cut the lead to 7-3.
Ocean City answered with a 75-yard, 12-play drive, capped by quarterback Riley Gunnels’ 10-yard pass to Taylor Eget.
Gunnels also had two second-half rushing TDs, and two more came from Sean Mazzitelli (24 yards) and Wilson (37).
But the real star of the show was Ocean City’s defense, which had given up only 42 points all year coming into the game. Matthews, probably the most animated coach on the Raiders’ sidelines, demurred about his role in the win.
“Our defensive effort is a staple to our success as a team in every facet of the game,” he said. “Our kids make all the calls on game night, execute them and put themselves in great positions to play great team defense.”
“They love to be coached, and that’s a reflection on the great families we have here in Ocean City,” Matthews continued.
And what about his own expanding family?
“Bo is amazing, but (Katie) is the real MVP at home,” Matthews said. “She gives me the opportunity to live my passion coaching these kids and this game. It’s hard on her right now and she handles it like the rock star she is.”
