The Ocean City Junior Raiders were in action over the weekend against the Linwood Panthers.
The Taxi team (K-2nd grade) opened up the action. While no official score is kept at this level, Coach Frank Rubba commented that it was the team’s best performance of the year. Touchdowns were scored on long runs by Joey Berardis and Eddie Wisham and on a 20-yard touchdown pass by Berardis to Evan Taylor. Berardis also added a sack and caused a fumble. Coach Rubba also noted that the defense was dominant this week.
The Peewee team (3rd and 4th grade) accepted a forfeit this week as Linwood is not fielding a peewee team this year.
The JV (5th and 6th grade) squad put its perfect 6-0 record on the line and jumped to a first half lead of 7-0 on a touchdown run by Jacob Wilson. The extra point was added on a pass by Wilson to Will Drain. The end of the first half was marked by a terrific goal line stand which saw the defense hold firm four times from the 3 yard line.
Wilson made a terrific form fit tackle on 4th and goal to stop the Linwood quarterback on a misdirection rollout. The defense picked up in the second half where it left off by stopping Linwood in four plays. The ensuing possession saw a long touchdown run by Jake Schneider. Wilson added a late touchdown with the extra point by Kareem Lovest to ice the game. The final score was 20-0. Once again, the JV defense was dominant, leading the team to up its record to 7-0 with all of its victories coming by shutout.
Rounding up the action was the Varsity squad (7th and 8th grade). The team played one of its best games of the year, although finding itself on the losing end of a 22-0 contest. It was a hard fought, entertaining game in which the game was closer than the final outcome and the players played hard the entire game.
Many of the players on all teams wore one pink and one green shoelace in their cleats in support of breast and liver cancer.
The Junior Raiders next play home against the Ventnor Pirates on Saturday October 25, 2014 at Carey Stadium at the Ocean City High School.
If you have any pictures from the games, please forward them to info@ocjuniorraiders.com.
— By Raymond Patella for the Ocean City Junior Raiders
