By Lesley Graham
The Ocean City High School boys lacrosse team lost a state playoff game in heartbreaking fashion Wednesday afternoon, 7-6, to visiting Shawnee.
The loss in the semifinals of the South Jersey Group III tournament ended the Red Raiders season with a record of 19-3.
The second-seeded Red Raiders faced the third-seeded Renegades in an evenly matched game.
The goalkeepers for both teams turned in outstanding performances, making critical saves at the most crucial of times, keeping the game interesting for the full 48 minutes and making every offensive possession count.
Ocean City scored first within the opening three minutes of the first quarter, holding onto an early lead before Shawnee evened the score with seven minutes to go. The Red Raiders added another goal to take a 2-1 lead at the end of the first quarter.
During the next 12-minute quarter, Shawnee scored quickly to knot the score once more. Then the teams traded goals to go into halftime tied at 3.
As both teams took the field after halftime, Shawnee went on a 3-0 run, expanding its lead to 6-3. The Red Raiders, though, mounted a comeback, chipping away goal by goal.
Ocean City was able to find the back of the net once in the third quarter, but Shawnee answered right back, maintaining its three-goal lead heading into the final quarter of play.
The Red Raiders used stifling defense to keep Shawnee scoreless in the fourth quarter. They also caught fire in the fourth quarter to ignite the offense.
With only 13 seconds ticked off the clock, the Red Raiders scored to close their deficit to two goals. With under nine minutes to play, Ocean City scored again, but the goal was called back after the referee called the player in the crease.
The score would remain 7-5 in favor of the Renegades until under five minutes of play, when Ocean City once again was able to get the ball past Shawnee’s goalie.
In a somewhat controversial ending to the game, Ocean City had possession as the clock was winding down and a penalty flag was thrown. But the Red Raiders were unable to retain possession before the clock hit zero.
There was some confusion as to whether or not time would be added back to the clock, but ultimately it was not and the game ended with Shawnee taking the victory.
Although the season ended not the way Ocean City Head Coach Joe LaTorre had hoped, he reminded his team that life is bigger than a game, a season and a sport.
He said he was very proud of the way his team handled the loss and the fight they brought to the game.
“If they bring the attitude and effort that they brought here every day into whatever they decide to do with their future career, they are going to be very successful,” LaTorre said after the game.
