By TIM KELLY
When New Jersey schools were forced to close as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, Ocean City High School football coach Kevin Smith knew the program would face some new challenges.
However, schools closing for the remainder of the year and a shelter-in-place order affected all teams in the state.
Smith said he felt the worst about lost memories for the senior members of his team.
Things normally taken for granted were wiped out. Things such as spring sports, the organized weight training program, prom and after-prom and the ritual of collecting classmates’ autographs on the pages of the yearbook are a few examples.
“They’re a great group who really bought into the culture of the program,” Smith said of his graduating seniors. “It sounds almost cliché, but culture which is work ethic, attitude, accountability and expectation that pervades a program, is essential to success.”
Buoyed by such leadership, the Raiders rolled to a 9-3 record, the school’s best in 20 years and a berth in the South Jersey Group 4 championship game. They were occasionally overmatched in numbers, size, or talent, but never in winning culture. And that, said Smith, always gave his team a fighting chance.
“Talent is important, culture is imperative,” Smith said.
Even though a large portion of the roster is returning in 2020 and the Raiders will be looked on as a team to beat in South Jersey, Smith said this group of seniors has set the stage for the possibilities for even better things to come.
“These kids understood the importance of a (winning) culture and they established a great culture here,” Smith said. “I’ll forever be grateful to them for the impact this has had on our program.”
In the absence of the possibility to talk to the squad as a group, Smith singled out each senior member:
- Chris Armstrong: One of the Raiders’ senior co-captains, Armstrong will continue playing football at Montclair State while he pursues a degree in elementary education.
- Jack Baker: Headed to Ursinus College and majoring in biology.
- Brian Beckmann: Another senior co-captain, Beckmann will major in sports management and business at Widener University and play football for the Pioneers.
- Louis Conti: Set to attend Rowan University and major in finance.
- Drew Eget: Plans to join the Merchant Marine after attending Massachusetts Maritime Academy to study marine transportation.
- Colby Felix: Headed to Southern Mississippi University to study business and sports management
- Ted Grimley: NJIT, majoring in engineering and playing lacrosse.
- Tommy Oves: University of Delaware’s honors program, studying civil engineering.
- Henry Souto: Pre-med program at Rutgers University.
- Jaden Tocci-Rogers: Currently seeking to play college football at several institutions.
- Micah Waid: Headed to Fordham University in Manhattan to major in theatre design and production.
- Louie Williams: Will attend Rutgers University to major in finance.
- Mike Williscroft: Atlantic Cape Community College, with plans to join the U.S. Coast Guard.
- Issac Wilson: Attending Southern Mississippi University and plans to play college football as a walk-on.
- Jade Phelps, team manager for four years: Delaware Valley College to pursue secondary education and to participate in the track and wrestling programs.
