Red Raiders defeat Caper Tigers 12-2 with powerful offense, stifling defense
OCEAN CITY — Junior Charlie Schutta scored just 7 seconds into the game and the Red Raiders never looked back as they defeated the Caper Tigers 12-2 and repeated as Cape-Atlantic League champions May 19 at Carey Stadium.
Pat Grimley, who topped 50 goals in each of his first two seasons, led Ocean City with four and an assist, giving the junior 50 and 37 on the season.
Senior Jack Davis added a hat trick and Schutta a second tally to go along with one each from Chayston Labarr and James McAfee.
Freshman John Williams, who replaced Red Raiders faceoff ace Dylan Dwyer due to injury in the first quarter, got his first varsity goal.
“I’m very proud of how John Williams stepped up to fill that role. It could have gone either way when it was 5-1 or 6-1, but Williams won that faceoff clean and went down and scored,” head coach Joe LaTorre said.
Entering the game, Dwyer had a .64 percentage win rate on 306 faceoffs.
LaTorre said the boys executed the game plan perfectly.
“All year we have been waiting for a complete game. Today was the first game that we had where the offense, defense, goaltending, special teams were firing on all cylinders,” LaTorre said. “Today was a team win and I’m proud how they showed up.”
Ocean City has won at least the past six meetings with Lower Cape May Regional dating to 2018 by a combined score of 92-14.
The Raiders controlled possession throughout the game, passing around the perimeter and looking for the open shot, but also scored on quick breaks and from distance.
Grimley put his first past goalie Quintin Hagan from outside the box following a turnover, while Davis netted his first on a rush from behind the net for a 3-0 lead after the first quarter.
Grimley made it 4-0 with a bouncer at 6:54 and 5-0 a short time later.
Caper Tiger sophomore Jake Robson got Lower on the board with 58 seconds left in the half, cutting the deficit to four goals.
The Caper Tigers again began to assert themselves with more possessions but the Red Raiders clamped down defensively and went on a huge run to put the game away.
A turnover led to a quick strike from Davis after a couple of long passes downfield at 5:30, followed by McAfee’s goal at 5:18. Schutta’s second at 4:46 and Labarr’s tally at 4:04. Suddenly it was 9-1 and hopes of a comeback were fading.
Davis netted his hat trick to make it 10-1 in the beginning of the final stanza, followed by Williams’ goal to make it 11-1 and start the running clock.
Robson got one back for the Caper Tigers but Grimley quickly made it 12-2 to complete the scoring.
“We definitely did our job controlling possession. The defense did a great job preventing their offense. They moved the ball really well and we did a great job of pressing out and exploiting their weaknesses,” Grimley said.
LaTorre showed a lot of respect for Lower.
“Don’t let that score fool you,” he said. “That team we played was a high-quality lacrosse team.”
He said he coached Cole Blackley and his two assistants years ago and has watched as they have crafted a quality program.
“Lower Cape May is going to be a contender moving forward if they keep doing what they’re doing,” he said. “My hat’s off to that program. They played a tough game but the ball went in a little bit more for us today.”
Grimley agreed.
“You’ve got to give them respect, they’re moved the ball well, they were a good team but our defense was like a well-oiled machine,” he said.
The Red Raiders now are 11-6 heading into the NJSIAA South Jersey Group III playoffs.
They had an up-and-down season but were undefeated in the CAL, losing only to out-of-conference Manasquan, Don Bosco Prep, Shawnee, Rumson-Fair Haven, St. Augustine Prep and Haddonfield. They beat Cedar Creek 18-3 in semifinal round of the tournament.
“We know we have a very tough route right now,” LaTorre said. “It’s going to be a battle but I think we have the group that can take us there. It’s just going to be who is executing on all cylinders and who is putting it in the net and who’s not. I’m excited to see where our team goes from here.”
“South Jerseys is what we’ve been looking forward to all year, so from now on it’s win or go home. We’re coming out firing,” Grimley said.
Blackley said the game was a good learning experience for his team and a good tuneup for the playoffs.
“We came here ready to play but we really didn’t show up like we wanted to. Our defense played really well but our offense couldn’t keep possession,” Blackley said.
He attributed that to nervousness and inexperience.
“I’ve got a really young team — a lot of sophomores that really try to step and play big roles. There’s a lot of young guys who really struggle in games like this. I think in the next couple of years we’ll be here, we’ll be back.”
Lower lost for only the second time this season and with a record of 15-2 heads into the South Jersey Group I playoffs as an eighth seed.
“I’m really excited for that,” Blackley said of the playoffs, adding he is hoping for a home game. “Hopefully we can come out on top and win our first ever state playoff game.”
Raiders No. 2 seed
Ocean City earned the No. 2 seed in the South Jersey Group III sectional and will host No. 15 Toms River South at 4 p.m. today.
Mainland, the No. 5 seed, will host No. 12 Cherry Hill West. The quarterfinals are May 31, semfinals June 3 and finals June 6.
By CRAIG D. SCHENCK/Sentinel staff
