Raiders beat Oakcrest 42-8 Saturday
MAYS LANDING – With their 42-8 win at Oakcrest on Saturday, the Ocean City Red Raiders are football division champions for the first time in 20 years.
“I thought our execution was really good,” head coach Kevin Smith said. “Obviously when we look at the tape there’ll be things to look at to improve. But we blocked really well. I think the guys understood they had a chance to win a championship today, so they were focused and locked in.”
The Red Raiders defense set the tone, allowing just one first down through the first half on their way to the Independence Division title.
“It’s something else,” said Red Raider senior Charley Cossaboone. “It’s awesome to be a part of. All my friends I’ve played with my whole life, we’re out here breaking some heads. It’s awesome.”
Meanwhile the offense built their lead with big plays, including a pair of long touchdown receptions from Jack Hoag.
Hoag’s first score came on the Red Raiders’ first drive.
After quarterback Riley Gunnels rolled out to buy himself time, he found Hoag short to his right.
Hoag slipped a tackle, broke left, and ran all the way across the field until he found enough daylight to get free for a 45-yard score.
Gunnels has done a good job of buying himself time to throw.
“It just comes with experience,” Smith said. “He’s getting better in the pocket. In the Vineland game he rushed a lot because it was his first game and everything happens so fast. Then it starts to slow down and he’s seeing the little seams in the pocket. He can move but keep his shoulders square and his eyes downfield. You just can’t learn that overnight, you need experience to do it. He’s getting better every week.”
The Red Raiders caught a break on the ensuing kickoff when the returner slipped on his way to what may have been a score.
He was down at the Red Raider 39 where the Falcons would turn it over on downs, with Cossaboone breaking up a fourth-down pass.
Hoag then got the Red Raiders going again with a 26-yard run on a trick play into Falcons territory.
“It was everyone knowing their job,” Cossaboone said of the big plays, “staying disciplined, doing what they need to do, and we get it done.”
Gunnels capped the drive from 1 yard out for a 14-0 lead.
The Red Raiders then came up with a bizarre turnover.
On a routine hand-off the Oakcrest running back never fully secured the ball, and as he broke upfield it bobbled around until it popped into the air.
Defensive lineman Taylor Eget was there to snatch it out of the air and give Ocean City possession.
However, the Red Raiders turned it over on an interception a few plays later.
Another stop gave Ocean City the ball near midfield.
On 4th and 12, Eget came up with a crucial sideline grab.
On 3rd and long, late in the half, Gunnels was sacked and it looked like the Red Raiders’ drive was shut down.
But on 4th and 20 from the 33, Gunnels and Hoag combined for a stunner of a score.
Gunnels launched one deep to his left into coverage at the goal line.
Hoag ran a sluggo route to the pylon, gathered, and rose up for it.
Tightly covered, Hoag jumped and got over the defender and came up with the huge grab, falling into the end zone just inbounds.
“That was a phenomenal play,” Cossaboone said. “He went up and got that ball, got his foot down in-bounds, and got us the touchdown. It was nice; that was an amazing play.”
“Hoag made plays, no doubt about that,” Smith said. “The one on fourth down was a back-breaker. Gunnels threw him a great ball too. It’s nice to have kids who can play those roles for you.”
It sent the teams into halftime at 21-0.
That’s when Oakcrest began to unravel.
Following a no-call after contact to their punter, Oakcrest took a pair of unsportsmanlike penalties.
“You don’t respond,” Cossaboone said. “You just let it happen. You don’t respond to any of that stuff, you just stay disciplined. Let them do their thing and we’ll do ours.”
Following the penalties, which were enforced on the second-half kickoff, Cossaboone returned the kick more than 50 yards all the way to the Falcon 15.
Gunnels finished the drive with his second rushing touchdown of the day.
Sam Williams then picked off a pass to give the Red Raiders prime field position at the Oakcrest 23.
Cossaboone took a swing pass and sprinted the rest of the way for a 35-0 lead and starting the running clock.
“It was a wheel,” Cossaboone said. “I went outside and saw no one was near me, so I started calling for the ball. So it came to me and I was able to tip-toe into the end zone.”
Cossaboone has seen his touches increase of late, often serving as the Red Raiders goal line back.
“It fires me up,” he said, “because I love running the ball. Running people over is fun, so I enjoy it.”
After a stop, the Red Raiders turned it over on an interception.
The Ocean City sideline was irate as it appeared the defensive back had a hold of the receiver’s jersey all the way downfield.
On the next snap the Falcons back found daylight and ran 69 yards to the Raider 1.
Nas Kelly refused to give up on the play, chasing him down from behind.
“They didn’t hit anything on us down the field,” Smith said. “Our two corners, Jon Moyer and Nasir Kelly, are playing great. We put them in a lot of man situations. Nas’ hustle to run that kid down on the long run – that’s just who he is. Then he makes a play on the next snap. It would have been easy in a 35-0 game to just let them score. But those are the plays that show you have a winning culture.”
Kelly stopped the back for a loss on the next play, though Oakcrest would eventually score.
After being forced to punt, the Red Raiders put the exclamation point on the win when Cossaboone came up with an excellent one-handed interception
“I saw him coming up the sideline, then here comes the ball clear as day,” he said. “I went up, snagged it, and came down with it – ball game.”
“He has matured so much this year,” Smith said. “He’s such a team leader. If I need one guy to address the team to get us locked in the right way, he’s the guy. He’s tough, he’s experienced, he puts his money where his mouth is, and he knows how to do it now. I can’t say enough about the year he’s having.”
The Red Raiders added one more touchdown when backup quarterback Walker Bailey ripped off a 50-yard keeper for the final score of 42-8. Kicker Brendan McGonigle hit every extra point in the game.
“We were more disciplined and better coached,” Cossaboone said, “but we just brought the boom every time down the field. We were hitting; no matter how hard they hit, we hit back harder.”
The undefeated Red Raiders (8-0) host Williamstown (4-4) at 6 p.m. Friday in what should be their toughest test yet.
“We’ll be good,” Cossaboone said. “We’ll bring it. We’ll be ready Friday night.”
“Great opponent coming in, their running back is really impressive,” Smith said. “They’re physical, and it’ll be a great tune-up for the playoffs.”
By KYLE McCRANE/Sentinel Sports