By JACOB WEEKS/Special to the Sentinel
UPPER TOWNSHIP – The importance of family. A blood brotherhood which has come to define the culture of a program. That’s Ocean City High School football, according to Jake Inserra, 18, who has played in integral role on the team for three years. Last fall he was able to engrave his name on the school’s history book alongside his entrusted and beloved teammates.
Inserra gives a lot of credit to the values of the team. He knows how vital the heritage of the team was to their success in the fall season’s last dance.
“I have been playing with or against the same guys for the past 10 years and coming together for a final year we already held a ton of chemistry,” said.
An Upper Township native, Inserra found himself battling alongside friends – and former opponents turned allies – this past campaign. As he claimed a commanding role on the squad, Inserra fought week in and week out. After putting in the summer hours, Inserra and company were determined to leave a mark.
Their hard work paid off and this Red Raider team was cemented as a team for the history books. In a brutal demolition, Inserra helped lead his brothers into a record victory over their fiercest rivals, Mainland Regional, racking up 63 unanswered points.
“Football shaped me into who I am today,” he said. As his season came to an end, Inserra found himself looking towards college football. He hopes to continue both his athletic and academic careers in college, although he is still undecided on where to take his skills.
To break the cycle of stress, Inserra enjoys fishing. From ponds to rivers and even to the ocean near his home field, Inserra can usually be found happily enjoying his down time catching some fish.
