OCEAN CITY – Out for revenge after their season-opening loss to the Mustangs, the Red Raiders leaned on their star striker Chase Bowman.
Bowman scored twice against the Mustangs and led the Ocean City High School boys soccer team to a 3-1 victory over Mainland Regional High School on Oct 1. The senior scored the go-ahead goal right before halftime and added another score for insurance later in the game.
Bowman has been on a tear so far this season with 11 goals in the team’s first 12 games. The Raiders have ridden their strong offense to an 8-3 record so far and extended their current win streak to four games.
The Mustangs were also riding high heading into the game with a win streak of four games during which they outscored their opponents 15-3. Mainland won the first matchup against Ocean City via a frantic first 15 minutes of play and the rematch started off the same.
Back within their own end of the field, the Mustangs tried to clear the ball, but an errant pass was intercepted by Raider Joey Goodman. Ocean City’s leading assist man quickly made the Mustangs pay with a quick pass to freshman Javier Mitre-Lopez, who scored right in front of the net. The freshman’s second career goal put Ocean City up 1-0 in the first 10 minutes.
Mitre-Lopez was coming off a productive week in which his first career score came as the lone goal in a 1-0 Ocean City win over Middle Township High School Sept. 27.
After Mitre-Lopez’s goal, the Mustangs got through on offense in a hurry and set up shop in front of the Raider net. Quick passes up the field by multiple Mustangs eventually found Bryan Perez open on the right side. His shot hit the back of the net to tie the game at a goal apiece in just five minutes.
The two teams have been fired up to start each game against each other as they have combined to score 5 goals in the first 15 minutes of each game. In the first game Mainland held onto the 2-1 lead for 65 more minutes but the Raiders did not let that happen a second time.
Again, on defense the Mustangs made a costly error and fouled Bowman as he was dribbling toward the net. He was awarded the penalty kick which he made with a hard-hit shot to the right side. He is a perfect 2-2 on penalty kicks versus the Mustangs this season after his first goal of the year was on a penalty against them.
With the clock running down to only 17 minutes left Mainland mustered all the offense it could and made a push to tie the game.
The Mustangs took four consecutive possessions into Raider territory and took multiple good-looking shots. The Mustang sideline after each shot yelled “again” like they were controlling a battering ram against a brick wall. Every shot got closer to scoring but eventually the wall that was the Raider defense held strong.
Goodman and Bowman broke free with five minutes left in the game, which helped Bowman score the insurance goal to increase Ocean City’s lead to 3-1 and close out the game.
Next up for the Raiders is a trip to Vineland High School on Oct. 9 in pursuit of a spot in the Cape-Atlantic League tournament later this month. The game is set to begin at 4 p.m.
After the game against Ocean City, Mainland traveled to another Cape-Atlantic League power in St. Augustine Prep on Oct. 3. Cole Stefano scored with 10 minutes left in regulation to send the game to overtime but the Mustangs fell to the Hermits in double overtime 2-1.
The Mustangs’ schedule does not get any easier as they will travel to Egg Harbor Township High School to take on the 8-1-1 Eagles on Oct. 9. Game time from Egg Harbor Township is set for 4 p.m.
– STORY by WILLIAM TRUITT/For the Sentinel
– PHOTOS by DAVID NAHAN/Sentinel staff
