MRHS boys and O.C. girls second, setting up possible sectional showdowns
LINWOOD — The Mainland Regional High School boys swim team picked up some substantial Power Points last week but couldn’t quite catch up to Ocean City’s Red Raiders, who finished atop the standings as the regular season came to a close.
Seedings that came out Tuesday put the rivals on a collision course in the South Jersey Group B sectionals.
There is a similar case on the girls side in South Jersey Group B with the Mustangs finishing the season atop the standings with 3206.33 points and Ocean City’s girls second at 3162.
That also put the girls on opposite sides of the bracket when seedings came out Tuesday. That means he two could face each other in the finals if they each make it that far.
The Mainland girls were the top seed in last year’s sectional and lost 87-73 to Shawnee in the finals.
During the regular season, Ocean City lost to Mainland 86-84 in mid-December.
While Ocean City’s girls beat Atlantic City 106-64 last week, the Mainland girls wrapped their regular season with a 97-73 win over Group A’s Egg Harbor Township.
Mainland is 10-1 and Ocean City is 8-2.
The Raiders’ other loss this season was to Our Lady of Mercy Academy (OLMA). OLMA was the only team to beat Mainland this season. That loss came in the first game and the Mustangs haven’t lost since.
Mainland boys gain ground late
With a 124-46 win over Cedar Creek and a narrow 88-82 loss to Group A’s Egg Harbor Township last week, the Mustang boys rose to 2805.33 in Power Points. The Raiders beat Atlantic City 1260-46 last week and finished about 19 points ahead with 2824.
The Raiders are 10-2 on the season and Mustangs are 8-2.
Mainland is the defending South Jersey champion, having held the No. 2 seed and beaten No. 1 Shawnee 95-75 in last year’s Group B sectional final.
Ocean City beat Mainland 89-81 when the teams met in mid-December.
WIth the seedings, the Ocean City and Mainland boys and girls all earned byes through the first two rounds of the tournament and will start in the semifinals Monday, Feb. 10.
The girls final is Feb. 12 and boys final Feb. 13, both at Gloucester County Institute of Technology.
– By DAVID NAHAN/Sentinel staff