OCEAN CITY — The coaches for the Ocean City High School girls flag football team enjoy the camaraderie of the teammates and being able to teach the players the fundamentals of the game.
The girls lost a close contest to Hammonton High School last week. The difference was the extra point. The final score was 8-6.
Both teams are 2-4 on the season. Ocean City’s two wins so far are a 26-0 victory over Winslow Township and a 12-6 decision over Mainland Regional. The girls lost twice to Egg Harbor Township and once to Pleasantville.
The Red Raiders have another half-dozen games on the schedule, most of them away, including April 28 at Winslow Township for a rematch, May 2 at Middle Township, May 6 at Pleasantville and May 8 at Hammonton.
Their two home games include 4 p.m. April 30 hosting Cape May County Technical at the field on the corner of Sixth Street and Bay Avenue, and the final game of the season, a rematch with Mainland at 4 p.m. May 13.
Flag football remains a relatively new sport at OCHS and is growing across South Jersey. This is the third year of the program and a number of seniors have been there from the start — Sherlyn Rodriguez, Danna Ramirez-Castaneyra and Kaia Ray. A fourth senior, Kelly Herrera, joined the team this year after an ACL injury prevented her from athletic pursuits last year.
Ray is the starting quarterback. She enjoys being able to dictate what happens, “choosing where the ball goes and who it goes to. It’s a lot of pressure, but it’s a good position if you’re a leader and want to run the game,” she said.
Ray started playing flag football because she had a break between sports seasons and wanted to have fun.
“I’ve been playing for the past three years. It’s really grown on me and I think I will continue playing in college,” she said.
Rodriguez is hoping to help her team get some more wins this year and wants to ensure flag football remains an opportunity at OCHS. Although she plays both offense and defense, she prefers defense. She is quick on her feet and with her hands, snatching flags off opposing players.
Ramirez-Castaneyra also plays both ways and prefers defense.
“I like pulling flags,” she said. Like Rodriguez and Ray, she helped inaugurate the team in 2023.
“I’ve enjoyed the team bonding. The girls have a lot of potential and if they keep working at it, they’ll get far,” she said.
She enjoys seeing her teammates grow in the sport.
“I’m hoping the girls can get a good feel of what it’s like and then they take it seriously for the next year. Then they’ll get a real good taste of seeing other teams and how they play. They’ll get a good a good view of all the potential they have,” Ramirez-Castaneyra said.
“Most of my friends play this sport, so I decided I wanted to play it,” Herrera said. “I personally like offense because I started at center and I shoot the ball and I really like that.”
Coach Patti Kelly has been at the helm for the past three years and recruited fellow coach Victor Mahar this year.
“I love the girls,” Kelly said. “I love the camaraderie. I love the team building and the spirit of the game.”
She enjoys another aspect as well.
“They are all from different social groups that come together and play together. They probably weren’t friends before the season started, so it’s nice to see that,” Kelly said.
Mahar said he and Kelly put all the plays together, but they don’t try to overcomplicate things.
“It’s nothing too crazy,” he said.
He works with the girls on the fundamentals — “how to line up, how to call plays, the X’s and O’s type stuff. We’re just teaching the girls how to go out and play hard and play with enthusiasm and give it their best,” he said.
Mahar enjoys every aspect of what he’s doing.
“Just being out here, being able to teach the game of football to people who aren’t around it as much. It’s a good time and I know the girls enjoy it a lot. That makes Patti and I happy.”
“They love it. I mean, what’s not to love? You get to come out here and compete every day and just show what you’ve got.”
– STORY and PHOTOS by DAVID NAHAN/Sentinel staff
