OCEAN CITY – In a rematch of last season’s Cape-Atlantic League girls lacrosse tournament final, Ocean City’s Red Raiders rolled past Holy Spirt High School 17-8 on April 17.
The Raiders scored seven goals in the second quarter alone and built upon their impressive lead throughout the rest of the game. Raider Delainey Sutley led all scorers with five goals. It was her fourth straight game with at least four goals.
“We had a game plan and we don’t sleep on anyone,” Ocean City head coach Lesley Graham said. “No matter if it’s a CAL or a ranked opponent, we just try to focus on ourselves and the product we put on the field and we did that today.”
Senior Gracie Pierce got the Raiders started early with three goals, which all came in the first half. Her second goal might have been her best of the day as she ran the length of the field off a Holy Spirit turnover and scored while dodging defenders.
“I was coming in firing,” Pierce said. “I needed a good game and thanks to the help of my teammates I was able to get the ball in the back of the net. I always think having a good team win is always nice.”
Kelsea Cooke added another three goals off some great passes by Sutley in front of the net.
Graham credited the seven-goal quarter in part to the new rule changes for high school lacrosse this season that shifted games into four quarters rather than two halves.
“It does make room for more adjustments and allows us to get momentum and keep it rolling, which we were able to do,” Graham said.
The Raiders handed Holy Spirit its first loss of the year after a clean 3-0 sweep of the Spartans last season. Both teams met last year in the Cape-Atlantic League finals, where Ocean City handled the strong Spartan squad.
“In the last couple of years Holy Spirit has really come on as a team you have to watch out for,” Graham said. “A lot of credit to them and their coaching staff for what they have been able to build over there.”
The Raiders added another win two days later on April 19, when they traveled to Our Lady of Mercy Academy. Ocean City kept its perfect CAL record alive with a 17-7 rout.
Ten different Raiders scored a goal in the contest, led by Katie Pierce and Breanna Fabi with three apiece.
Ocean City improved to 6-2 on the season and have begun a long road trip that will keep them away from home until May 1.
The Raiders’ next game will be at Cherokee High School on April 25. In their lone matchup last year, Ocean City was narrowly edged out 10-8.
After the Cherokee game, the team will pack their bags and cross Delaware Bay to play Cape Henlopen High School in Delaware on April 29.
Last season, Cape Henlopen boarded the ferry to Ocean City and defeated the Raiders in a close 10-9 battle at the shore. Now the Raiders get a chance to cross the state line and upset the home team.
A key to the Raiders’ early success this year has been their efficiency on offense.
Against Holy Spirit, the Raiders scored within the first minute of each quarter. Ryan Cooke scored the opening goal of the game 58 seconds into the action. Kelsea Cooke and Gracie Pierce added the other two goals for Ocean City and held a small 3-1 lead after the first quarter.
Each possession by the Raiders in the second quarter felt like it would inevitably lead to a score thanks to their lack of turnovers.
Sutley juked past a defender and scored in 29 seconds off the draw. Holy Spirt sophomore Lauren Cella brought the Spartans within 1 goal after she scored twice in a row.
Ocean City answered immediately and ended the quarter on a 6-1 scoring run after Brynn Culmone and Marley Ostrander added their first goals of the game. Sutley scored three more goals in the second half as the game drew to a close.
– By WILLIAM TRUITT/For the Sentinel
