Lindsay, Evans score late in each half; semifinal Wednesday
OCEAN CITY — Ocean City High School topped cross-bay rival Mainland Regional High School 2-0 in the second round of the NJSIAA South Jersey Group III soccer playoffs.
Playoff season brought together the heated rivals as they battled for their playoff lives. The Mustangs had beaten Ocean City in their lone meeting earlier in the year but could not repeat that success Friday at the Tennessee Avenue Sports Complex.
The teams traded shots throughout the game, with neither ever able to put one away. But Ocean City scored late in each half for the victory.
Playoff games usually feature teams who are unfamiliar with each other, so the matchup between rivals who play every year added a different dynamic to the game.
“It’s a tough thing when you have Mainland as your rival,” Ocean City head coach Aaron Bogushefsky said after the game. “It doesn’t matter if either team is having a good or bad year, it is always a tough game, which I thought happened today.”
Following a comeback win versus Toms River South in the first round, the 14-6 Raiders defended their home field and moved on to the semifinals, where they will face powerhouse Shawnee Renegades at 3 p.m. Nov. 1.
Mainland won their first playoff game at home over Seneca two days after their Cape-Atlantic League tournament run ended. Their busy week ended in Ocean City, where they were only a few plays away from victory.
Mustang John Clifford Batty III was active all game long on defense as he turned away early aggression by Ocean City’s offense. The senior also had a nice shot on goal that was saved by Ocean City goalkeeper Eddie Fuller.
Neither team could gain an edge as once a shot was taken, the defending team always got the ball back and rarely gave up a second shot opportunity. Batty and the Mainland defense did a great job containing the Raider offense, but right before halftime they made a critical error.
The Mustangs were pushing the ball up field until Kai Lindsay intercepted a pass and sprinted down the field with teammate Wade Hudak. The duo moved the ball into the box, where Lindsay was fouled and the referee called for a penalty kick. He made the shot to put Ocean City up 1-0 entering halftime.
Mainland’s sideline was not happy with the call. A tight game was turned on its head thanks to the penalty kick and now the Mustangs had to respond.
Ocean City controlled the ball for most of the second half and repeatedly sent shots toward Mustang goalkeeper Tristan Miller, who held strong and repeatedly kept the ball out of his goal.
Even if they weren’t scoring, Ocean City was doing a great job of limiting Mainland’s offensive possessions. The repeated shot attempts forced Mainland to run the length of the field to try and get in scoring position, eating time and energy away from the Mustangs.
Mainland recognized how little they were getting the ball and started playing much more patiently on offense. This strategy burned more of the clock but gave Aiden Clark two great shots.
With only 10 minutes left in regulation, Clark sent the ball flying through the air from the left. He was aiming to curve the ball into the right side of the net, but it turned a fraction too late. The ball hit the right upright and denied Mainland the game-tying goal.
Clark got one more shot off but this time Fuller made a diving save to keep the ball out from the left corner of his net.
The Raiders and Anthony Evans sealed the game with two minutes left. Evans received the ball from Lindsay and got behind the Mustang defense for a late goal.
Mainland head coach Alex Weidman after the game was talking his players up as the reality that this was their final game of the season sunk in. They finished the season 12-6-1 and will look to improve next year.
Ocean City will visit the 12-2-3 Renegades in the semifinal.
“Shawnee is Shawnee. I know they are always going to be a tough out,” Bogushefsky said. “We feel like we defended our home court and now we are going to do the best we can.”
By WILLIAM TRUITT/For the Sentinel