Raiders are 8-2, swim well vs. Clearview
OCEAN CITY — With an 8-2 record, the Red Raider boys swim team is standing atop the Power Point rankings as the South Jersey Group B sectionals close in.
As of the end of last week, Ocean City had 2,824 points with Mainland (6-2) second at 2,603.67 and Shawnee (5-2) a close third at 2,547.
That could put the Raiders in a rematch with rival Mainland Regional in the sectionals. The Raiders beat the Mustangs 89-81 when the teams met in mid-December. Ocean City’s only two losses were to St. Augustine Prep and Egg Harbor Township.
Last week, the Raiders beat Clearview Regional 133-37 and followed that with a 135-34 victory over Middle Township. The boys are at Atlantic City at 4 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 22.
Head coach Shane McGrath was pleased with his team after the Clearview meet.
“We just swam really good. I thought we could swim fast together but they kind of exceeded my expectations,” he said. “All around everyone had a tremendous performance today, so we’re very happy with that.”
The coach said his team has been training hard.
“The kids have been buying into what we’ve been doing this year — the standard at which they’re holding themselves to this year is a lot different from last year. That’s not based on wins and losses; it’s the character of our kids, which has been great, and we have to keep feeding off of that,” he said.
McGrath and his swimmers are aware the Mustangs will be a potential opponent in the playoffs.
“We just have to stay hungry. We know how Mainland is. They’re a championship team and they’re always ready,” he said. “They’re always fast and getting faster; we are too. We want to be in the best position that we can to swim our fastest when we see them in the playoffs.”
As the regular season winds down, he said, “Like most teams, we’re going to cut back on what we’re doing in terms of intensity in the pool. We’re going to refine a lot of things we need to work on, such as turns and starts and some of the mechanics that we’re doing and hopefully be in the best position to do as well as we can.”
OCHS 133, Clearview 37
The Red Raiders dominated Clearview 133-37 for their seventh win of the season. The next day they beat Middle Township 135-35 for their eighth win.
Against Clearview (4-4), Ocean City took first place in every event.
Tommy Armstrong, Keenan Neuman, Wilson Stauffer and Matthew Bell (1:54.88) won the opening 200-meter medley relay with teammates Jason Chojnacki, Arthur Flukey, Chris Garrabrant and Jack Scherbin second. Clearview’s Jake Rosenberger, Michael Calandra, Eddie Gabriel and Benjamin Weng were third.
Mihail Mosendz (2:09.09) won the 200 freestyle with Ryan Slaven and Mitchell Zappone third and fourth. Clearview’s Calandra was second.
Neuman (2:27.80), Flukey and Joe Mayan were first, second and third in the 200 individual medley with Clearview’s Weng second.
Bell (24.87 seconds) and Scherbin were first and second in the 50 freestyle with Anthony Buonadonna fourth. Gabriel was third for Clearview.
The Raiders swept the 100 butterfly with Garrabrandt (1:04.90), Stauffer and Chojnacki. Gabriel was fourth.
They followed that with a sweep of the 100 freestyle. Armstrong (53.54 seconds) won followed by Bell and Colin Schweim. Jack Dolan was fourth for Clearview.
Mosendz won the 400 freestyle in 4:43.63. Zappone and Slaven were third and fourth. Weng was second for Clearview.
The Raiders were first and second in the 200 freestyle relay. Neuman, Buonadonna, Schweim and Scherbin won in 1:48.39 followed by Jake Tracy, Liam Koch, Garrabrandt and Mosendz. Clearview’s James Yanek, Jack Dolan, Garrett Riefenstahl and Thomas Bitting were third.
Ocean City’s Armstrong (59.16 seconds), Stauffer and Chojnacki were first, second and third in the 100 backstroke. Rosenberger was fourth for Clearview.
Neuman (1:15.53), Flukey and Mayan were first, second and fourth in the 100 breaststroke. Calandra was third for Clearview.
The Raiders finished first and second in the final 400 freestyle relay.
Armstrong, Mosendz, Stauffer and Bell won in 3:50.26 followed by Zappone, Koch, Schweim and Scherbin. Weng, Gabriel, Rosenberger and Calandra were third for Clearview.
The Cape-Atlantic League boys championships are 4 p.m. Jan. 28 at Atlantic City High School. The sectional tournament begins Feb. 3.
– STORY and PHOTOS by DAVID NAHAN/Sentinel staff
