Red Raider boys defeat Holy Spirit for the title

GALLOWAY – The Red Raiders were the better team when it counted for a Cape-Atlantic League boys lacrosse title Tuesday night, May 17.

Ocean City scored a pair of goals to pull away late in a 7-5 win over Holy Spirit in the CAL tournament finals at Stockton University. 

“We knew it was going to be a dogfight,” said Tommy Schutta, who scored a pair and dished an assist. “Before we used to play Upper Township and Absecon lacrosse, and it’s basically the same rivalry. It would always be back and forth and we pretty much expected it to be just like our days in middle school.”

The Raider defense and penalty killing made a major difference as the flags flew throughout.

“Everyone had to step up,” Schutta said. “Our defense stepped up, our offense was great. Dylan Dwyer at X did fantastic. Overall it’s just a great team win. Everyone deserves credit.”

Dom Guerrera started the scoring just 1:06 in on the Raiders’ first possession. 

But the Spartans answered a couple minutes later to knot it up.

Ocean City was forced to kill off a penalty and Pat Grimley scored immediately after to retake the lead.

Holy Spirit again tied it up before the Raiders answered with goals from Jack Davis and Schutta for a 4-2 lead.

Schutta’s goal was a low rocket from distance.

The Raiders gave up a goal that had to hurt with less than four seconds to go in the first quarter to trim their lead to one.

After the early flurry of goals, the second period was less eventful as Spirit scored the lone goal to send the teams into halftime at 4-4.

Stanley Marczyk scored the equalizer with just more than three minutes to go in the half.

Part of the dip in offense for Ocean City was being on the defensive after various penalties.

Winfield Dunn made nine saves, some while under major pressure a man down.

Back-up keeper Gavin Neal even did his part, making a pair of tough saves when Dunn had to serve a penalty.

“He stepped in in a two-goal game after not even really being warmed up,” Schutta said. “He made some stops. It was great to see.”

Out of halftime the Raiders dominated possession but the Spartan defense stood tall.

The Raiders finally broke through late in the third when Grimley made a power move to the net and deked a defender to the ground before the tough-angle finish.

Early in the fourth the Raiders extended their lead, picking apart the defense for Jack Davis’ second goal.

“It’s just teamwork, that’s all it really is,” Schutta said. “Also we just try to work our butts off and play hard. There’s really nothing else to it besides execution and working hard.”

Another blast from Schutta made it 7-4 with less than seven minutes to go.

A spectacular shot from Spartan Eric Roman with two minutes left made the Raiders sweat out the final moments but was not enough as the Raiders held on for the title.

Grimley and Davis scored two goals apiece, Grimley adding three assists. 

Ocean City needed its depth with starters Kyle Hendricks and Ori Levy-Smith out.

“Everybody steps up. It’s just next man up,” Schutta said. “We have a ton of guys who can come off the sideline and play any position. Everyone is an athlete here.”

Ocean City began their postseason the next day at home with Colts Neck.

“Everyone is firing right now,” Schutta said. “We should be able to make a good run.”

The Raiders will head to Clearview for the South Jersey Group III semifinals at 4 p.m. Wednesday.

“(We’ll) just build on it and show the younger kids how we do it,” Schutta said. “All the seniors and juniors show the freshmen and sophomores the culture around here and how it should be.”

– By KYLE McCRANE/Sentinel Sports

– Photos by DAVID NAHAN/Sentinel staff