Ocean City football has playoff mindset; Holy Spirit up next
OCEAN CITY – With only two games left in the regular season, the Ocean City Red Raiders have a playoff mindset.
After a disappointing loss the previous week to the Mainland Mustangs, the Raiders bounced back with a clean and efficient 48-0 win over Middle Township High School in the homecoming game Oct. 10. Ocean City’s offense scored seven touchdowns on the first eight drives of the game to cruise past the Panthers.
Sophomore quarterback Jackson Becker was in complete control early and had one of his best games of the season. Becker scored three first-half touchdowns, including one on the ground for the Raiders’ first points.
Through the air Becker finished the game with 108 yards and two long touchdowns to his senior wide receivers. TJ Santarpio got on the board first with a powerful catch-and-run for 46 yards. Santarpio broke multiple tackles over the middle of the field before he broke loose and walked into the end zone.
Becker’s second throwing touchdown went to his favorite target this season, Michael Ragazzi. Ragazzi’s two catches came on the same drive that resulted in points right before halftime.
With only 30 seconds left in the half, the offense stayed on the field on fourth down, looking to extend their 21-0 lead. Becker was under pressure and was forced out of the pocket before he threw on the run to Ragazzi over the middle. The receiver was left wide open after Becker’s scrambling and ran into the end zone for a dominant 28-0 lead by Ocean City at the break.
Ragazzi leads the team with four touchdown catches this season and extended his streak of games with a score to three.
“We really put the work in this week because that loss to Mainland really got to us, so we locked in during the week,” Ragazzi said. “The final two weeks are like the playoffs for us. We need these wins.”
Winning games gets a lot easier when every part of the team makes big plays. Cole Garreffi got in on the action and took the second-half kickoff 79 yards for Ocean City’s first kickoff return touchdown of the season.
On defense, the Raiders minimized the big plays that haunted them last week and came away with interceptions by Cole Dessicino and Mike Marczyk. Both players are tied for the team lead in interceptions with three each this season.
After the game, Ocean City head coach Sean Matthews spoke about how the team came away with the clean win.
“Our whole focus was doubling down on our fundamentals and just embrace the details. Really hammered that home this week and it showed up today,” he said.
Star running back Triston Schmidt had 114 yards and a touchdown on the ground but has greatly improved in his secondary position for the Raiders over the course of the season. Schmidt took over the kicking duties at the start of the season and made three of his four extra points in the game. He also ran in a two-point conversion after his own touchdown run for an eight-point play.
In the final moments of the game, Raiders Anthony DiLorenzo and Samir Kelly scored their first touchdowns of the season.
With two weeks left in the regular season the Raiders’ potential postseason berth will hang in the balance. The Raiders improved to 4-3 on the season but need to keep winning to safely secure a spot in the playoffs.
“Potential is just that for us right now,” Matthews said. “We must take it one game at a time and be ready for a really good Holy Spirit team that is going to be ready for us on Friday. They are always tough at home and it’s a little bit of a back yard rivalry. Our two teams know each other well, so it is going to be a fun game.”
Ocean City’s push towards the playoffs continues with the trip to Holy Spirit Oct. 17. Holy Spirit has a record of 3-3 and narrowly beat the Raiders last season 15-13. Kickoff is set for 6 p.m.
Mustangs romp
over EHT 55-6
Mainland Regional High School’s Mustang football team rolled right over Egg Harbor Township Friday evening, 55-6. The EHT Eagles, now 1-6 on the season, were no match for the 4-3 Mustangs.
Jake Blum caught two touchdown passes and teammate Lucas DiBiaso had a pair of touchdown runs. Andrew Gillman and Jaiyd McClellan also caught TD passes from quarterback John Franchini, who ended up with more than 200 passing yards in the game.
Other Mustangs who ran for touchdowns included Liam Kennedy, Nick Goukler and Finn Hitchner.
The Mustangs will face a test as they travel to Winslow for a 6 p.m. game Friday. Winslow is 5-2 on the season with a bevy of lopsided wins and losses only to IMG Academy and Bergen Catholic.
– STORY by WILLIAM TRUITT/For the Sentinel
– PHOTOS by DAVID NAHAN/Sentinel staff
