To get an idea of how truly dominant the Ocean City field hockey team was in 2012, you need to digest a couple of numbers.
The Red Raiders won 21 of 22 starts and outscored their opponents, 114-12. They garnered a whopping 19 shut outs, including the Group III South Jersey Championship victory over Kingsway (6-0) and the State Championship contest, 2-0, over Warren Hills. Aside from a hiccup versus Eastern High School in OC’s only loss of the season, the Red Raiders gave up a pair of goals in a 4-2 win over Camden Catholic and a 3-2 triumph over Moorestown in the State Group III semi-final.
Ocean City, which won seven state titles from 1999 to 2007 under now-retired head coach Trish Lefever, defeated 20-2 Warren Hills on goals by sophomore Lauren McNally and freshman Jordan Allegretto.
The champs, who returned just three starters from 2011, needed overtime to dispose of Moorestown as junior Leah Davies scored 57 seconds into the extra session. Kelly Hanna and Paige Broadley also scored in the thrilling contest. The top teams in Garden State field hockey know each other well. OC edged Moorestown on penalty strokes in 2002 and 2005. Moorestown defeated the Red Raiders, 2-0, in 2006.
Ocean City overwhelmed Kingsway in the South Jersey title game but the two teams have a long history of post-season clashes. OC defeated Kingsway in 2005, 2008 and 2009. Kingsway came out on top in 2003 and 2004. The victory over Kingsway was Ocean City’s 11th South Jersey Group III Championship. It was the squad’s fourth sectional crown in the past five years.
The Red Raider roster included Jacquie Fenton, Paige Broadley, Kelly and Casey Hanna, Leah Davies, Katie Johnson, Lauren McNally, Jordan Allegretto, April Stein, Sam Dowling, Jessica Sykes, Kati Wriggins, Rachel Fosbenner, Brittany Sanzo, Jee-Anna Graeff, Paige Rauner and Mary Ney.
The squad included Hannah Annarelli, Madison Mack, Malia Hindle, Mikala Gillespie, BriarRose Ginn, Courtney Allen, Caroline Bowman, Lauren McNally Rachel Young, Kathryn Marshall, Abby Lyons and Andrea Sharp.
It was the first state title for third year head coach Corey Terry, who also earned the honor as a player for the Red Raiders in 1999.
Jacquie Fenton and Lauren McNally earned First Team All-South Jersey honors. Eastern, the only team to topple Ocean City, placed an incredible six players on first team. Casey Hanna and Katie Johnson represented the Red Raiders on the second team.
Reach Rossi at joerossi61@comcast.net
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