Athletics
The Ocean City High School Red Raiders compete in the Atlantic Division of the Cape-Atlantic League, an athletic conference consisting of both parochial and public high schools located in Atlantic County, Cape May County, Cumberland County and Gloucester County, operating under the aegis of the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association. With 948 students in grades 10-12, the school is classified by the NJSIAA as South Jersey Group III, a category that includes schools with enrollment of 805 to 1,112.
The school has many athletic teams and extracurricular activities. Carey Stadium is used for Ocean City High School's football team. Soccer and lacrosse are played at the Tennessee Avenue fields. The school also has baseball, wrestling, tennis, field hockey, swimming, crew, cross country, track and many other teams.
The football team won the South Jersey state sectional championships in 1984 (Group III), 1996 (Group IV) and in both 1998 and 1999 (Group III). In 1996, the football team won the South Jersey, Group IV state title, completing a perfect season which included a 6-5 victory over arch-rival Mainland Regional High School. In 1998, after moving back down to Group III, they won the title again, beating Toms River High School South in the championship game played at Rutgers Stadium. The Red Raiders went 11-1, with their only defeat coming in the closing moments against Millville Senior High School. In 1999, the football team successfully defended their title, winning the South Jersey Group III championship by beating previously undefeated Mainland Regional in the championship game, played at Rutgers Stadium, winning by a score of 21-18.
In 2005, the field hockey team won the South Jersey Group III state sectional championship with a 1-0 double-overtime win against Kingsway Regional High School in the tournament final, after losing twice in the two previous years to Kingsway in the tournament final. The team moved on to win the 2005 Group III state championship with a pair of 2-1 wins against Moorestown High School in the semifinals and Ridge High School in the finals.
The boys' soccer team won the 2003 state championship, defeating Ramapo High School 1-0 in the tournament final. The team won the NJSIAA South, Group III 2004 soccer championship with a 3-1 win against Delsea Regional High School. The team won again in 2005, defeating Lacey Township High School 5-0. The team then moved on to the state semifinals and final, defeating Scotch Plains-Fanwood High School 2-0 in the group championship. The team was ranked number one in the state in 2005 by The Star-Ledger. In 2007, the boys soccer team won the South Jersey Group III state sectional championship with a 5-1 win over Kingsway Regional High School in the tournament final.
The boys basketball team won the New Jersey state championship in 1955 and 1964 under legendary coach Fred "Dixie" Howell. On March 21, 1964 at the Atlantic City Convention Hall, the OCHS basketball team won the Group II State Championship by defeating North Arlington High School 76-51. During their championship run they won every game by 20 points or more.
Ocean City plans to rename its gym in honor of Coach “Dixie” Howell, who died in 1988. In addition to his 17 years as Ocean City High School's athletic director, Howell also coached baseball, tennis and football. In 15 years as the OCHS basketball coach, he led the team to a 309-78 record, two state championships (1955 & 1964) and three South Jersey championships.
Read more about this topic: Ocean City High School