OCHS First Decade Teams

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Brett Johnson was top Raider boys runner in First Decade!

By TOM WILLIAMS
Gazette Staff Writer

The First Decade of the 21st Century was the best in history for Ocean City High School boys cross country teams. The Raiders had three undefeated teams and won the only four South Jersey team championships in school history.

Six times in the 10 seasons an OCHS runner was the South Jersey individual champion. But one runner stood out in an impressive group.

Brett Johnson won back-to-back South Jersey titles and was the only one of these runners to win a state championship and qualify for the Foot Locker National Championship. He was South Jersey Runner of the Year twice, was first team all-South Jersey three times and all-conference four times. Johnson is Ocean City's Boys Cross Country Runner of the Decade.

One other runner - John Fennekohl - was also named South Jersey Runner of the Year. He was a South Jersey champion and was named all-conference twice. Ryan Birchmeier was an All-South Jersey selection who was an all-conference selection twice.

John Richardson was a two-time South Jersey champion and three-time all-conference pick. Miles Schoedler, who still has another season to run for the Raiders, is the reigning South Jersey Group 3 champ and a two-time all-conference champ.

Rounding out the all-decade team are Erik Geisinger, a Cape May County champion and all-conference pick. And Mike Long, an all-conference selection.

They are a strong group of runners with impressive resumes. But the distinction as best of the best in the First Decade of this century belongs to Brett Johnson. He joins Rich Vinnacombe (90s), Bruce Welch (80s) and Mike Scythes (70s) as Ocean City High School Boys Cross Country Runners of the Decade.


OCHS Boys Cross Country in the First Decade
Year....Record....Coach
2000........11-2........Bill Moreland
2001........11-1........Bill Moreland
2002.........9-1........Bill Moreland
2003.........7-2........Bill Moreland
2004.........8-1........Bill Moreland
2005........10-0........Bill Moreland
2006.........8-1........Bill Moreland
2007.........9-0........Bill Moreland
2008.........8-1........Matt Purdue
2009.........9-0........Matt Purdue

The First Decade Raider Boys Cross Country Team
John Richardson (2002)
Erik Geisinger (2002)
Mike Long (2004)
John Fennekohl (2006)
Ryan Birchmeier (2007)
Brett Johnson (2008)
Miles Schoedler (2009)