OCHS First Decade Teams
Chris Curran, Rob Zauck top OC football players in First Decade!
By TOM WILLIAMS
Gazette Staff Writer
Over the past 10 football seasons there were many very good football players who
played for Ocean City High School. It was a decade that brought a new school and
new lights on Carey Stadium. And it will become unique, since the Cape-Atlantic
League will change its alignment to three divisions starting this fall.
The best offensive player of the first decade was Chris Curran, who set records
both as a passer and a placekicker. He threw for more yards in a season, TD passes
in a game and field goals in a career than any other player. He threw his final 127
passes without an interception. Curran was also a two-time selection to the
All-South Jersey first team as a punter.
The best defensive player is also still walking the halls of OCHS. Rob Zauck was an
all star on the defensive line as a junior then moved to linebacker as a senior. He
earned all-conference first team honors both years and his defensive stats are the
best of the decade.
Joining Zauck at linebacker are Dale Holzer, an all-conference and All-South Jersey
pick and a trio other all-conference choices - Derrick North, Chris Jones and Steele
Nugent.
The defensive linemen are Sean Raftery, an all-conference player who was second team
All-South Jersey and three other all-conference players - Joe O'Neill, Alex Iannone
and Jason Gihorski.
In the secondary are Mike Poteat, a two-time all-conference pick, plus Jim Crowley and
Ryan Impagliazzo, both all-conference picks.
Curran is joined at the quarterback position by Rick Henshaw, an all-conference pick who
threw for over 1,300 yards. The running backs are A.J. Harris, Steve Cook and Jim Thomas.
Harris and Cook both ran for more than 2,000 yards and Thomas, who transferred after
his junior year, fell 90 yards short of 2,000. Harris, an all-conference pick, also set
the school record for receiving yards by a running back.
The wide receivers are Ryan Taylor, Chris Harris and Andy Fiorentino, each an all-conference
selection. And the tight end is Mike Hinsley, an all-conference pick who is second among
all tight ends in receiving yards.
The offensive linemen are A.J. Jackson, an all-conference and All-South Jersey pick,
plus a half-dozen other athletes who were all-conference - Ryan Driscoll, Brian Mulford,
Chugger LaCasse, Ryan Skellenger, Brandt Heininger and Chris O'Neill.
Dan Kennard, who scored 96 kicking points in his career, is the placekicker, though he
finished just ahead of Curran. Dan Bonato and Greg Hoyle, each with a kickoff and punt return
for a TD, are the kick returners. And Curran is the punter.
You can be sure that, if it were possible, coaches Mark Impagliazzo and Gary Degenhardt
would love to be able to send that lineup out onto the Carey Stadium field. Chris Curran,
who is headed for Ursinus, was the Offensive Player of the Decade, joining Kevin Sinclair (90s),
Jonathan Dice (80s), Mike Linahan (70s) and Bob Glaspey (60s). And Rob Zauck, who will
play at New Hampshire, joins Doug Colman (90s), Frank Sayers (80s), Mike Baldini (70s)
and Jack Neall (60s) as OCHS Defensive Players of the Decade.
OCHS Football in the First Decade
Year....Record....Coach
2000........9-3.....Gary Degenhardt
2001........9-2.....Gary Degenhardt
2002........5-5.....Gary Degenhardt
2003........3-7.....Gary Degenhardt
2004........4-6.....Gary Degenhardt
2005........4-6.....Gary Degenhardt
2006........3-7.....Mark Impagliazzo
2007........3-7.....Mark Impagliazzo
2008........6-4.....Mark Impagliazzo
2009........5-5.....Mark Impagliazzo
The First Decade Raider Offensive Football Team
QB - Rick Henshaw (2000)
QB - Chris Curran (2009)
RB - Steve Cook (2001)
RB - Jim Thomas (2001)
RB - A.J. Harris (2006)
WR - Ryan Taylor (2000)
WR - Chris Harris (2007)
WR - Andy Fiorentino (2009)
TE - Mike Hinsley (2005)
OL - A.J. Jackson (2000)
OL - Ryan Driscoll (2001)
OL - Brian Mulford (2002)
OL - Chugger LaCasse (2003)
OL - Ryan Skellenger (2005)
OL - Brandt Heininger (2006)
OL - Chris O'Neill (2008)
The First Decade Raider Defensive Football Team
DL - Joe O'Neill (2000)
DL - Sean Raftery (2001)
DL - Alex Iannone (2005)
DL - Jason Gihorski (2006)
LB - Dale Holzer (2000)
LB - Derrick North (2002)
LB - Chris Jones (2006)
LB - Steele Nugent (2007)
LB - Rob Zauck (2009)
DB - Mike Poteat (2002)
DB - Jim Crowley (2004)
DB - Ryan Impagliazzo (2008)
The First Decade Raider Special Team Players
PK - Dan Kennard (2001)
Pu - Chris Curran (2009)
KR - Dan Bonato (2005)
KR - Greg Hoyle (2008)