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May 19, 2004

The most popular word in OCHS sports

By TOM WILLIAMS
Sports Columnist


A lot of words have been used since September to describe sports at Ocean City High School. But one word has been used more than others.

What is the word?

“Win” is a popular one. So are “rally” and “champion”. During the fall, “handsome” becomes more popular and “overtime” was a big part of the winter scene.

But the word that was used the most this year is “sophomore”.

Now, every school has a share of second-year athletes on its varsity teams. But rarely has a school with as successful a sports program as OCHS had so many sophomores playing key roles on its teams.

The most prolific of the sophomores, so far, has been super-runner Brittany Sedberry. Sedberry is already the best distance runner in the state and one of the best in the country. There is also a pair of three-sport athletes, Mike Hinsley and Pat Tolomeo, who have already made their mark. Since Hinsley and Tolomeo only play on one team together (basketball) they have had an impact on a total of five different teams this year.

Last fall’s football team featured prominent contributions, in addition to Hinsley, from George Coccodrilli, Dave Beyel, Alex Iannone, Jordan Torroni, Larry Albury, Eddie Rossiter, Ryan Skellenger and Graham Ginn.

In addition to Tolomeo, the soccer teams included Maggie Davis, Kyle Evans and Katie Ruiz. Sedberry was joined on the cross country team by Samantha King. Jen Kirkpatrick was a key part of the tennis team.

John Bruno will tell you he has never had four key sophomores on one of his basketball teams like Tolomeo, Hinsley, Beyel and Lionel Johnson. The wrestling team featured Josh Hawn, Charles LaRosa, John Trout, Franklin Williams and Skooter Williams. Courtney Dougherty started for the girls basketball team. In the pool were sophomores like Mike Corrigan, Justin Perry and Renee Tomlin, who has also been a breakout star on this spring’s girls track team.

Other stalwarts on the girls track team include Melissa and Rachel Hunter and Erin Walsh. The golf team features Trevor Hamlin, Jason Heckler and Rob Milburn. Julie Treen, a contributor to the basketball team, has emerged as the top hitter on the softball team, which also features Kate Blose.

In addition to Tolomeo, the boys track team features John Oberg, Matt Cowhey, Jason Dugan and Kyle Drahuschak. Hinsley is joined on the baseball team by Coccodrilli and Ginn. And Colin Halliday plays on the tennis team.

There are others in the sophomore class we will hear from, to be sure. Just on the new crew programs, filled with young athletes, there will be many who will work their way into varsity competition over the next two years.

And lets not forget the freshmen who will be right behind them, adding even more depth. Athletes like Kevin McCarthy, Raphael Duarte, Casey Beyel, Lauren Smith, Jon Fennekohl, Mike Mousaw, Elizabeth Richardson, Randy Kohr, A.J. Harris, Natalie Chamberlain, Michelle McKinley, Danielle Brady, Kimmie Krzyk, Chris Howells and Marilee Sobrinski have already emerged in varsity programs.

There is some amazing talent in the Class of 2006. Assuming just the ordinary number of injuries and the proper dedication to improvement from these young athletes, the first two years of the brand new Ocean City High School could really be something exciting to watch at all of the many sports venues.

Lets hope they included enough trophy cases in that new school.



Read more of Tom Williams' columns