By DAVE O’SULLIVAN Publisher OCEAN CITY — Aaron Bogushefsky said in the preseason that he made a concerted effort to beef up the Ocean City boys soccer team’s non-conference schedule this season. He felt as though his Red Raiders weren’t tested enough the past two seasons to advance past the Group 3 semifinals after winning consecutive South Jersey titles. Well, the Red Raiders are getting tested early and often this season. Coach Bogushefsky just hopes the strategy pays off in late November. On Thursday afternoon at the Tennessee Avenue Fields, Ocean City took an early 1-0 lead on a skilled and aggressive Burlington Township team. The Falcons rallied to tie the score at 1-1 with less than 10 minutes remaining, and each team was unable to convert on chances in the two overtime periods. The Red Raiders would have loved to have gotten out of there with a win to get above the .500 mark, but had to settle for the 1-1 tie. “We really needed a win, especially on our home field. We needed the win for power points, too, but they were a very good team. The fact that we tied with them proves that we’re not just a .500 team and we are better than our record shows,” said senior captain Tommy Cusack. “I think we are learning every game. I think it’s good for us, even though we want to get some momentum going, we are learning and we know how to face a tough team. We’re learning from adversity, and from there we will build and we’ll be ready for the playoffs.” 
Ocean City’s Mike Kimball looks to advance a ball upfield as Burlington County’s Justin Delapenha defends during the Red Raiders’ 1-1 tie with the Falcons on Thursday in Ocean City. (Glory Days Magazine photos/Dave O’Sullivan) The Red Raiders went 19-4 last year, but Bogushefsky said he knew, with the schedule Ocean City had this season, that it would be tough to repeat that kind of record. After Thursday’s tie, the Red Raiders were 4-4-1 after nine games. “I thought they were a good team. They were 8-2 coming in and we were 4-4, just trying to get things right. We’re coming back from a lot of injuries, getting healthier, and putting people where they belong. I think we are surprising some teams with how hard we are playing right now,” Bogushefsky said. “That’s why we made this schedule. I added all these out-of-league games this year, because I thought last year when we got to a really good team, Princeton, we ended up losing 1-0 (in the Group 3 semifinals). We just weren’t quite ready for that kind of competition. I said to the guys that I’m not really so much worried about the record this year, I’m worried about playing tough teams so that when it comes time for playoffs we are going to be battle tested and ready to go.” The Red Raiders struck first in the 23rd minute, as Josh Brown knocked a pass from Cusack into the lower left corner of the goal to give Ocean City a 1-0 lead. Burlington Township — a team that was 8-2 coming in and plays in the tough Burlington County Scholastic League — threatened throughout much of the second half but couldn’t get one past Red Raiders keeper Russell Lindsay until late. 
Ocean City’s Jimmy Flukey gets past Burlington Township’s John Albi during Thursday’s action. “We attacked them first, went right at them, and ended up scoring first,” Bogushefsky said. “But you have to give them credit for coming back. But at the same time, we need to play a full 80 minutes. I think if we had played a full 80 minutes, we would have had a 1-0 or 2-0 win.” With 9:23 remaining, forward Jacob Beebe ran onto a ball just outside the 18-yard box. Lindsay tried to come off his line to contest the play, but Beebe beat him to the ball and chipped a pretty shot over Lindsay’s head that settled into the lower left corner of the goal for the tying tally. Burlington Township misfired on a pair of corner kicks in the first overtime, including Christian Sumara’s shot from within 10 yards that sailed high. Ocean City had a golden opportunity off a Falcons defensive breakdown in the second overtime, but couldn’t convert. Goalie Logan Amey saved a shot on a corner kick, but when he rolled the ball out to his defense, Ocean City’s Andrew Tomaino intercepted it. Tomaino took a touch a ripped a shot, but the shot went high. Despite the tie, Bogushefsky said hanging with a team such as Burlington Township should pay dividends for the Red Raiders down the road. “We have a lot of experience, but we also have a lot of young guys, some freshmen and sophomores. So we are trying to take it up to that next level, that next gear,” Bogushefsky said. “They are learning what that next gear is. It’s a process, but I think we are still going to be a quality team.” Contact Dave O’Sullivan: sully@acglorydays.com; on Twitter @GDsullysays [adsense]
Boys soccer: Ocean City settles for tie 1-1 after late goal by Burlington Township
