Senior Football Players Wonder Where The Time Has Gone

Ocean City’s senior football players only have two games left before their final high school season ends. Next week is a bye week, then the Red Raiders will play a consolation game (their opponent has not yet been determined). On Thanksgiving, Ocean City will host Pleasantville at 10 a.m. for the final game of the year.

“It went by so quickly,” said senior Ben Bethea, a team captain and offensive and defensive team leader. “It feels like the beginning was just yesterday … Coach said it would go by fast.”

Bethea has consistently been among the team’s leaders, especially on offense, where he has put together some impressive performances throughout the season. One of this season’s highlights was against Middle Township, the team’s only win, lead by Bethea with three touchdowns and .

In the game against Middle, Bethea ran for three straight first downs on the first three plays of the game, gaining the momentum that the Red Raiders would hold onto throughout the game, despite a postponement.

Senior captain Bob DeLuce expects his team to win their last two games of the season.

“We’re going to go out and give 110 percent,” he said. “And get a couple wins.”

Like Bethea, he said he feels like the season just started.

“It feels like we were just getting ready for summer practice,” said DeLuce. “I’m always going to miss playing high school football and am always going to remember it … and I want to make more memories. Even in the junior program we played with or against each other … I’m going to miss it.”

Head coach Kevin Smith praised captains Bethea, DeLuce and Tim Kernan for their leadership and for the example they have set for the younger players.

“They keep working really hard,” said Smith. “The effort has been great, and we’re really trying to stress there is a right way to build a program…guys like Bobby, Ben, and Tim have been perfect examples of that.”

After a loss to 42-6 loss against Holy Spirit on Friday night, Bethea expressed some disappointment, but also showed some of the leadership that Smith might have been referring to.

“We could have hung with these guys,” he said. “But at least we gave it our all.”