Ocean City Football Team In Playoff Position Ahead Of Cutoff

OCEAN CITY, NJ — With one game left before the cutoff date, the Ocean City High School football team is in position to make a playoff appearance. The Red Raiders (6-1, 90 points) are in fifth place in NJSIAA South Jersey Group 3, according to the power points standings released on Monday.

A team earns six points for a win, plus between one and five points, depending on what group the team it defeated is in, and a residual point for each win that team has. A team's first eight games count toward its final point total, but the lowest point total among these games is dropped, so seven total games count toward the final tally. The top eight teams in each group qualify for the playoffs. Matchups will be announced next week.

Ocean City is 19 points ahead of sixth place Lakewood, and 27 points ahead of ninth-place Jackson Liberty. It has a chance to build on its total against undefeated St. Joseph (Hammonton) when it hosts the 8-0 Wildcats Friday night, 6 p.m. at Carey Field. St. Joe has 150 points and is in first place in Non-Public Group 2.

A loss may hurt Ocean City, but it is unlikely to knock the Red Raiders out of the playoff picture. Here are this week's NJSIAA South Jersey Group 3 power points rankings, as posted on nj.com:

1. Timber Creek (7-0) 156;
2. Woodrow Wilson (5-2) 118;
3. Lacey (6-2) 107;
4. Delsea (5-3) 93;
5. Ocean City (6-1) 90;
6. Lakewood (3-4) 71;
7. Deptford (3-4) 70;
8. Triton (3-4) 65;
9. Jackson Liberty (2-6) 64;
10. Pemberton (3-5) 58;
11. Pinelands (2-5) 53;
12. Seneca (2-5) 53;
13. Manchester Township (2-5) 48;
14. Oakcrest (1-6) 31;
15. Cumberland (0-7) 28.

Patch file photo