BERLIN- Providing further evidence youth lacrosse is on the rise in the Ocean City area and across Worcester County, the Ocean City Riptide boys’ under-11 team recently completed a perfect 7-0 season at a winter indoor league at the Crown Sports Center in Salisbury.
The Riptide boys’ lacrosse team ran the table against teams made up of some of the best youth lacrosse players from across the Eastern Shore. The Riptide team is made up primarily of fifth-graders from the Ocean City/Berlin area who have been playing together for about three years.
The Riptide team, led by Coach J.D. Moore along with assistants Scott Lathroum and Bruce Richardson, took its lumps early on in its first few seasons together against some of the best teams on the shore, but put everything together this season to finish a perfect 7-0 and claim its league title. The Riptide under-11 team won the Crown winter league championship last year and followed that up with a perfect season and another title this year.
“The first year we formed the team was a rough one,” said Moore this week. “Getting to know each other’s quirks and tendencies took awhile, but the young men never quit giving me 110-percent.”
The OC Riptide team didn’t win a single game in that first season three years ago, but later gelled and came together to put up back-to-back titles and a perfect season. Moore said the team’s perseverance and positive attitude translated to success on the field.
“Many kids would normally get down on themselves and get frustrated with the game, but not these boys,” he said. “They always held their heads high and never gave up.”
Moore said the players bought into his philosophy of sportsmanship, teamwork and positive attitude from the beginning. He praised his young players for their outstanding accomplishment.
“From our goalie to the attackmen, I have the most unselfish players a coach could ask for,” he said. “The experience of working with these fine young athletes has been priceless and I couldn’t be more proud of their success.”
Pictured, front row, left to right: Evan Heim, Christian Bruder, Craig Snyder, Shane Moore and Corey Gwin. Pictured middle row: Matt Krall, Connor May, Kyle Chandler, Will Hastings, Matt Lecompte, Wyatt Richins, Parker Marshall and Jake Lathroum. Pictured back bow: Asst. Coach Scott Lathroum, Head Coach J.D. Moore and Asst. Coach Bruce Richardson. Not pictured is T.J. Scarfone.