The year 2009 brings an end to the first decade of the 21st Century. And that means it is time for another series of Ocean City High School All Star teams.

Beginning this week and continuing into February, this blog and The Gazette of Ocean City and Upper Township will publish all-decade teams for the 10 seasons from 2000-09. Stats, Cape-Atlantic League all star teams, All-South Jersey selections, input from coaches and more will be used to help shape the final selections.

Boys tennis will start this string of 19 all-decade teams and will be followed by the rest of the spring sports. Only sports that are championship sports within the CAL will be included. After the 2009 fall season is completed, we will begin to review the 10 seasons in those sports. Then, in early 2010, it will be time for the winter sports.

At the end, there will be a SportsPerson of the Decade and the top coaches, male and female athletes and the best boys team and girls teams of the decade will be named.

For review, here is a list of the OCHS Best of The 1990s.
SportsPerson: Paul LeFever
Boys Coach: Gary Degenhardt
Girls Coach: Trish LeFever
Male Athlete: Scott Lipford
Female Athlete: Cory Picketts
Boys Team: 1996 Football
Girls Team: 1994 Track

And these were the top OCHS athletes, sport by sport, in the 1990s.
Baseball: Ben Charles
Boys Basketball: Mike Rowell
Girls Basketball: Joi Johnson
Boys Cross Country: Rich Vinnacombe
Girls Cross Country: Abbey Hartman
Field Hockey: Abbey Woolley
Football-Defense: Doug Colman
Football-Offense: Kevin Sinclair
Golf: Jeff Michner
Boys Soccer: Chad Severs
Girls Soccer: Lauren McHale
Softball: Beth Reeves
Swimming: Heath Muzslay
Boys Tennis: Joe Carey
Girls Tennis: Jen Frank
Boys Track: Scott Lipford
Girls Track: Kellie Adams
Wrestling: Pat Lynch

Ocean City High School has had success in sports since the 1920s. But that success has never been greater than it is now. And against the best in competition.

We will recognize those most responsible for that success during the next six months.