Ocean City Barons
Encyclopedia
Ocean City Nor'easters is an American soccer team based in Ocean City, New Jersey
, United States
. Founded in 1996, the team plays in the USL Premier Development League
(PDL), the fourth tier of the American Soccer Pyramid
, in the Mid-Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference.
The team plays its home games at Carey Stadium
which is located right next to the boardwalk in Ocean City, New Jersey
. The stadium's nickname is "The Beach House" and they have played there since 2005. The team's colors are royal blue and white.
They are among the most successful USL Premier Development League
teams since joining the league in 2003. From 2003 to 2010, they have the fourth best overall record and the fourth best home record among the 67 PDL teams. They are also one of the best PDL clubs in US Open Cup play, winning six games since 2003 with four of them being upsets of professional teams. Only one team (Michigan Bucks
) has more wins and upsets in the tournament.
The club also fields a number of boys and girls teams in the Super Y-League
as well as a men's and women's team in the USL’s Super-20 League
.
In 2008 the Barons formed a partnership with Reading
of the English Football League Championship
. In 2010, following a split between the PDL team and their youth soccer affiliate, the team re-branded to Ocean City FC, adopted Reading's colors, and a similar badge. The team also adopted a new nickname: the Nor'easters.
). In 1998, in only their second year in existence, the Barons won the Mid-Atlantic Division title. The next year, they followed that up with a second straight playoff appearance and a run to the USISL D-3 national championship game. On September 11, 1999, the Barons, playing the title game on the road, lost 2-1 to the Western Mass Pioneers
. The Barons made a third straight playoff appearance in 2000, but would struggle for the next three years, never finishing above fourth place in the division.
, and after finishing in fourth place in their first season, they made history in their second season in the PDL. They became only the fifth team ever to go through the regular season with an unbeaten record (14-0-4). They won the Northeast Division title that year, but their season came to the end in the playoffs. In the conference championship game at McPherson Stadium
in Greensboro, North Carolina
, they lost to the Carolina Dynamo
3-2 on a heartbreaking goal in the 90th minute.
In 2005, the South Jersey Barons were taken over by local businessmen Russ McPaul and John Granese. Their first act as new owners was to move the Barons to Ocean City, New Jersey
and rename the team the Ocean City Barons. The club moved into its new home at Carey Stadium on Atlantic Avenue between 5th and 6th streets.
In their first season at Carey Stadium in the PDL, the club won every game in the regular season at home (8-0-0), and finished with an impressive 12-3-1 overall record under the direction of player/coach/general manager Neil Holloway. By the end of the regular season, their home unbeaten streak had reached 22 games, with their last home loss coming back on June 7, 2003 against the Vermont Voltage
. The fans came out to see the Barons win that year, as the club finished with the sixth-best home attendance in the PDL. They hosted the Eastern Conference playoffs, but were upset in the conference semifinals by the Richmond Kickers Future
4-3 on a goal in the final seconds of regulation by Richmond's Dominic Oduro
.
2006 marked the 10th season for the Barons organization, but on the field, despite finishing with a winning record, it was considered a down year by club standards. The Barons finished with a 6-4-6 record, which was good enough for second place in the Northeast Division, and they missed the playoffs for the first time since moving to the PDL. The Barons’ home unbeaten streak finally came to an end on July 16 when they lost 2-1 to the Ottawa Fury
. The streak, which still stands as a club record, ended at 28 games. Since 2003, no PDL team has achieved a longer home unbeaten streak.
In 2007, long-time Ocean City High School
head coach Mike Pellegrino took over the coaching duties and returned the Barons to the playoffs. Their 9-3-4 record earned them a second place finish in the Mid-Atlantic Division. Their impressive home record continued with a 6-1-1 mark and the Barons were selected by the league to host the Eastern Conference playoffs for the second time in three years. Unfortunately, the club lost in the conference semifinals to the Cape Cod Crusaders
5-0 after they had two players were sent off in the opening 24 minutes of the match.
The 2008 campaign was a tale of two halves as the club suffered it’s worst season since joining the PDL. Even with it being the worst season, they still managed a winning record with 6 wins, 5 losses and 5 draws. The first half of the season, the Barons were unbeaten, with a record of 4-0-4, but the second half of the season was a different story, finishing with a 2-5-1 record. Some of the highlights included Byron Carmichael becoming the club’s all-time leader in goals and points, while finishing the season with an even 100 career points. Ocean City’s 8-1 win over the expansion New Jersey Rangers
was a historic one as Steve Miller scored the club’s third hat trick in franchise history and it was the most goals scored in a game and the largest margin of victory that the club has ever enjoyed as a member of the PDL.
The Barons bounced back from a disappointing 2008 season with one of the club’s greatest campaigns in 2009. In addition to a pair of professional team upsets in the US Open Cup and a date with DC United of Major League Soccer
, Ocean City had a great regular season and a historic postseason run. After a 9-4-3 record earned them a third place finish in the competitive Northeast Division and a spot in the postseason, they made history with two playoff wins before advancing to the PDL Quarterfinals. The Barons eliminated the Long Island Rough Riders
, the second best defensive team in the PDL, 2-0 in the opening round, giving OC their first playoff win since 2004. In the next round, the Men In Red handed the undefeated Ottawa Fury
their first loss of the season with a thrilling 2-1 overtime win on a 98th minute goal by Tyler Bellamy
. The playoff run would come to an end in Des Moines, Iowa
where they lost to the Chicago Fire Premier
3-0.
. However, in their first season with their new identity in 2010, the team struggled, finishing with a 5-6-5 record, their first losing season since they joined the PDL in 2003. By and large, the team featured a very young, inexperienced roster and failed to qualify for the post-season and the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup
. The season could have been different with a few different bounces of the ball, as four of the six losses suffered were by one goal.
4-0 in the first round, but were eliminated in the next round 1-0 by the Hampton Roads Mariners, who played in the level above the Barons, in the A-League (now called the USL First Division
).
In 2004, the year of their undefeated league season in the PDL, they began the tournament with a 5-0 thrashing of the USASA’s Allied SC, and once again met an A-League team in the second round. The Syracuse Salty Dogs
were the club, which featured Anthony Maher, the older brother of the Barons’ Matt Maher
. It was only the second time in the Professional Era (1995–present) of the Open Cup that two brothers played against each other in a Cup game. The original match seemed to be heading in the Barons’ direction in the 75th minute with the score tied at 1-1, and the Salty Dogs playing with nine men. Unfortunately for the underdogs, the referee abandoned the match at that point due to lightning and darkness. Six days later, the match was replayed, and despite Neil Holloway giving the Barons a 1-0 lead in the 22nd minute, Syracuse was too strong, knocking the Barons out of the tournament by the score of 4-2.
The following year, the Barons made a return to the Cup and made their biggest impression in club history. They began as they had the previous two tournament appearances with a 3-0 shutout win over historic USASA club, New York Greek-American Atlas. The Barons would host their second round match against the Long Island Rough Riders
of the USL Second Division
, and they used their home field advantage at Carey Stadium to thrash the Rough Riders 4-0. Ruben Mingo, Tony Donatelli
, Chris Williams and Steven Wacker all scored in one of the second round’s biggest upsets.
In the third tound, the Barons were on the short end of a historical Open Cup match in Richmond, Virginia
. Again, weather played a role, postponing the original game date, and a week later, the match was delayed by two hours. When the match was finally completed, the Barons had lost to the Richmond Kickers
of the USL First Division
, 8-4. The Kickers answered Byron Carmichael’s opening goal, with four straight tallies in the first half. Just before halftime, Carmichael cut the lead to two, and just after the break Tony Donatelli
’s goal made it 4-3 in the 54th minute. However, the home side was too strong, and with the Barons pushing for an equalizer, the Kickers opened the floodgates. 12 goals was the most total goals scored in an Open Cup match since professional teams began entering the tournament in 1995. The four goals conceded by the Richmond Kickers was the most they had allowed in their Open Cup history.
After missing out on the tournament in 2006, the Barons returned to the Cup in 2007 and began at home with a 1-0 upset over Crystal Palace Baltimore of the USL Second Division. They hosted the second round as well and lost 2-1 to the Harrisburg City Islanders
in one of the more exciting matches of the 2007 Open Cup. The Barons had three balls cleared off the line in the second half, but they weren’t able to equalize.
2009 was a landmark season for the Barons in the Open Cup as they qualified for the Open Cup for the fourth time in the last six years. But the biggest highlight was the fact that Ocean City faced off with a club from Major League Soccer
for the first time in franchise history. The Barons’ run in the tournament began with a shocking 3-0 home upset of Crystal Palace Baltimore of the USL Second Division. Byron Carmichael was named TheCup.us Player of the Round after scoring a pair of first half goals and J. T. Noone
would put the nail in the coffin with a second half goal. The upsets at The Beach House continued in Round 2 when the Barons’ Tunde Ogunbiyi shutout the Real Maryland Monarchs
of the Second Division and Noone converted a penalty kick in the second period of overtime to put the Barons into the third round by a score of 1-0. With the win, Ocean City became only the sixth amateur team in Open Cup history to register back-to-back wins over professional teams. In Round 3, the Barons would put a scare into DC United but would fall 2-0 to the defending Open Cup champs on a wet night at the Maryland SoccerPlex
in Germantown, Maryland.
As a PDL team in the Lamar Hunt US Open Cup, Ocean City have six wins with four of them being upsets of professional clubs. Only one other PDL team has more wins and upsets in the tournament.
Tyler Bellamy
Tony Donatelli
Jamie Franks
Ryan Heins
Matthew Maher
Matthew Nelson
J. T. Noone
Ryan Richter
Jeremiah White
Adam Williamson
Ocean City, New Jersey
Ocean City is a city in Cape May County, New Jersey, United States. It is the principal city of the Ocean City Metropolitan Statistical Area which encompasses all of Cape May County. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city population was 11,701...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. Founded in 1996, the team plays in the USL Premier Development League
USL Premier Development League
The USL Premier Development League is the amateur league of the United Soccer Leagues in the United States, Canada, and Bermuda, forming part of the American Soccer Pyramid...
(PDL), the fourth tier of the American Soccer Pyramid
American Soccer Pyramid
The United States soccer pyramid is a term used in soccer to describe the structure of the league system in the United States. The country's governing body for the sport, the United States Soccer Federation , oversees the system but does not operate any of its component leagues—with one temporary...
, in the Mid-Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference.
The team plays its home games at Carey Stadium
Carey Stadium
Carey Stadium is an open-air stadium located in Ocean City, New Jersey. The stadium is primarily used by the Ocean City School District for Ocean City High School's football, soccer, and lacrosse teams. Carey Stadium is also known for the home field for the USL Premier Development League club Ocean...
which is located right next to the boardwalk in Ocean City, New Jersey
Ocean City, New Jersey
Ocean City is a city in Cape May County, New Jersey, United States. It is the principal city of the Ocean City Metropolitan Statistical Area which encompasses all of Cape May County. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city population was 11,701...
. The stadium's nickname is "The Beach House" and they have played there since 2005. The team's colors are royal blue and white.
They are among the most successful USL Premier Development League
USL Premier Development League
The USL Premier Development League is the amateur league of the United Soccer Leagues in the United States, Canada, and Bermuda, forming part of the American Soccer Pyramid...
teams since joining the league in 2003. From 2003 to 2010, they have the fourth best overall record and the fourth best home record among the 67 PDL teams. They are also one of the best PDL clubs in US Open Cup play, winning six games since 2003 with four of them being upsets of professional teams. Only one team (Michigan Bucks
Michigan Bucks
Michigan Bucks is an American soccer team based in Pontiac, Michigan, United States. Founded in 1995, the team plays in the USL Premier Development League , the fourth tier of the American Soccer Pyramid, in the Great Lakes Division of the Central Conference.The team plays its home games at the...
) has more wins and upsets in the tournament.
The club also fields a number of boys and girls teams in the Super Y-League
Super Y-League
The Super Y-League is the highest form of American and Canadian youth soccer. It consists of over 100 teams, many of which are operated by clubs from MLS to PDL.- Age groups :The Super Y-League has these following age groups:*U-12*U-13*U-14*U-15...
as well as a men's and women's team in the USL’s Super-20 League
Super-20 League
The United Soccer Leagues Super-20 League is an American-Canadian soccer league for players 17 to 20 years of age. Introduced in 2006 it took the place of the U-19 age bracket in the Super Y-League....
.
In 2008 the Barons formed a partnership with Reading
Reading F.C.
Reading Football Club is an English association football club based in the town of Reading, Berkshire who currently play in the Championship...
of the English Football League Championship
Football League Championship
The Football League Championship is the highest division of The Football League and second-highest division overall in the English football league system after the Premier League...
. In 2010, following a split between the PDL team and their youth soccer affiliate, the team re-branded to Ocean City FC, adopted Reading's colors, and a similar badge. The team also adopted a new nickname: the Nor'easters.
South Jersey Barons, Division 3
The club was founded in 1996 as the South Jersey Barons and joined the United Systems of Independent Soccer Leagues (USISL) as a professional franchise, competing in the USISL D-3 Pro League (now the USL Second DivisionUSL Second Division
The United Soccer Leagues Second Division was a professional men's soccer league in the United States, part of the United Soccer Leagues league pyramid...
). In 1998, in only their second year in existence, the Barons won the Mid-Atlantic Division title. The next year, they followed that up with a second straight playoff appearance and a run to the USISL D-3 national championship game. On September 11, 1999, the Barons, playing the title game on the road, lost 2-1 to the Western Mass Pioneers
Western Mass Pioneers
Western Mass Pioneers is an American soccer team based in Ludlow, Massachusetts, United States. Founded in 1998, the team plays in the USL Premier Development League , the fourth tier of the American Soccer Pyramid, in the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference.The team plays its home games...
. The Barons made a third straight playoff appearance in 2000, but would struggle for the next three years, never finishing above fourth place in the division.
USL Premier Development League
In 2003, the Barons moved to the USL Premier Development LeagueUSL Premier Development League
The USL Premier Development League is the amateur league of the United Soccer Leagues in the United States, Canada, and Bermuda, forming part of the American Soccer Pyramid...
, and after finishing in fourth place in their first season, they made history in their second season in the PDL. They became only the fifth team ever to go through the regular season with an unbeaten record (14-0-4). They won the Northeast Division title that year, but their season came to the end in the playoffs. In the conference championship game at McPherson Stadium
McPherson Stadium
McPherson Stadium is a sport stadium in McPherson, Kansas. The facility is primarily used by the McPherson College Bulldogs football, soccer, and track and field teams...
in Greensboro, North Carolina
Greensboro, North Carolina
Greensboro is a city in the U.S. state of North Carolina. It is the third-largest city by population in North Carolina and the largest city in Guilford County and the surrounding Piedmont Triad metropolitan region. According to the 2010 U.S...
, they lost to the Carolina Dynamo
Carolina Dynamo
Carolina Dynamo is an American soccer team based in Greensboro, North Carolina, United States. Founded in 1993, the team plays in the USL Premier Development League , the fourth tier of the American Soccer Pyramid, in the South Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference.The team plays its home...
3-2 on a heartbreaking goal in the 90th minute.
In 2005, the South Jersey Barons were taken over by local businessmen Russ McPaul and John Granese. Their first act as new owners was to move the Barons to Ocean City, New Jersey
Ocean City, New Jersey
Ocean City is a city in Cape May County, New Jersey, United States. It is the principal city of the Ocean City Metropolitan Statistical Area which encompasses all of Cape May County. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city population was 11,701...
and rename the team the Ocean City Barons. The club moved into its new home at Carey Stadium on Atlantic Avenue between 5th and 6th streets.
In their first season at Carey Stadium in the PDL, the club won every game in the regular season at home (8-0-0), and finished with an impressive 12-3-1 overall record under the direction of player/coach/general manager Neil Holloway. By the end of the regular season, their home unbeaten streak had reached 22 games, with their last home loss coming back on June 7, 2003 against the Vermont Voltage
Vermont Voltage
Vermont Voltage is an American soccer team based in St. Albans, Vermont, United States. Founded in 1997, the team plays in the USL Premier Development League , the fourth tier of the American Soccer Pyramid, in the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference, having spent the 2009 season on...
. The fans came out to see the Barons win that year, as the club finished with the sixth-best home attendance in the PDL. They hosted the Eastern Conference playoffs, but were upset in the conference semifinals by the Richmond Kickers Future
Richmond Kickers Future
Richmond Kickers Future was an American soccer team based in Richmond, Virginia, United States. Founded in 2002 as part of the development system of the Richmond Kickers USL Second Division franchise, the team played in the USL Premier Development League , the fourth tier of the American Soccer...
4-3 on a goal in the final seconds of regulation by Richmond's Dominic Oduro
Dominic Oduro
Dominic Oduro is a Ghanaian footballer who currently plays for Chicago Fire in Major League Soccer.-College:Oduro started his playing career in Ghana, playing for both Prempeh College and the University of Ghana before transferring to Virginia Commonwealth University in 2004...
.
2006 marked the 10th season for the Barons organization, but on the field, despite finishing with a winning record, it was considered a down year by club standards. The Barons finished with a 6-4-6 record, which was good enough for second place in the Northeast Division, and they missed the playoffs for the first time since moving to the PDL. The Barons’ home unbeaten streak finally came to an end on July 16 when they lost 2-1 to the Ottawa Fury
Ottawa Fury
Ottawa Fury is a Canadian soccer team based in Ottawa, Ontario. Founded in 2005, the team plays in the USL Premier Development League , the fourth tier of the American Soccer Pyramid, in the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference....
. The streak, which still stands as a club record, ended at 28 games. Since 2003, no PDL team has achieved a longer home unbeaten streak.
In 2007, long-time Ocean City High School
Ocean City High School
Ocean City High School is a four-year comprehensive public high school located in Ocean City, in Cape May County, New Jersey, United States, operating as part of the Ocean City School District...
head coach Mike Pellegrino took over the coaching duties and returned the Barons to the playoffs. Their 9-3-4 record earned them a second place finish in the Mid-Atlantic Division. Their impressive home record continued with a 6-1-1 mark and the Barons were selected by the league to host the Eastern Conference playoffs for the second time in three years. Unfortunately, the club lost in the conference semifinals to the Cape Cod Crusaders
Cape Cod Crusaders
Cape Cod Crusaders were an American soccer team based in Buzzards Bay, Massachusetts, United States. Founded in 1994, the team played in the USL Premier Development League , the fourth tier of the American Soccer Pyramid, until 2008, when the franchise folded and the team left the league.The team...
5-0 after they had two players were sent off in the opening 24 minutes of the match.
The 2008 campaign was a tale of two halves as the club suffered it’s worst season since joining the PDL. Even with it being the worst season, they still managed a winning record with 6 wins, 5 losses and 5 draws. The first half of the season, the Barons were unbeaten, with a record of 4-0-4, but the second half of the season was a different story, finishing with a 2-5-1 record. Some of the highlights included Byron Carmichael becoming the club’s all-time leader in goals and points, while finishing the season with an even 100 career points. Ocean City’s 8-1 win over the expansion New Jersey Rangers
New Jersey Rangers
New Jersey Rangers is an American soccer team based in Denville, New Jersey, United States. Founded in 2007, the team plays in the USL Premier Development League , the fourth tier of the American Soccer Pyramid, in the Mid Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference.The team plays its home games in...
was a historic one as Steve Miller scored the club’s third hat trick in franchise history and it was the most goals scored in a game and the largest margin of victory that the club has ever enjoyed as a member of the PDL.
The Barons bounced back from a disappointing 2008 season with one of the club’s greatest campaigns in 2009. In addition to a pair of professional team upsets in the US Open Cup and a date with DC United of Major League Soccer
Major League Soccer
Major League Soccer is a professional soccer league based in the United States and sanctioned by the United States Soccer Federation . The league is composed of 19 teams — 16 in the U.S. and 3 in Canada...
, Ocean City had a great regular season and a historic postseason run. After a 9-4-3 record earned them a third place finish in the competitive Northeast Division and a spot in the postseason, they made history with two playoff wins before advancing to the PDL Quarterfinals. The Barons eliminated the Long Island Rough Riders
Long Island Rough Riders
Long Island Rough Riders is an American soccer team based in South Huntington, New York, United States. Founded in 1994, the team plays in the USL Premier Development League , the fourth tier of the American Soccer Pyramid, in the Mid Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference.The team plays its...
, the second best defensive team in the PDL, 2-0 in the opening round, giving OC their first playoff win since 2004. In the next round, the Men In Red handed the undefeated Ottawa Fury
Ottawa Fury
Ottawa Fury is a Canadian soccer team based in Ottawa, Ontario. Founded in 2005, the team plays in the USL Premier Development League , the fourth tier of the American Soccer Pyramid, in the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference....
their first loss of the season with a thrilling 2-1 overtime win on a 98th minute goal by Tyler Bellamy
Tyler Bellamy
Tyler Bellamy is an American soccer player currently playing for Rochester Rhinos in the USL Professional Division.-College and amateur:...
. The playoff run would come to an end in Des Moines, Iowa
Des Moines, Iowa
Des Moines is the capital and the most populous city in the US state of Iowa. It is also the county seat of Polk County. A small portion of the city extends into Warren County. It was incorporated on September 22, 1851, as Fort Des Moines which was shortened to "Des Moines" in 1857...
where they lost to the Chicago Fire Premier
Chicago Fire Premier
Chicago Fire Premier is an American soccer team based in Chicago, Illinois, United States. Founded in 2001, the team plays in the USL Premier Development League , the fourth tier of the American Soccer Pyramid, in the Great Lakes Division of the Central Conference.The team plays its home games at...
3-0.
Rebrand as the Nor'easters
The club rebranded itself after the 2009 season, becoming the Ocean City Nor’easters and adopting the color scheme (royal blue & white) of English club ReadingReading F.C.
Reading Football Club is an English association football club based in the town of Reading, Berkshire who currently play in the Championship...
. However, in their first season with their new identity in 2010, the team struggled, finishing with a 5-6-5 record, their first losing season since they joined the PDL in 2003. By and large, the team featured a very young, inexperienced roster and failed to qualify for the post-season and the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup
Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup
The Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup is a knockout tournament in American soccer. The tournament is the oldest ongoing American soccer competition and is presently open to all United States Soccer Federation affiliated teams, from amateur adult club teams to the professional clubs of Major League...
. The season could have been different with a few different bounces of the ball, as four of the six losses suffered were by one goal.
Ocean City FC in the US Open Cup
Adding to their success in the league, the Barons have also qualified for the Lamar Hunt US Open Cup on five occasions. They made their first appearance in 2002, their final year as a professional franchise. That year, they defeated Vereinigung Erzgebirge of the USASAUSASA
The United States Adult Soccer Association is a national organization and sanctioning body for amateur soccer in the United States...
4-0 in the first round, but were eliminated in the next round 1-0 by the Hampton Roads Mariners, who played in the level above the Barons, in the A-League (now called the USL First Division
USL First Division
The United Soccer Leagues First Division was a professional men's soccer league in the United States, Canada, and Puerto Rico....
).
In 2004, the year of their undefeated league season in the PDL, they began the tournament with a 5-0 thrashing of the USASA’s Allied SC, and once again met an A-League team in the second round. The Syracuse Salty Dogs
Syracuse Salty Dogs
The Syracuse Salty Dogs were a professional men's soccer team based in Syracuse, New York. The club were a member of the USL A-League, playing only two seasons from 2003-2004. The club was owned and operated by the Syracuse Pro Sports Group and played most home games at P&C Stadium...
were the club, which featured Anthony Maher, the older brother of the Barons’ Matt Maher
Matt Maher
Matthew "Matt" Guion Maher is a contemporary Christian music artist, songwriter, and worship leader originally from Newfoundland, Canada, who later relocated to Tempe, Arizona. He has written and produced five solo albums to date...
. It was only the second time in the Professional Era (1995–present) of the Open Cup that two brothers played against each other in a Cup game. The original match seemed to be heading in the Barons’ direction in the 75th minute with the score tied at 1-1, and the Salty Dogs playing with nine men. Unfortunately for the underdogs, the referee abandoned the match at that point due to lightning and darkness. Six days later, the match was replayed, and despite Neil Holloway giving the Barons a 1-0 lead in the 22nd minute, Syracuse was too strong, knocking the Barons out of the tournament by the score of 4-2.
The following year, the Barons made a return to the Cup and made their biggest impression in club history. They began as they had the previous two tournament appearances with a 3-0 shutout win over historic USASA club, New York Greek-American Atlas. The Barons would host their second round match against the Long Island Rough Riders
Long Island Rough Riders
Long Island Rough Riders is an American soccer team based in South Huntington, New York, United States. Founded in 1994, the team plays in the USL Premier Development League , the fourth tier of the American Soccer Pyramid, in the Mid Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference.The team plays its...
of the USL Second Division
USL Second Division
The United Soccer Leagues Second Division was a professional men's soccer league in the United States, part of the United Soccer Leagues league pyramid...
, and they used their home field advantage at Carey Stadium to thrash the Rough Riders 4-0. Ruben Mingo, Tony Donatelli
Tony Donatelli
Anthony "Tony" Donatelli is an American soccer player currently playing for Rochester Rhinos in the USL Professional Division.-Youth and College:...
, Chris Williams and Steven Wacker all scored in one of the second round’s biggest upsets.
In the third tound, the Barons were on the short end of a historical Open Cup match in Richmond, Virginia
Richmond, Virginia
Richmond is the capital of the Commonwealth of Virginia, in the United States. It is an independent city and not part of any county. Richmond is the center of the Richmond Metropolitan Statistical Area and the Greater Richmond area...
. Again, weather played a role, postponing the original game date, and a week later, the match was delayed by two hours. When the match was finally completed, the Barons had lost to the Richmond Kickers
Richmond Kickers
The Richmond Kickers are an American professional soccer club based in Richmond, Virginia, United States. Founded in 1993, the team plays in the American Division of the USL Professional Division, the third tier of the American Soccer Pyramid...
of the USL First Division
USL First Division
The United Soccer Leagues First Division was a professional men's soccer league in the United States, Canada, and Puerto Rico....
, 8-4. The Kickers answered Byron Carmichael’s opening goal, with four straight tallies in the first half. Just before halftime, Carmichael cut the lead to two, and just after the break Tony Donatelli
Tony Donatelli
Anthony "Tony" Donatelli is an American soccer player currently playing for Rochester Rhinos in the USL Professional Division.-Youth and College:...
’s goal made it 4-3 in the 54th minute. However, the home side was too strong, and with the Barons pushing for an equalizer, the Kickers opened the floodgates. 12 goals was the most total goals scored in an Open Cup match since professional teams began entering the tournament in 1995. The four goals conceded by the Richmond Kickers was the most they had allowed in their Open Cup history.
After missing out on the tournament in 2006, the Barons returned to the Cup in 2007 and began at home with a 1-0 upset over Crystal Palace Baltimore of the USL Second Division. They hosted the second round as well and lost 2-1 to the Harrisburg City Islanders
Harrisburg City Islanders
Harrisburg City Islanders is an American professional soccer team based in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, United States. Founded in 2004, the team plays in the National Division of the new USL Professional Division, the third tier of the American Soccer Pyramid....
in one of the more exciting matches of the 2007 Open Cup. The Barons had three balls cleared off the line in the second half, but they weren’t able to equalize.
2009 was a landmark season for the Barons in the Open Cup as they qualified for the Open Cup for the fourth time in the last six years. But the biggest highlight was the fact that Ocean City faced off with a club from Major League Soccer
Major League Soccer
Major League Soccer is a professional soccer league based in the United States and sanctioned by the United States Soccer Federation . The league is composed of 19 teams — 16 in the U.S. and 3 in Canada...
for the first time in franchise history. The Barons’ run in the tournament began with a shocking 3-0 home upset of Crystal Palace Baltimore of the USL Second Division. Byron Carmichael was named TheCup.us Player of the Round after scoring a pair of first half goals and J. T. Noone
J. T. Noone
Joseph "J. T." Noone is an American soccer player currently playing for Harrisburg City Islanders in the USL Professional Division.-College and Amateur:...
would put the nail in the coffin with a second half goal. The upsets at The Beach House continued in Round 2 when the Barons’ Tunde Ogunbiyi shutout the Real Maryland Monarchs
Real Maryland Monarchs
Real Maryland F.C., commonly known as the Real Maryland Monarchs, is an American soccer team based in Rockville, Maryland, United States...
of the Second Division and Noone converted a penalty kick in the second period of overtime to put the Barons into the third round by a score of 1-0. With the win, Ocean City became only the sixth amateur team in Open Cup history to register back-to-back wins over professional teams. In Round 3, the Barons would put a scare into DC United but would fall 2-0 to the defending Open Cup champs on a wet night at the Maryland SoccerPlex
Maryland SoccerPlex
Maryland Soccerplex is a sports complex in Germantown, Maryland, United States . There are nineteen natural grass fields, three artificial fields, and eight indoor courts...
in Germantown, Maryland.
As a PDL team in the Lamar Hunt US Open Cup, Ocean City have six wins with four of them being upsets of professional clubs. Only one other PDL team has more wins and upsets in the tournament.
Open Cup Results
| Year | League Represented | Round | Opponent | Opponent's League | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2002 | D3 Pro USL Second Division The United Soccer Leagues Second Division was a professional men's soccer league in the United States, part of the United Soccer Leagues league pyramid... |
1st Round | @ Vereinigung Erzgebirge | USASA USASA The United States Adult Soccer Association is a national organization and sanctioning body for amateur soccer in the United States... |
W, 4-0 |
| 2nd Round | vs. Hampton Roads Mariners | A-League USL First Division The United Soccer Leagues First Division was a professional men's soccer league in the United States, Canada, and Puerto Rico.... |
L, 1-0 | ||
| 2004 | PDL USL Premier Development League The USL Premier Development League is the amateur league of the United Soccer Leagues in the United States, Canada, and Bermuda, forming part of the American Soccer Pyramid... |
1st Round | vs. Allied S.C. | USASA USASA The United States Adult Soccer Association is a national organization and sanctioning body for amateur soccer in the United States... |
W, 5-0 |
| 2nd Round | vs. Syracuse Salty Dogs Syracuse Salty Dogs The Syracuse Salty Dogs were a professional men's soccer team based in Syracuse, New York. The club were a member of the USL A-League, playing only two seasons from 2003-2004. The club was owned and operated by the Syracuse Pro Sports Group and played most home games at P&C Stadium... |
A-League USL First Division The United Soccer Leagues First Division was a professional men's soccer league in the United States, Canada, and Puerto Rico.... |
L, 4-2 | ||
| 2005 | PDL USL Premier Development League The USL Premier Development League is the amateur league of the United Soccer Leagues in the United States, Canada, and Bermuda, forming part of the American Soccer Pyramid... |
1st Round | @ New York Greek-American Atlas | USASA USASA The United States Adult Soccer Association is a national organization and sanctioning body for amateur soccer in the United States... |
W, 4-0 |
| 2nd Round | vs. Long Island Rough Riders Long Island Rough Riders Long Island Rough Riders is an American soccer team based in South Huntington, New York, United States. Founded in 1994, the team plays in the USL Premier Development League , the fourth tier of the American Soccer Pyramid, in the Mid Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference.The team plays its... |
USL-2 USL Second Division The United Soccer Leagues Second Division was a professional men's soccer league in the United States, part of the United Soccer Leagues league pyramid... |
W, 4-0 | ||
| 3rd Round | @ Richmond Kickers Richmond Kickers The Richmond Kickers are an American professional soccer club based in Richmond, Virginia, United States. Founded in 1993, the team plays in the American Division of the USL Professional Division, the third tier of the American Soccer Pyramid... |
A-League USL First Division The United Soccer Leagues First Division was a professional men's soccer league in the United States, Canada, and Puerto Rico.... |
L, 8-4 | ||
| 2007 | PDL USL Premier Development League The USL Premier Development League is the amateur league of the United Soccer Leagues in the United States, Canada, and Bermuda, forming part of the American Soccer Pyramid... |
1st Round | @ Crystal Palace Baltimore | USL-2 USL Second Division The United Soccer Leagues Second Division was a professional men's soccer league in the United States, part of the United Soccer Leagues league pyramid... |
W, 1-0 |
| 2nd Round | vs. Harrisburg City Islanders Harrisburg City Islanders Harrisburg City Islanders is an American professional soccer team based in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, United States. Founded in 2004, the team plays in the National Division of the new USL Professional Division, the third tier of the American Soccer Pyramid.... |
USL-2 USL Second Division The United Soccer Leagues Second Division was a professional men's soccer league in the United States, part of the United Soccer Leagues league pyramid... |
L, 2-1 | ||
| 2009 | PDL USL Premier Development League The USL Premier Development League is the amateur league of the United Soccer Leagues in the United States, Canada, and Bermuda, forming part of the American Soccer Pyramid... |
1st Round | vs. Crystal Palace Baltimore | USL-2 USL Second Division The United Soccer Leagues Second Division was a professional men's soccer league in the United States, part of the United Soccer Leagues league pyramid... |
W, 3-0 |
| 2nd Round | vs. Real Maryland Monarchs Real Maryland Monarchs Real Maryland F.C., commonly known as the Real Maryland Monarchs, is an American soccer team based in Rockville, Maryland, United States... |
USL-2 USL Second Division The United Soccer Leagues Second Division was a professional men's soccer league in the United States, part of the United Soccer Leagues league pyramid... |
W, 1-0 (AET) | ||
| 3rd Round | @ D.C. United D.C. United D.C. United is an American professional soccer club based in Washington, D.C. which competes in Major League Soccer , the top professional soccer league in the United States and Canada. It is one of the ten charter clubs of MLS, having competed in the league since its inception, in 1996.Over the... |
MLS Major League Soccer Major League Soccer is a professional soccer league based in the United States and sanctioned by the United States Soccer Federation . The league is composed of 19 teams — 16 in the U.S. and 3 in Canada... |
L, 2-0 |
Current roster
As of July 14, 2011.Notable former players
This list of notable former players comprises players who went on to play professional soccer after playing for the team in the Premier Development League, or those who previously played professionally before joining the team.Tyler Bellamy
Tyler Bellamy
Tyler Bellamy is an American soccer player currently playing for Rochester Rhinos in the USL Professional Division.-College and amateur:...
Tony Donatelli
Tony Donatelli
Anthony "Tony" Donatelli is an American soccer player currently playing for Rochester Rhinos in the USL Professional Division.-Youth and College:...
Jamie Franks
Jamie Franks (soccer)
Jamie Franks is an American soccer player who last played for Rochester Rhinos in the USSF Division 2 Professional League. He is currently a volunteer assistant coach for Wake Forest University...
Ryan Heins
Ryan Heins
Ryan Heins is an American soccer player who currently plays for Richmond Kickers in the USL Professional Division.-College and Amateur:...
Matthew Maher
Matthew Maher
Matthew Maher was an American soccer defender.-Youth:Maher grew up in Cape May, New Jersey, playing youth soccer with the Cape Express Soccer Club. He attended Middle Township High School where he was First Team All-South Jersey and Third Team All-State his junior year having tallied thirty-two...
Matthew Nelson
Matthew Nelson (soccer)
Matthew Nelson is a goalkeeper most recently on the books of USL Second Division side Harrisburg City Islanders.-Playing career:...
J. T. Noone
J. T. Noone
Joseph "J. T." Noone is an American soccer player currently playing for Harrisburg City Islanders in the USL Professional Division.-College and Amateur:...
Ryan Richter
Ryan Richter
Ryan Richter is an American soccer player currently playing for Philadelphia Union of Major League Soccer.-Youth and College:...
Jeremiah White
Jeremiah White
Jeremiah White is an American soccer player. He is known for his speed and normally plays in midfield, though he can also be used as a striker or fullback.-Youth career:...
Adam Williamson
Adam Williamson
Adam Williamson is an American soccer player, who currently plays midfielder for the Ocean City Barons in the USL Premier Development League....
Year-by-year
| Year | Division | League | Regular Season | Playoffs | Open Cup |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1997 | 3 | USISL D-3 Pro League | 6th, Mid Atlantic | Did not qualify | Did not qualify |
| 1998 | 3 | USISL D-3 Pro League | 1st, Mid Atlantic | Division Semifinals | Did not qualify |
| 1999 | 3 | USL D-3 Pro League | 2nd, Northern | Final | Did not qualify |
| 2000 | 3 | USL D-3 Pro League | 2nd, Northern | Conference Quarterfinals | Did not qualify |
| 2001 | 3 | USL D-3 Pro League | 6th, Northern | Did not qualify | Did not qualify |
| 2002 | 3 | USL D-3 Pro League | 4th, Atlantic | Did not qualify | 2nd Round |
| 2003 | 4 | USL PDL | 4th, Northeast | Did not qualify | Did not qualify |
| 2004 | 4 | USL PDL | 1st, Northeast | Conference Finals | 2nd Round |
| 2005 | 4 | USL PDL | 2nd, Northeast | Conference Semifinals | 3rd Round |
| 2006 | 4 | USL PDL | 2nd, Northeast | Did not qualify | Did not qualify |
| 2007 | 4 | USL PDL | 2nd, Mid Atlantic | Conference Semifinals | 2nd Round |
| 2008 | 4 | USL PDL | 5th, Northeast | Did not qualify | Did not qualify |
| 2009 | 4 | USL PDL | 3rd, Northeast | PDL Quarterfinals | 3rd Round |
| 2010 | 4 | USL PDL | 6th, Mid Atlantic | Did not qualify | Did not qualify |
| 2011 | 4 | USL PDL | 7th, Mid Atlantic | Did not qualify | Did not qualify |
Honors
- 2004 USL PDL Northeast Division Champions
- 1998 USISL D-3 Pro League Mid Atlantic Division Champions 1998
Organizational Awards
- 2008 USL PDL Organization of the Year
- 2007 USL PDL Communications Award
- 2007 USL PDL Executive of the Year (Neil Holloway)
- 2006 USL Hall of Fame Inductee ("10+ club")
- 2005 USL Progress Award
Head coaches
Matt Driver (1997–2002) Record: 53-38-2 Sam Maira (2002–2003) Record: 16-16-3 Dan Christian (2004) Record: 14-0-4 Mike Pellegrino (2007–2008) Record: 15-8-9 Neil Holloway (2005–2006, 2009–present) Record: 32-17-15Stadia
- Stadium at Mercer County Community CollegeMercer County Community CollegeMercer County Community College is an accredited, co-educational, two-year, public, community college located in Mercer County, New Jersey. The school's current president is Dr. Patricia C. Donohue...
; West Windsor, New Jersey (2003) - Winslow Stadium; Winslow, New Jersey (2004)
- Carey StadiumCarey StadiumCarey Stadium is an open-air stadium located in Ocean City, New Jersey. The stadium is primarily used by the Ocean City School District for Ocean City High School's football, soccer, and lacrosse teams. Carey Stadium is also known for the home field for the USL Premier Development League club Ocean...
; Ocean City, New JerseyOcean City, New JerseyOcean City is a city in Cape May County, New Jersey, United States. It is the principal city of the Ocean City Metropolitan Statistical Area which encompasses all of Cape May County. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city population was 11,701...
(2005–present)
Average attendance
Attendance stats are calculated by averaging each team's self-reported home attendances from the historical match archive at http://www.uslsoccer.com/history/index_E.html.- 2005: 877 (5th in PDL)
- 2006: 419
- 2007: 588
- 2008: 339
- 2009: 258
- 2010: 323
External links
- Official Site
- Official PDL site
- Ocean City FC Super Y-League website
- Ocean City FC on Twitter (@oceancityfc)
- Ocean City FC on Facebook