VIDEO, PHOTOS: Magnificent defensive effort helps Middle upset Ocean City in Hall’s Carpet Care Game of the Week

Posted: September 25th 2025

By BRIAN CUNNIFF

CapeAtlanticLive.com

CAPE MAY COURT HOUSE – The Ocean City High School girls soccer team enjoyed about 80 percent of the possession against Middle Township during Thursday afternoon’s Cape-Atlantic American Conference game.

Middle, however, enjoyed the victory.

The Lady Panthers scored goals on two of their three corner kicks and limited a high-powered Raider offense to one first-half tally as Middle stunned Ocean City, 2-1, for its first win over its neighbor to the north in 13 seasons.

“We’ve been such a bipolar team so far,” Middle coach Mark Scarpa said. “We’ve talked about intensity and stringing together a full 80 minutes. We’ll play that way at times and then other times we’ll come out flat as can be. But this was a day we came out with energy and emotion and played with passion and we were able to shut down one of the best offenses around.”

Izzy Miller opened the scoring for Middle after Parker Milstead’s corner kick was batted around in the box before Milstead sent the ball back into the mix, where it fell to Miller, who calmly poked the ball past Ocean City goalkeeper Callie Erney with her left foot.

Ocean City (5-3 overall, 5-2 CAL American) equalized through a wonderful goal by Savannah Rhubart, who redirected a cross just inside the left post from 15 yards.

But just when the Raiders appeared poised to take control of the contest, Milstead gave Middle the lead again when she scored directly off a corner kick late in the first half. 

“I was a little worried about our emotional state there, to have Ocean City equalize at 1-1,” Scarpa said. “I was worried we’d be nervous and not step up and hang our heads. I couldn’t be more proud of the girls for not taking that approach and for continuing to play on the front foot and get the second goal.”

The second half turned into a collective defensive effort by the Lady Panthers, thwarting immense Ocean City pressure. Backs Mya Robinson, Riley Odom, Maddie Bernacki and Millstead held firm, either clearing balls from danger or distributing to midfielders when possible. When a Raider shot did get through, goalkeeper Alli Nagle was there to make the stop. Her best save came on a long shot from the left flank, Nagle knocking the ball away with her left hand while staring almost directly into the setting sun.

Middle (2-4-1 overall and CAL American) did manage to survive an anxious moment in the final five minutes when an Ocean City shot hit the outside of the left post. Otherwise, all of the Raiders’ pressure resulted in little in the way of dangerous scoring chances.

“Unbelievable, the way we defended,” Scarpa said. “We’re largely inexperienced and some of that is in the back. But a kid like Mya, she played a phenomenal game. She’s new to the game this year, but she’s an incredibly skilled basketball player and to see her skills translate as she learns this game is a joy.”

Middle’s last win over Ocean City came in a 2-0 result on Oct. 19, 2012, when some of the freshmen on this year’s Middle’s team were probably still in diapers. There was a scoreless draw between the two sides in 2020.

Earlier this season, Ocean City posted a 4-0 win over Middle.

But all that history didn’t matter on Thursday. And neither did Ocean City’s dominance of the possession.

“One of the things I love about this game is that you don’t have to have possession to win a game,” Scarpa said. “You can see that when you watch soccer on TV, you can see it when little kids play. Today we were able to take advantage of the few opportunities we had and find success.”