5 Super Athletes With Ties To Ocean City

Sports have a way of teaching invaluable life lessons — building character, fostering teamwork and strengthening the bonds within a community. In the Ocean City area, these values have shaped some truly remarkable athletes from different eras, whose accomplishments continue to inspire.

Patch has teamed up with T-Mobile to spotlight five standout athletes whose achievements have left a lasting mark on our community. While this list is just a snapshot, there are countless others who have helped shape the rich sports culture in our area.

1. Chad Severs (Soccer)

Chad Severs is a legendary name in New Jersey soccer history, holding the second all-time leading scorer title with 159 career goals. By the time he graduated from Ocean City High School in 2001, Severs had led the school to two state co-championships and set a South Jersey record with eight goals in a single game. At Penn State University, he became one of the most prolific forwards in program history, earning accolades like Big Ten Freshman of the Year and finishing sixth in the conference's all-time scoring records. Severs went on to play professionally for the Harrisburg City Islanders and the Pittsburgh Riverhounds.

2. Miles Schoedler (Cross Country)

Miles Schoedler, a 2011 Ocean City High School alum, left an indelible mark on South Jersey cross country, winning back-to-back Group 3 championships in 2009 and 2010 and earning South Jersey Runner of the Year honors and Top Cape-Atlantic League Athlete of Year in 2011. Known for his record-setting performances, including one of the fastest times ever at Holmdel Park, Schoedler was also named OCHS Boys Track Athlete of the Decade. He continued his running career at Georgetown University, solidifying his place among the elite athletes to come out of Ocean City.

3. Cory Picketts (Field Hockey and Softball)

Cory Picketts, a two-sport star from Ocean City High School’s Class of 2000, was named the school’s Top Female Athlete of the 20th Century. In field hockey, she dominated South Jersey, leading in scoring in 1998 and 1999 with 79 career goals and guiding her teams to three consecutive state titles. In softball, Picketts set school records with a .425 career batting average and impressive totals in hits, doubles, and triples. Returning as a field hockey coach, she led OCHS to six South Jersey titles and three state championships.

4. Maurice Catarcio (Wrestling)

Maurice Catarcio, known as "The Matador," was a professional wrestler from Ocean City who competed in the World Wide Wrestling Federation from 1957 to 1960. A Cape May High School graduate, Catarcio was also celebrated for his extraordinary feats of strength later in life, earning a Guinness World Record for pulling a passenger-filled boat and dragging a 27,000-pound bus on live television. Beyond wrestling, Catarcio was a community leader, fitness advocate, and public servant, serving as a police officer and commissioner in Cape May County. He died in 2005 at age 76 in Del Haven, New Jersey.

5. Brittany Sedberry (Cross Country and Swimming)

Brittany Sedberry, a 2006 graduate of Ocean City High School, is one of New Jersey's greatest distance runners. She won three consecutive South Jersey cross country championships and two state titles while leading her team to an undefeated 30-0 dual meet record and multiple team titles. Sedberry made history by winning back-to-back NJSIAA Meet of Champions races, a feat no other Cape-Atlantic League runner had accomplished. In track, she added state and Meet of Champions victories in the 1600 and 3200 meters. Sedberry later swam at LaSalle University, setting team-best times in multiple events, and briefly returned to OCHS to coach the girls’ swim team to a conference championship.

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