Athletes of the Week July 21

Andrew Criswell

This 12-year-old seventh-grade honor roll student at Mariner Middle School has been making a reputation as an "Iron Man" behind the plate, as he has caught every pitch of every inning during Milton's undefeated run through the District 3 11-12 all-star tournament. He has also helped his team from the plate, batting .300 with a home run and two doubles while picking up eight RBIs. "Andrew is a great piece of the puzzle on this team," said assistant coach Paris Mitchell. An all-around athlete, he plays forward on the Mariner basketball squad as well as catcher on the Bombers travel ball team. When not competing on his teams, he enjoys surfing, and salt- and freshwater fishing.

Owen Daminger

This rising seventh-grader at Beacon Middle School has been a giant killer for the Milton Major All-Stars during the District 3 tournament, batting .500 and getting a ton of put outs from his second base position. In the four Milton wins, he has picked up seven hits, including two homers in the 18-8 win over Nanticoke, with one being a walk-off two-run homer to boost the Milton squad to a 10-run lead to end the game by mercy rule in the fifth inning. Besides playing baseball for Beacon, he is also on the basketball team and the soccer squad. He also plays baseball for the Bombers travel team. When not on the athletic fields, you can find him at the beach or freshwater fishing.

Paris Mitchell

Don't let his quiet demeanor fool you, as this rising eighth-grader at Delmarva Christian carries a big bat and can make some noise from the plate when his team needs it. He is batting .400 with two homers and a double, while picking up four RBIs in the District 3 tournament. He’s a fastball hitter, so opposing pitchers have found that Paris delivers power from the fifth spot in the lineup, and he is a solid player at the first base position. When not on the all-stars, he plays on the Bombers travel team. When he has time to relax, he skateboards on his longboard and skimboards at the beach. As for the rest of the baseball season, he says "We're just two games from Bristol."

Allison Thomas

A 2017 graduate of Ursuline Academy, Allison recently won the Rookie of the Year competition for the Dewey Beach Patrol, becoming the first female to win the title in 21 years. She won the mile swim and the sprint swim as well as placing near the top in numerous other events. A three-sport athlete for the Raiders, she competed at center-mid on the field hockey team and ran the 800-meter event on the track team. She volunteers at the Brandywine Boys & Girls Club in her spare time, teaching swimming to underprivileged children. Allison will be attending Ursinus College in the fall. "For a first-year guard, Allison has met and exceeded all expectations of her," said Dewey Beach Patrol Captain Todd Fritchman. "She has done a great job."