First all-comers meet held at Cape

What do you get when you celebrate the world championships by bringing together athletes of all shapes, sizes and ability levels with a love of track & field? You guessed it: the first Open Tuesday Summer Track All-Comers Meet. We had 5-year-olds and 70-year-olds; we had middle schoolers and high schoolers; and we had athletes reliving their glory days and getting in the blocks for the first time in 30 years.

It was special to see the young athletes line up next to someone 10, 20 and 30 years older.

The meet started off with the 100 meters; the first winner was elementary-aged Ruby Leps in 17.6 seconds. Leps managed to hold off Maren Moore, who took second in 17.9.

Gabe Weidman won the elementary boys’ race in 17.5, while Shiloh O’Grady won the middle school girls’ race in 14.5. Beacon’s David Garbanzo won the middle school boys’ race in 13.0, while high school sprinter LT Messick ran 11.6 to win the high school boys’ race.

Cape graduate Lance Kauffman ran 4:55 to win the 1,600 meters, while Gavin Wideman was second in 5:23. Courtney Cavagnino ran 7:04 to win the female 1,600 meters.

Chase Johnson won the boys’ 400-meter dash in 1:17.0, while David Garbanzo ran a good time of 1:05.0 to win the middle school 400. Trey Leggins cruised through in 55.7 to win the high school race, while David Naples won the open in 1:20.0.

Kauffman doubled back to run 2:20.0 and win the 800 meters, while O’Grady won the middle school girls’ race in 3:14 and Leps won the elementary girls’ race in 3:40. Jen Cawthern ran 2:58 to win the female open in the 800 meters.  

The 200 meters had the largest field in the meet, as Donovan Hanwell won in 30.4, followed by Tyson Johnson in 31.3 for second. Leps held off Moore again in what may have been the race of the meet, as both girls blasted the turn and ran stride for stride down the straight with Leps hitting the line in 39.2 and Moore timed in 39.5. Gabe Wideman held off Whit Leps, running 39.6 to Leps’ 40.9. Garbanzo doubled back to win the middle school 200 meters in 28.8, while Messick had little trouble winning the race in 23.8 over Leggins, timed in 25.5.

It was a fun night on the track with an all-comers track & field meet bringing together all ages and talent levels.

39th Dam Mill 5K

In 1983, following my sophomore year at Cape, I ran the first Dam Mill race in August and finished fourth, chasing my teammate Darren Purcell. The race was held in the little town of Millsboro and hosted by the chamber in connection with local dentist and race organizer Paul Collins and Timeout Sports Race Director Bruce Springer. Over the years, the race has had some outstanding runners toe the line, such as Doug Mock, Chris Lesser, Richard Paperno, Pete Rowe, Leslie Wright, Paul Dawson, Kevin Danahy, Linda Mills, Diana Miller, Maureen Hall, Cindy Price, Randy Haas and Mark Amway, to name a few of the top contenders. The course is unique in that there are just a few turns, nice long straights, abundant shade and a downhill finish. It attracts elite runners who want to throw down a fast time.

In 1984, when the course crossed the railroad tracks, I was running in 10th place when in front of me at the 2.6-mile mark, the top six or seven runners were jogging in place waiting for a daily train to go by. When the train cleared, it became an 800-meter time trial to the finish. I went from 10th to fifth thanks to Thomas the Train.

The Dam Mill Hall of Fame has inducted some great folks, including top runners, longtime runners, sponsors, photographers, emergency personnel and more.

This year’s Dam Mill 5K, nicknamed “the best little race in Delaware,” will take off from Cupola Park at 7:30 a.m., Saturday, July 23. It is a race to check off your bucket list of races. See you in Millsboro.