Freshmen and sophomores dominate Cape indoor season

One statistic I started to keep track of when I took over the Cape girls’ program in the 2015-16 season was season point totals for each athlete. The girls’ team scored 413 ½ points in eight meets this season, with the sophomores scoring 221 ¼ points for 54 percent of the team points. The freshmen scored 146 ¾ points for 36 percent of the points, while the seniors scored 40 ¾ points for 9 percent of the points. The juniors scored 4 ¾ for 1 percent of the points.

Leading the way for the Vikings was sophomore thrower Ce’yra Middleton, scoring 65 points and leading the team in four of the eight meets. Freshman middle-distance runner Meredith Lockwood scored 56 points on the season, while freshman distance runner Olivia Brozefsky scored 49 points for third on the team. Sophomore distance runner Jackie Cannon scored 34 ¾ points, while sophomore thrower Mackenzie Parker scored 32 points to wrap up the top five.

The future is bright for the Vikings as 90 percent of the points scored were by freshmen and sophomores on the team. Brozefsky was the lone conference champion, as she captured the 3,200-meter run for the Vikings.

Cape Henlopen track & field

George Pepper and Matt Lindell will head the boys’ and girls’ high school teams this spring. They open the season Thursday, March 23, at Sussex Central in Georgetown. Sussex Central has been one of the most improved teams in the past five years, and last season Jen Cawthern was able to put together some tough relays and top individuals in several events. The Vikings have five away meets and only two home meets this season. Good luck, Cape.

Middle school track & field

The Beacon and Mariner track & field programs will kick off their season Wednesday, March 1, with sixth-, seventh- and eighth-graders running, jumping and throwing their way to personal-best performances. The teams practice at their respective schools and compete at home at Cape Henlopen High School and away at schools throughout the Henlopen Conference. Mariner, coached by Kenny Riedel, will travel to Seaford and also take part in the Jim Blades Invite April 7 at Woodbridge for their away meets. Beacon will travel to Selbyville and also take part in the Jim Blades Invite, where the Beacon girls have won four championships. 

Rick Hundley of Bethany will coach the Selbyville program, which has a history of very talented athletes. Beacon will also host the third annual Cape Relays, Friday, April 28, at Cape. There should be some fun just around the corner.

Hochrein named Outstanding Swimmer

Former Seashore Striders runner Alec Hochrein, a senior at Cape Henlopen, was crowned the Outstanding Male Swimmer last weekend at the Henlopen Conference Swimming Championships. Hochrein ran for the Striders cross country team in elementary school and was a part of the seventh-place national championship team that included Jake Bamforth, Ben Bamforth, Jack Ashby and Dillon Mocci. I remember how focused Alec and that team were as they competed against some of the toughest runners in the country.  Maybe the toughest part was getting Alec to the starting line and off his Magic Kingdom rides.

At the conference, Alec won the 50 freestyle and the 100 freestyle races for the Vikings, while another Striders runner from back in the day, Sarah Rambo, dominated the 100 backstroke and 100 freestyle for the girls.

Finish chute

The Seashore Striders will do the timing for the popular Tim Kennard 10-Miler Sunday, March 5, at Salisbury University. Jumpstart your spring with a nice event in March. St. Patrick’s Day is next month, and the Striders will host the Shamrock Shuffle 15K and 5K Sunday, March 19, at the Junction and Breakwater Trail. This is a great tune-up run for the April 9 half-marathon, as you tackle 9.3 miles a month before the half. The Striders will travel to Denton, Md., for a fun St. Patrick’s Day 5K/10K combo Saturday, March 18, a day complete with music, green water stops and maybe even green pancakes. Locally here in Milton, the Races2run Lucky Leprechaun 5K will be held from the Milton Irish Eyes Sunday, March 12. The Seashore Classic Half-Marathon set for April 9 is only seven weeks away, and there is still time to train for the event from Irish Eyes in Lewes with the great host couple Char and Tom Jones. Over and out!