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Sudden impact sports, a Dirty Harry weekend

Cape hockey loses heartbreaker on red heart day
September 27, 2016

Sudden impact - Last Thursday night the Cape soccer team was locked in a double-overtime scoreless tie at undefeated Polytech that saw Vikings starter Brent Hochrein fracture his wrist midway through the first half and be replaced by freshman Alan Marin-Quiroz who was then replaced in the second half by Wesley Lewis, as both those tenders had played a half in the JV game. Bradley Seneus’ penalty kick with three minutes remaining won the JV game 1-0. Wesley Lewis made a sliding tackle save midway through the second half of the varsity game that tilted the field and had everyone but him going the opposite way. “It was quite extraordinary,” as the British say. Overtime saw Marin-Quiroz back guarding the fort. A Polytech push and flurry with three minutes left saw Troy Humphries of Cape guarding the far post make a miraculous header save to keep the game scoreless. Humphries was the hero scoring a double overtime goal two days earlier in a 1-0 win over Sussex Academy. But there was another Panthers chaotic rush and the dreaded official’s whistle signaling “hand ball” that was obvious only to the referee. Marco Maddalena converted the PK and a Big Cat dogpile ensued as the Panthers remained unbeaten at 5-0. 

Two days later, Saturday afternoon, at halftime of a scoreless field hockey game at Champions Stadium, I reached into my 4Runner and collisioned the top of my head with the door frame, busting open an exit wound as red blood turning raspberry in my silver hair streamed down my forehead into my eyeballs. I calmly asked that someone get Sheryl Burris, the trainer, before putting a Gatorade towelette on top of my head. I felt like Chuck Wepner, nicknamed “The Bayonne Bleeder,” who inspired the Rocky movies (Google him). I was incongruous and out of harmony, how does bleeding head guy show up in a parking lot in the middle of a scoreless tie. Sheryl showed up arriving by green gator, Nurse Barbara Cilento left her ticket station, and surgeons Erik Stancofski and Ron Sabbagh surrounded me. I was sanitized, purified and glassy eyed as my wound was “glued” which I thought maybe was a fraternity prank. I went back to watch the game - first hatless looking somewhere between scary and ridiculous. But enough about me.

The scoreless game entered into a  7-on-7 overtime. It was a great atmosphere, packed house, the game played at the highest level. Cape had a 63-game winning streak on the line, then suddenly the Falcons scored and everyone just left and went home. The Cape players with a dominating advantage in corners and shots felt they “left one out there.” I sat on a cinderblock, got up and got going not wanting to be more of a distraction than usual. I got a text from Granddaughter Anna at Temple: “My roommate Rachel asked me, ‘What’s wrong with Fredman?’ So what is wrong with you?” Now there’s an open question (head wound joke book).

Wentz is a baller - The kid just plays and leaves all the hyperbole to those who get paid to know better. The Eagles dominated the Steelers 34-3 Sunday at the Linc (and are glad they don’t have to go to Pittsburgh). Carson Wentz was great, in addition to being off the charts in likeability, but the commentary went over the brink into the abyss when it was said Wentz had a photographic memory. By the way, photographic memory is considered a popular culture myth and if Wentz had it, he’d be stuck in the frozen frame of time and never have made that play where he rolled out and waited for Darren Sproles to get loose for a 73-yard touchdown. Here’s a quote from NFL writer Chris Wesseling: “The play captured Wentz at his finest, showcasing his pocket presence, athleticism, vision and feathery touch.” Oh yeah, but can he play the piano? 

Snippets - Tess Bernheimer, a Drexel freshman, has started all nine games this season for the 5-4 Dragons. Tess has three goals and two assists. Drexel plays at Penn Tuesday, Sept. 27, at 4 p.m. Tess was just named to the 2016-17 U.S Women’s National Indoor Team, the only Delaware home-grown player to make the squad. Eleven players are from Pennsylvania. Maren Ford Langford of Lewes was also a member of the National Indoor Team. Middle school games commence this week, so get out there and discover some relatives. Go on now, git! 

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