Tall versus Short Lacrosse and micro wrestling at Milton Theatre

Ten Year Tradition - The Zen Master P.J. Kesmodel started the Cape girls’ lacrosse tradition of a Tall versus Short intersquad game 10 games into the season. The Cape program has been a blend of fun with serious business lacrosse competition. “I’m afraid they may kill each other,” said coach Lindsey Eichner, as the teams warmed up before the April 26 game on the Legends Stadium turf. The V2 goalie combination of Vienna Iacona and Vivian Lee stayed with the short team - all players have a no-trade clause. Destiny Kusen, the tall team goalie, was unable to attend practice, so goalie coach Bruce Leibu was in the cage staring down the crazed craftiness of the quicker short team. The score is kept in the minds of the players, but the short team won, and then it was back to serious business until Crazy Hat Day.

Mercer Bears - The Mercer University women’s lacrosse team (7-10) from Macon, Ga., defeated Delaware State (0-14) 23-2 April 26 at Wesley College. I was there for a half, and Eric Gooch also showed up to take photos of Mercer goalie Izzy Cryne and attacker Cailey Thornburg, both freshman by way of the Cape Henlopen program. Mercer, which plays in the Southern Conference, is in just its second season of competition. Cape junior Chloe Schaffer - out with injury this season - is a verbal commit to Mercer and was at the game. Del State had only 12 players in uniform - women’s lax plays with 12 -  while Mercer had 14 different players score, including Thornburg with a goal and two assists. Cryne has started in goal all season. The Southern Conference Tournament is May 3-5 in Macon and will be televised by one of the ESPN stations. By the way, Delaware State players were pretty good; they just need to double down the roster number and add some diversity if the Hornets hope to compete at the Division I level in women’s lacrosse. Mercer enrolls more than 8,600 students and the tuition is $36K per year.

Baseball and Baptists - Cape baseball lost to Riverdale Baptist April 28 in Upper Marlboro, Md., 7-4. The Riverdale Crusaders are considered a top 10 team on the national landscape. Cape was leading the game 3-2 entering the bottom of the sixth inning before Riverdale put up five runs. The final was 7-4. Cape’s Luke Johnson was 4-for-4 with a double, while Jake Gelof hit a see-you-later tater. David Erickson had a three-hitter after five innings, but the sixth unraveled after two hits and an error opened the door for a big inning. Cape was cautious approaching the out-of-state and out-of-conference game because on Tuesday, May 1, the Vikings will play at Caesar Rodney. The Riders are undefeated in conference play with wins over Sussex Tech and Sussex Central, and if Cape doesn’t get them, it’s unlikely the Riders will get gotten.

LeBron makes no sense - A 33-year-old, 6-foot-8, 250-pound basketball player on the far side of an 82-game schedule scored 45 for the Cavs in a Game 7 win against the Pacers. Afterward he told reporters: “Man, I don’t know about Toronto. I’m going home. I’m tired.” The fact that James shows zero physical effects playing the toughest up-and-down game in sports is remarkable, if not mysterious. I respect him as a person and a competitor, but as a player I don’t like him because he’s just too good, and the refs don’t know what to do, so James draws a lot of fouls, because how else can he be stopped?        

Snippets - Cape is getting ready to interview for the vacant position of head coach for girls’ basketball. Mariner boys’ lacrosse pulled off an upset win April 25 on the road beating HB duPont 9-8. Mariner is 5-0. Beacon lacrosse beat St. Edmond’s Academy 9-3 to go 5-1 on the season. Mariner and Beacon face off in the last game of the season May 16 at Legends Stadium. When I heard Saturday morning that there was midget wrestling (micro wrestling for the politically sensitive) at the Milton Theatre the night before and why wasn’t I there with my camera, I was dumbfoundedly incredulous. “Say what?” Tickets were like $25 and alcohol was served; otherwise, you’d have a theater filled with sober locals going “Well, that was interesting and actually quite humorous.” Personally, I think it’s insulting to little people and kind of low-down entertainment, and I realize performers make good money, so I’m hands off judgement of others. It just wouldn’t be for me. Go on now, git!