Mother’s Day Remembrance 5K May 13 at Cape High

The Beacon Middle School girls' track team hosted a sprint-loaded Dover Central team May 9 at Cape’s Legends Stadium as the Beacon girls gave up both relays, but managed to spread out over the other 11 events to win the meet 72-37 and improve to 8-0 on the season. The Beacon boys competed well only to lose a close one 55-54.

Mike Williams led the boys' team with 15 points, winning the 100 meters, the shot put, and the discus in a new school record of 107-feet-0-inches. Ben Bamforth won the 1,600 meters, while Dylan Alves won the 110-meter hurdles. Seth DePrince and Jack Kyritsis tied for the win in the high jump.

On the girls' side, Logan Shuttleworth led, scoring 15 points with wins in the 1,600m, the 800m and the triple jump. Sixth-grader Annie Judge won in the 55m hurdles, while Jordyn Miller won the 400m and the high jump. Mozella Matthews won the shot put, while Andy Brzoska won the discus. Miquaine Hollins won the 200m. The girls competed without 400m and high jump specialist Allison Palmer, who was out ill all week.

On May 4, nine teams moved into Legends Stadium for the running of the Cape Invite, a showcase of middle school talent in a championship format and big meet atmosphere. The Beacon boys finished fifth out of nine teams, while the girls were third behind champion Chipman and Dover Central. Eighth-grader Mike Williams set another school record in the shot put, while Jack Krytsis cleared 5-feet-2-inches to own a new high jump record. Dylan Alves scored in the hurdles and triple jump, while Ben Bamforth ran his season best in the 1,600m at 5:19. Seth DePrince scored in the 1,600m, going 5:28 for a new personal best.

Sprinter Miquaine Hollins placed in the 100m and anchored the 400m relay and 800m relay teams. Allison Palmer, coming off a week of illness, put in a gutsy performance in the 400m to place fourth, while Katie Klabe set two new personal best times by racing to a 6:11 in the 1,600m and a 2:48 in the 800m. Mel McCoy ran a sub six-minute 1,600m, while Mozella Matthews placed in both the shot put and discus.

Beacon will host Mariner in the final meet for both teams at 5 p.m., Thursday, May 10 in Legends Stadium.

Henlopen Conference Champs
The high school Henlopen Conference Championships will be this weekend at Lake Forest High School with the 3,200m relay and 2-mile final on Friday night, which kills the distance runners who compete in both events. I have not found out the reasoning for this change, but I continue to look into it, and if one or two of the many coaches who are on the state track committee that voted for this change could get in touch with me at tim@seashorestrider.com I would love to know the real reason. Cape Henlopen coach George Pepper has told me he voted against the change, but was one of the few against it.

On Saturday, there will only be one distance race, the 1,600 meters. Cape Henlopen boys and girls will spread out over 18 events, and there should be some real quality performances by local athletes. Good luck to all athletes.

Charlie Brown
Longtime Seashore Strider Charlie Brown, also known in more recent years as Carla Brown, passed away suddenly this week at his home. Charlie had some hurdles in his life but seemed to get over them one at a time as he worked hard at Kmart and was a regular at the Seashore Striders events and always willing to help out where he could. Charlie made himself into a runner by training hard weekly with the Grove Club and I would regularly see him running on the shoulder of Route 1 at all hours of the day and night. For me, even though I had to move Charlie from the female awards to the male awards on more than one occasion and even had to remove him from waiting in the female restroom line at least once - he will be missed. Charlie was Charlie and Carla was Carla and you either accepted him or didn’t accept him for who he was. RIP Charlie aka Carla, and keep racing!

Upcoming races
Sunday, May 13, 9 a.m., 4th Mother's Day 5K Remembrance Run, Cape Henlopen High School, Lewes

Saturday, May 19, 9 a.m., 4th Diamondback Dash 5K, Indian River Inlet, Rehoboth Beach

Sunday, May 20, 8 a.m., 3rd DE-Feet Breast Cancer 5K Run & Walk, Junction and Breakwater Trail, Rehoboth Beach

Friday, May 25, 5:30 p.m., first Milton Mile, Milton

Sunday, May 27, 7:30 a.m., 19th Masser 5-Miler & Strider Kids' I Did It Races, Cape Henlopen High School, Lewes.