Cape football lights it up then shuts it down in 42-0 win at Smyrna
Smyrna’s football stadium leads the state in candlepower for Friday Night Lights, but it was a surging Cape Henlopen team that lit the place up Nov. 8, scoring 35 first-half points and another touchdown to start the second half en route to a 42-0 running clock shutout over the Eagles.
Cape closed the season with four wins in a row, beating Polytech, Sussex Tech, Sussex Central and Smyrna to finish 6-4. Coach Bill Collick’s four-year record since taking the job at Cape after retiring from Sussex Tech is 26-14.
“We had that stretch where we lost three straight games to Caesar Rodney, The Bullis School and Dover ,and we didn’t look like a very good football team," Collick said. “We told the players a winning season was still on the table but they would have to win out. Credit goes to all the young men who stayed together through our adversity and injuries to get this thing done."
Senior fullback Juan Saez knows all about adversity, having lost his Uncle Mikey and Aunt Priscilla to a tragic car accident in June.
Juan scored three first-half touchdowns to close out his career and also played outside linebacker. Senior fullback Andre Flowers also scored a touchdown, exploding up the middle on a trap play.
Zach Stevenson got the start at right halfback for Justin Lopez, who was sidelined with a concussion. Stevens had a nice run in the second quarter down to the 10-yard line but his head smacked the turf hard when he was tackled, and he joined the sideline crew of athletes on injured reserve.
Later in the half, freshman Rasheed Woods took his first handoff on a sweep left, cut it back inside and raced 50 yards into the end zone for a touchdown.
Sophomore Mike Williams, on his first touch to begin the second half, bolted over right tackle, cut it to the outside and sprinted 55 yards for a touchdown.
Cape did not make the six-team Division I football tournament. Dover will host Saint Mark’s at 7:30 p.m., Friday, Nov. 16; the winner will play at Middletown the following weekend.
Caesar Rodney will host William Penn at 7:30 p.m., Saturday, Nov. 16. The winner will move on to play Salesianum Saturday, Nov. 23, at Baynard Stadium.
