Noah Barbrow
A junior forward on the Delmarva Christian basketball team, this honors student is a player who can do it all on the hardwood. He scored 33 points in the last two games, averaging 14 points and six rebounds per game so far this season. "Noah has been terrific this season," said Royals coach Pat Woods. "He brings a lot of energy and tenacity to our team. He rebounds, finishes at the rim, [and he] has worked really hard at improving his shooting ability, and everyone sees him staying late after practice. As a person, I just love his honesty and integrity around who he is and who he desires to become. He doesn’t hide from his shortcomings or his desire to improve as a person. I have all the time in the world for someone like that." Noah plays soccer at Delmarva Christian and played travel basketball this summer for the Fusion squad.
Jack Hudson
This freshman 113-pounder wrestled his first high school match Dec. 17 at Sussex Tech, beating quality opponent Kaden Von Arx 6-5. Kaden was runner-up at the recent Delmar tournament. Coach Chris Mattioni: “I had the opportunity to work with him at Roanoke College at summer camp this past July and saw that he has a lot of potential. Jack came consistently to preseason workouts and did a lot to prepare for the season. Unfortunately, he broke his hand the Friday after Thanksgiving and could not compete in South Carolina, so I didn’t know what to expect out of him [against Tech]. He was just cleared on Monday, but was having difficulty gripping and wrestling Tuesday. Jack gave up the first takedown and was losing for most of the match. He has proven ready to step into the varsity lineup and compete at a high level in an intense environment.”
Samantha Petty
After helping the Sussex Academy girls’ swim team to a 92-73 win over Caesar Rodney Dec. 5, this junior was the fastest girl in the pool in the 50 freestyle Dec. 15 in a tri-meet sweep of Lake Forest and Seaford. She also chipped in on the relays, anchoring the 200 medley and freestyle teams to wins. Samantha sets the tone by her work in the pool and is part of a leadership whose style has been praised by coach Tom Martiner. As the Seahawks continue to flex their depth, she could begin to make state cuts across a few different events. The girls’ squad enters the holiday break at 3-0. When they return to action in the new year, they’ll take on Indian River Friday, Jan. 9, before hosting Sussex Tech Monday, Jan. 12. The Henlopen Conference Championships are set for Saturday, Feb. 7, at Sussex Academy’s pool.
Christian Wright
A senior leader on one of the deepest swim teams the storied Sussex Academy program has had, Christian is leading the way both in and out of the pool. After committing to swimming at Division I Saint Peter's in November, Christian opened the season by winning the 200 and 50 freestyle individually at Caesar Rodney. He also helped both 200 relay teams to a top finish as the final leg. The future Peacock followed that by breaking his own program record with a 1:52.18 clocking in the 200 freestyle in the Henlopen South tri-meet against Lake Forest and Seaford. He was part of the winning 200 medley and 400 freestyle relay teams, and showcased his versatility with a win in the butterfly. The boys’ squad is 2-1 entering the holiday break. They’ll take on Indian River Friday, Jan. 9, and Sussex Tech Monday, Jan. 12, in the new year.
