Athletes of the Week Dec. 22

Isaiah Ayers 

Isaiah was ball boy for Cape football under coach Bill Collick when he was 10 years old. Now a senior at Sussex Tech, the son of coach Damon Ayers is lighting it up on the basketball court. Isaiah is averaging 25 points per game through the first five games of the season for the 3-2 Ravens, including a 34-point outburst in a closely contested 65-58 win over Milford. Assistant coach John Bishop scored 41 in 1976 in a state tournament win over Newark in a game played at Laurel before the addition of the three-point line. Isaiah may have a 42-point game in his pocket. He still has 15 more opportunities. 

Cardin Benjamin

The 5K running circuit often reveals a frontline athlete whose pedigree comes from a different sport. And that sport is most often soccer. Stellar soccer guys often run like the wind is always at their back. That is Cardin, who floats with no wasted effort. At the Dec. 20 Pat Russo Invitational, Cardin won the open 1,600 meters in 4:42, besting a field of 38 runners. He came back later in the meet to place third in the 800 meters in 2:05.3. Teammate Ben Clifton was second in the same race, running 2:05.31. During the soccer season, in which Cape made it to the state final, Cardin was first-team all-state, ranked sixth in Delaware Top 11 and was a regional All-American.

Bailey Fletcher 

Bailey recently placed first in the pole vault at the Ursinus Invitational with a jump of 14-feet even. Last spring, Bailey won a tough Henlopen Conference competition at Dover High with a jump of 14-feet-6-inches before heading off to Philly to catch a Taylor Swift concert. Bailey’s car is not self driving, but it knows the route to Philly, where he trains at the Philly Jump Club. The senior is in pursuit of Sam Young’s records of 14-10 indoors and 15-6 outdoors. Bailey takes all honors and AP courses, and sails 420s in the summer at Lewes Yacht Club. Bailey has some big meets in January, including the Golden Wolves Challenge at Alvernia University and the VA Showcase at the Virginia Beach Sportsplex.  

Austin Guierrieri

Coach Chris Mattioni commented on his 106-pound freshman: “Austin began wrestling when he was 4 years old. He wrestled for the Henlopen Hammers, Junior Seahawks [Stephen Decatur] and the McDonald Wrestling Club. He is a two-time Henlopen Conference middle school champion. He is a hard worker who hates to lose. He has little flaws, but is coachable and willing to spend extra time mastering wrestling skills so he can be successful on the mat. Austin placed sixth at the Southern Slam, had a pin in the Milford dual and won four matches at the Beast of the East.” His biggest win was against Cliff Bakhsh of Saint Mark’s, the runner-up at 106 last season. Austin has a 10-5 record with six pins this season.