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Athletes of the Week Nov. 26

November 26, 2021
Kelly Bragg

A senior lacrosse player on her way to Mount St. Mary’s, Kelly doubles down as a field hockey madwoman in the fall. Kelly comes off the bench with the mission of raising a ruckus and making things happen. “Kelly did what Kelly does,” said Cape coach Kate Austin, reflecting back on Kelly calmly burying a goal with seven seconds left in the first quarter of the DIAA State Championship game Nov. 20, which gave Cape a 2-0 advantage over a physical Smyrna team. “Kelly’s goal put us in a position where it would take three goals to beat us. We haven’t given up three goals in any game this season.” Kelly scored a hat trick in the spring lacrosse state championship 17-10 win over Tatnall. Kelly didn’t play field hockey or basketball her sophomore season, and spring lax in 2020 was canceled by COVID. She is making up for those lost minutes. 

C.J. Fritchman

Last wrestling season, C.J. placed second in state at 152 pounds, helping lead Cape to its first team state championship in 50 years of wrestling. In the spring, C.J. was the face-off specialist for the boys’ lacrosse team, helping the Vikings reach the state finals, where they lost to Salesianum 12-10. In August, he ran leadoff for the Sussex County (Dewey) soft-sand relay team that won the USLA National Championship. This fall, C.J., a junior, completed a tough football campaign as a starting linebacker, never missing a snap to injury. “Yes, it was a tough season,” C.J. said. And now he’s at wrestling practice getting ready for the season, where he is likely to wrestle at 160. An academic all-star, C.J. is the quintessential year-round athlete.

Molly Mendez

A lacrosse midfielder and defender, Molly is another cross-trained athlete on the Cape field hockey team. Molly had three goals over four games for the lacrosse team in the 2021 state championship run to the Vikings’ 12th straight state title. Pretty good for a player on the field for her defense. Molly will attend Division II Rollins College in Central Florida next fall to play lacrosse. Reflecting on Molly’s performance in the Nov. 20 state championship game win over Smyrna, coach Kate Austin said: “We put Molly into the game against Smyrna because of her grit, and she ended up being one of the best players on the field in the minutes that she played.” Every coach in the business knows you win championships with players like Molly Mendez.

Lucas Ruppert

Lucas has always been a congenial large person going back to his days at Beacon, where he played football while wrestling heavyweight. Lucas was riding the bike at wrestling practice pre-Thanksgiving, dropping from football weight 315 to his wrestling goal of 285. He was second in the state championship last season. “I really didn’t miss any time during the football season, but after spraining my ankle, I went from a two-way player to just playing offense. And I went from guard to center after Finley Jones got hurt.” Lucas is looking at several Division III schools for football and has visited a couple of the Ivies. “I loved playing football for coach Maull,” Lucas said. “It’s been a tough four years, but I’m glad I played and will miss putting on the Cape uniform.”

 

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