Athletes of the Week Oct. 22
Mairead McKibbin
McKibbin, a first-year student at Shenandoah University via Polytech, posted an 11-point week recently as the Hornets earned two ODAC wins to improve to 5-0 in league play and sit unbeaten tied atop the standings with nationally 14th-ranked Washington and Lee. The Hornets, who received votes in last week's NFHCA coaches poll, continue to extend their program-record winning streak, which now stands at 12 straight games. McKibbin played a part in seven of the 11 goals SU scored last week in road wins at Roanoke and Bridgewater. Against the Maroons, she scored the opener just 36 seconds into the match and assisted Cassidy Morrison on the game's second goal in a 3-1 victory. At Bridgewater, McKibbin scored three times and handed out two assists in an 8-0 triumph over the Eagles. For the season, McKibbin ranks second in the ODAC in points (36) and assists (12), and fourth in goals scored (12). She leads the league with five game-deciding goals. She is the daughter of Peggy McKibben, school nurse at Cape, and goddaughter of Sharon Owens, retired Cape District secretary.
Allison Ortiz
Just 11 years old, this Mariner sixth-grader running for coach Kenny Riedel has been on fire this fall. Allison has led her Mariner team in each meet this season, and last Saturday she ran for the Seashore Striders at the Brandywine Invitational, capturing the 1.1-mile individual title in 6:44. Allison finished a few steps ahead of her club teammate Shiloh O’Grady, also a sixth-grader. Allison came back Monday and was first across the line against Sussex Academy, running the 3K in 13:50. Allison was a Youth All-American Top 25 national finisher in 2018 and 2019, and has run the mile in 6:25 on the track. On Friday, Allison will race in the Sandhill Seashore Invitational in Georgetown, where she will have plenty of company up front as her club teammates from Beacon will join her at Sandhill Fields.
Jukai Payne
A Cape sophomore defensive end who is a tall and strong-looking guy, Jukai got his first start of the season Oct. 15, and responded with nine solo tackles against a Caesar Rodney team committed to the power running game. The questions to be asked: “What took you so long to get out there?” (shrugs) “And how did you snap in your first start?” “I just decided to show up,” Jukai said. He was a three-sport athlete at Mariner, and he also plays basketball and lacrosse. “I lost a season somewhere during the whole COVID thing,” he said. Jukai admitted to being a good student and has that throwback Cape kid look as being a natural athlete. He’ll be starting against the Sussex Central Wing-T Friday night at “The Castle.”
Marcella Sabbagh
Oct. 22 is Marcella’s 21st birthday. It’s a special present that she has earned her way into the Athletes of the Week lineup. Marcella plays defense for the Christopher Newport Captains field hockey team. On Oct. 17, the junior became the first player in program history to convert two penalty strokes in a single game in a 9-0 team victory over Sewanee. Marcella is also the 14th player in program history to post at least one goal in four consecutive games. She has five goals total on the season. Marcella first flashed her athletic talent as a high jumper for Beacon Middle School, where she lifted off for 5 feet of clearance. She started her Cape career on offense, then switched to defense, where she was an all-state performer and played on three state championship teams. Her sister Noelle is a senior forward on the Cape team, while younger sister Atia, a seventh-grader, is a defender for the undefeated Beacon team.
