Caesar Rodney and Smyrna teams win track titles

The Caesar Rodney boys trailed Cape Henlopen by a half-point through 17 events at the Henlopen Conference track and field championships held May 13 in Felton. To dethrone the defending champion Vikings, the Riders needed to outrun Cape in the day’s final discipline, the 4-by-400 relay. CR entered as the event’s top seed and lived up to that billing, stopping the clock in 3:25.03 to earn gold and secure the team title by a 129.5-125 margin.

“It basically did come down to the 4-by-4,” said Cape coach Ellis Gaulden. “But there were a lot of points we should have had that were left out on the track, where it shouldn’t have been so close. Coach [Mike] Tucci and CR have an amazing team that we are looking forward to facing again at the state meet. Regardless of where we placed overall, I’m proud of how everyone stepped up to the challenge to do what they could to help the team excel.”

CR won four events and used a balanced lineup to score consistently throughout the program, while Cape captured three golds, and piled up points in the distance races and pole vault.

Sophomore sensation Jason Baker led a parade of Vikings in the 3,200-meter run, taking the title in 9:37.46. Baker, Riley Stazzone, Cardin Benjamin, Brayden Redd and Max Gillen went 1-3-4-5-6 in the race to score 28 points, with all five athletes at 10:10 or faster. Speedy senior Benjamin Clifton won a photo-finish 800 meters in 1:58.56 and anchored the Vikings’ 4-by-800 relay to a silver medal. Baker came back to take second over 1,600 meters, setting a seven-second personal best in 4:23.68 and pushing CR standout Ian Cain (4:22.79) to the line.

Seniors Bailey Fletcher and Eddie Houck soared above the competition in the pole vault, taking gold and silver to help Cape collect 22 crucial points and tighten up the meet late. Fletcher cleared 15-feet-1-inch to set a meet record, while Houck arced over 14-0.

Benjamin, just a junior, delivered one of the most impressive distance performances in school history, placing fourth in the 800 meters (1:59.46), 1,600 meters (4:25.63) and 3,200 meters (10:05.48). He also split a blazing 1:57 in the 4-by-800 relay.

Sophomore Trey Johnson covered 100 meters in 11.34 seconds to earn the Vikings’ only medal in the sprints.

Cape recorded significant season bests in all four relays, going 43.19 in the 4-by-100, 1:31.32 for 4-by-200, 3:28.88 for 4-by-400 and 8:08.78 for 4-by-800.

Gaulden was delighted with the bevy of season-best and personal-best performances.

“When athletes do the best they’ve ever done, it says something,” he said. “To do it at the right time during the season speaks volumes. The work they’ve put in throughout the season is starting to come to light at the right time.”

Gaulden singled out a few athletes who posted breakthrough performances.

“[Fletcher] has been a beast from the moment he put the pole in his hand,” Gaulden said. “I’m not shocked at all [by his meet record]. I also want to mention Elijah Shockley-Taylor. He has been working endlessly every day at practice, always going the extra mile. He ran two personal bests in the 110- and 300-meter hurdles and helped the 4-by-100 team run a season best as well. [800-meter specialist] Giovanni Palermo has bought into [distance coach] Matt Lindell’s workouts year in and year out. He’s gotten better each meet, due to the hard work he’s putting in. He didn’t place today, but he qualified to run at the state meet.”

In girls’ action, Smyrna took home the team title with 104 points, squeaking past CR (95) and Cape (93.25). The Eagles won seven events and got three golds from sophomore Aaliyah Turpin, who triumphed in the 100 meters (12.43), 100-meter hurdles (a meet record of 14.77) and 4-by-100 (49.88).

Cape was paced by senior Kennedy Johnson, who placed second in the long jump (16-10.75), third in the 400 meters (1:00.58), and fifth in the 200 meters (26.98) before anchoring the Vikings’ 4-by-400 relay to a bronze medal (4:12.51). Junior Jade Warrington claimed silver in the discus (96-8), while sophomore Anejah Grace added a silver in the triple jump (34-2). 

The Vikings also tallied big points in the relays, medaling in the 4-by-200 (second, 1:51.16), 4-by-400 (third, 4:12.51) and 4-by-800 (third, 10:18.67). Senior Hannah Maney and sophomore Talia Pecoraro took part in all three of those relays, bringing home plenty of hardware in the process.

Sussex Academy results

The Sussex Academy boys finished sixth with 39 points, while the girls were 10th with 21.

Sussex Academy had a number of top 10 finishes at the Henlopen Conference meet. Earning third-place medals were Ryan Moody in the 1,600 meters (4:24.97), Max Rial in the shot put (47-0) and the sprint medley relay team (4:01.28). The 4-by-800 relay took fourth (8:31.34), while the 4-by-400 relay finished fifth (3:35.36). Ethan Boladas took fifth in the 200-meter dash (23.07). Earning sixth-place finishes were Emmanuel Charles Aine in the triple jump (41-10) and the 4-by-100 relay team (44.63).

On the girls’ side, Katya Geyer took bronze in the high jump (5-0) and fifth in the 1,600 meters (5:43.89), while the sprint medley relay took fourth (5:48.47) and the 4-by-800 relay took fifth (10:50.00). 

Cape unified action

In unified action, Tony Palmer and Jaxon Benton went 1-2 in the 100-meter dash with times of 12.3 and 13.09, respectively. Zane Richardson and Laiya Ward also finished in the top 10. Palmer also won the long jump (15-5.25) and the shot put (34-0). Benton took top honors in the 200-meter dash (27.74).

Connor Pencek won the 400-meter dash (59.22) followed by Alejandro Alvarez-Roman (1:04.05). Alvarez-Roman also placed fifth in the long jump (12-11.5) and shot put (29-0.5).

Cape won two relays, taking the mixed 4-by-200 (1:45.65) and the mixed 4-by-100 (50.00).

Full results can be found at de.milesplit.com.