Cape and Sussex Academy XC squads look good early
The Cape cross country team traveled to Camden Sept. 10, to take on the Riders of Caesar Rodney and the Golden Knights of Sussex Central. When the dust settled, it was all Vikings. Cape topped CR in one of the most lopsided victories in quite a few years, winning 18-37 and also sweeping the Knights 15-50. Looking at the Cape/CR showdowns of the past 10 years, the meets are usually decided within five points. On this day, it was all Cape at Brecknock Park, as the Vikings took five of the top six places, led by senior Jason Baker in a new course record of 15:32. Following Baker was senior Riley Stazzone in 16:21. Senior Brayden Redd grabbed fourth place in 16:45, while sophomore Nick Petito was fifth in 16:49 and senior Andrew Radka finished sixth in 16:55 to round out the top five. This is the first time in Matt Lindell’s coaching career that he has had five runners under the 17-minute mark. The Riders took third place and seventh through 10th. Cape had two other runners under 18 minutes, as senior Joshua Cohen ran 17:46 and freshman Dylan Harp ran 17:51 to complete the impressive varsity seven.
The girls’ squad was also successful against the Riders, beating them 23-36 by taking five of the top eight finishers. Cape also swept the Golden Knights 15-44. Riders sophomore Morgan Thompson won in 19:39, while Cape sophomore Claudia Stazzone took second in 19:48. Senior Natalie Schneider was third for the Vikings in 20:13, while Cape freshman Bree Terhune ran a great race for fourth in 21:23. Junior Logan Crotty was sixth in 22:01, while senior Zoe Miller was eighth in 22:42.
Sandhill XC
The Sussex Academy boys’ cross country team swept Delmar 15-49, while the girls also swept Delmar 15-50. The Smyrna boys topped Sussex Tech 16-43, while Dover topped Sussex Tech 22-35. Smyrna topped Dover 19-37. On the girls’ side, Smyrna beat Sussex Tech 18-45 and Dover 15-50, while Sussex Tech beat Dover 16-43.
Individually, it was Sussex Academy senior Ryan Moody taking the lead early, just after the first 600 meters, and cruising to the win in 16:28. Moody, who broke 4:20 last year at 1,600 meters, went 5:20 and 5:30 for the first two miles of the race, and then cranked it up a notch, running his final mile in 5:05. Junior Isaiah Winslow Hill of Smyrna finished second in 17:29, while Sussex Academy sophomore Ben Moody was third in 17:40. Devin Washington of Smyrna finished fourth in 17:42, while his teammate Nathan Weaver rounded out the top five in 17:43. Sussex Academy had all its scorers in the top 11, while Smyrna put its top four in the top eight. Senior Ramsey Robinson led Dover in ninth place in 18:31, while senior Bennett Brumbley led Sussex Tech in 10th in 18:42. Junior Brayden Kellihan ran 19:57 to lead Delmar in 21st place.
The girls’ meet was dominated by Sussex Academy, as junior Riley Moriarty took the lead a half-mile into the race and never looked back, finishing in 20:38. Freshman teammate Jordan Blades took second in 21:11. Grace Walker of Smyrna finished third in 20:23. High jump state champion Katya Geyer of Sussex Academy finished fourth in 21:42, while teammate Taegen Forester finished fifth in 21:52. The Seahawks took five of the top nine sports in the girls’ race. Junior Savannah Stevenson led Sussex Tech in seventh place in 22:44, while Josslin Hunter led Dover in 21st place in 26:04 and junior Xaviah Brawner led Delmar in 23rd place in 26:25.
Weekly Henlopen top 10
Boys - Jason Baker, Cape, 15:32; Riley Stazzone, Cape, 16:21; Ryan Moody, Sussex Academy, 16:28; Evan Easton, Caesar Rodney, 16:39; Brayden Redd, Cape, 16:45; Nick Petito, Cape, 16:49; Andrew Radka, Cape, 16:55; Jonathan Bush, CR, 17:15; Charles Wissman, CR, 17:25; Talan Gerardi, Lake Forest, 17:29.
Girls - Morgan Thompson, CR, 19:39; Claudia Stazzone, Cape, 19:48; Natalie Schneider, Cape, 20:13; Riley Moriarty, Sussex Academy, 20:38; Jordan Blades, Sussex Academy, 21:11; Bree Terhune, Cape, 21:23; Grace Walker, Smyrna, 21:23; Vivian Klige, CR, 21:33; Bailey Fuller, Polytech, 21:35; Katya Geyer, Sussex Academy, 21:42.
Finish chute
Mark Walchinsky of Alexandria, Va., won the 21st Cannonball 5K Sept. 7, crossing the line in a time of 18:58. Bryan Mack of Lewes ran 19:28 for second place. Steve Eshelman of Lewes grabbed third in 20:14.
Lisa Levin of Gaithersburg, Md., won the female title in 20:53, while Cape graduate Hadley Rhue of Rehoboth Beach was second in 21:06. Susan Dunn of Laurel rounded out the top three in a time of 22:54.
Dylan Branch of Laurel won the 12th Run, White & Blue 5K at Delaware Tech Sept. 4. His time of 16:20 was 15 seconds better than runner-up Nathan Waydelis of Lincoln.
Gavin Furlong of Lewes won the male masters title and finished fourth overall with a time of 17:57.
Sofia Kiradzhieva of Georgetown earned 12th overall and the female title with a time of 20:30, while Jamie Hicks of Milford won the masters title in a time of 23:31.
The second Prostate Cancer Walk will be Saturday, Sept. 13, at Cape Henlopen State Park, starting at the Hawk Watch parking lot at 10 a.m. Registration and check-in will begin at 8 a.m.
The Vikings head to the cool RVA Relays Saturday at Pole Green Park in Virginia.
