Cape boys win indoor meet at Snow Hill

The Cape Henlopen boys’ indoor track and field team captured the Snow Hill Invitational Dec. 12 at the Worcester County Recreation Center, topping 18 teams from the Delmarva Region. The boys scored 61.5 points to edge Kent Island (56 points). Sussex Tech was third with 50 points, J.M. Bennett scored 47 for fourth place and North Caroline had 46.

The Vikings got 18 points out of the shot put team, as sophomore Josiah Miller threw 41-feet-1.5-inches for the win and teammate Pat Tkach was second at 38-feet-7-inches. Sophomore Isaiah Fillyau was second in the 55-meter hurdles in 8.54, while junior Giovanni Bendfeldt was third in the pole vault in a jump of 10-feet-6-inches. Cape grabbed a big 13 points in the 3,200-meter run, as senior John DiStefano was third in a season best of 10:44, senior Kolbe O’Donnell was fifth in 10:54 and sophomore Daniel Adili-Khams was sixth in 11:03. Junior Bryan Ciabattoni was fifth in the 1,600 meters in 5:10, while freshman Ethan Edery was seventh in 5:13. Sophomore David Smith was sixth in the 500 meters in 1:16.6, while senior Christian Partlow was eighth in the 300 meters in 39.6. The 3,200-meter relay team also was eighth in 9:47.2, while sophomore Karnell Wise was eighth in the high jump at 5-feet-4-inches.

In the non-scoring jump events, senior Dane Palmer won the triple jump in 41-feet-1 ¾-inches and placing second in the long jump in 19-feet-10-inches. Sophomore Cody Workman was fourth in the long jump in 18-feet-9-inches, while sophomore Quinn McCullough was fourth in the triple jump in 33-feet-1-inch.

On the female side of the action, the Vikings scored 69 points to finish fourth in the 18-team field that was led by North Caroline High School with 94 points. Kent Island was second with 88 points, Smyrna was third with 87 points, and J.M. Bennett rounded out the top five teams with 44 points.  

The Vikings were led by the throwing duo of seniors Ce’yra Middleton and Mackenzie Parker, as they scored 18 points with a 1-2 finish in the event. Middleton, the defending Delaware state champion, tossed 34-feet-8-inches to win the event, while Parker tossed 33-feet-5-inches for second.

The Vikings scored 19 big points and three season-best performances in the relays, as the 800-meter relay team of freshman Tia Jarvis, junior Timesha Cannon, junior Sawyer Walker and senior Alia Marshall ran 1:54.4 to finish second to a blistering 1:50 out of the Smyrna foursome. The all-freshmen 1,600-meter relay team of Ariyanna Dabney, Noelle Sabbagh, Maren Buckaloo and Tia Jarvis ran 4:39.3 with an impressive 64.9 anchor from Jarvis to grab third overall. The 3,200-meter relay team finished fourth in 11:13.2 with sophomore Taylor Johnson, sophomore Fallon Moore, freshman Elizabeth Melson and freshman Mia Nuebling. Melson returned to set a season-best time in the 1,600-meter run in 5:56.8, with Nuebling 10th in 6:08.5. Jarvis ran a quick 44.9 in the 300 meters for third, while Johnson also was third in the 800 meters in a season-best of 2:39.6.

Walker was third in the high jump at 4-feet-10-inches for a season best, while Marshall was fifth in the 55 meters in 7.77 seconds and Cannon got eighth place in 7.97 seconds. Sabbagh finished seventh in the 55-meter hurdles in 10.6, while Nuebling was eighth in the 3,200 meters in 13:26.5.

In the non-scoring jump events, Marshall won the long jump at 17-feet-1-inch, while Jarvis was fourth in 16-feet-½-inch. Marshall was second in the triple jump with a hop, step, and jump of 33-feet-9 ¼-inches, while Sabbagh was fifth in 30-feet-10 ¼-inches.

The boys’ team will return to Snow Hill for the Pat Russo Invitational Wednesday, Dec. 19, while the girls’ team will compete in the Bishop Laughlin Games at Ocean Breeze in Staten Island, N.Y., this Sunday, Dec. 16.

Striders donate canned foods

The Seashore Striders donated more than 100 canned food items collected at the Run with Santa 5K event held Dec. 9 at Cape Henlopen State Park. A great big thank you to our amazing running community for their generous donations. My longtime friend and co-worker at Shields Elementary, Edward Reese Jr., will deliver them to Faith United Methodist Church, where the church school and West Side New Beginnings programs will put them to good use in their soup kitchen.

Striders buy bikes for Toys for Tots

The Seashore Striders recently used $1,700 in proceeds from the Sea Witch and Pumpkin Pie 5Ks to purchase 19 bikes and helmets at the Rehoboth Beach Walmart. The bikes were donated to Apple Electric's Toys for Tots annual Christmas campaign. Thanks to our local Walmart, and Steve and Lisa Prespitino of Apple Electric as well as our Striders elves Jack Vassalotti, Jackie Quigley and Georgette O’Cone. Merry Christmas, and we hope the bikes bring smiles to children in our community on Christmas morning!