Cape cross country teams win Henlopen Conference meet

Coach Matt Lindell named girls’ Coach of the Year

Winners, winners. The Cape boys’ and girls’ cross country teams each won Henlopen Conference titles Nov. 28. Shown in back are (l-r) coach Rick Brokaw, Liam O'Donnell, Ethan Edery, Julian Callaway, Daniel Adili-Khams, Ryan Baker, Nolan Kerstetter, Joey DeGregory, Lee Timmons, Lance Kauffman, Andrew Wolak, Jakob Hayes and Kayla Droge. In middle are Peyton Evans, Ryann Howard, Lindsay Rambo, Katie Kuhlman, Mia Nuebling, Elizabeth Melson, Ariana Adili-Khams, Emily Uffelman and Sophia Chilelli. In front is coach Matt Lindell. DAVE FREDERICK PHOTOS

Dave Frederick

November 30, 2020

The Cape cross country teams each won a team championship at the Henlopen Conference Championship meet held at Killens Pond on a picture-perfect day Nov. 29.

Low score wins in cross country with the top five runners scoring points. The Cape boys with 39 points easily beat Caesar Rodney with 61 and Polytech with 62.

The Cape girls’ championship run totaled 53 points, followed by Caesar Rodney with 76 and Milford with 95.

The boys’ race commenced at 10 a.m., with Cape placing five runners in the top 13. But with the multiple-wave start, the final team results lagged 20 minutes behind the last runner.

The Cape boys’ top seven times and places were: Ethan Edery, fourth, 16:48; Ryan Baker, fifth, 16:55; Julian Callaway, sixth, 16:56; Daniel Adili-Khams, 11th, 17:31; Lance Kauffman, 13th, 17:36; Liam O’Donnell, 15th, 17:43; and Andrew Wolak, 17th, 17:53.

Polytech crowned its first individual conference champion, as junior Kenny Guy recorded a time of 16:20. He was pushed to the finish line by teammate Matt Gatune in 16:28.

Blaise Moyer of Caesar Rodney was third in 16:39, while teammate Ralph Nicholson placed seventh with a time of 17:08.

Places eight through 10 were won by David Wooten of Sussex Central in 17:09, and Indian River runners Declan Burke in 17:24 and Robert Seseny in 17:29.

“The lead group was loaded,” said Cape coach Matt Lindell. “Our guys in the chase packs had to get to the front and push the pace running for time. That is a much harder way to race.”

The Cape girls didn’t know they had won until the results were announced by meet director Tim Bamforth.

Cape’s top female runners’ times and race places were: Katie Kuhlman, third, 20:00; Mia Neubling, eighth, 21:19; Ariana Adili-Khams, 10th, 21:41; Elizabeth Melson, 15th, 22:17; Lindsay Rambo, 18th, 22:26; and Ryann Howard, 36th, 24:06.

Cape’s No. 4 runner Peyton Evan was forced to drop out with a stitch, but was OK to join the trophy celebration.

Brynn Crandell of Indian River, a freshman phenom, was the overall winner in the girls’ meet, running 19:10 to upset Josie Ledford of Lake Forest in 19:35. Crandell, who runs for coach Rick Hundley, is half of a two-person girls’ team that includes Heather Smyth, who ran a time of 28:11. Incomplete teams are allowed to race, but their place number is removed and it doesn’t affect team totals.

The top 10 for the girls after Crandell and Ledford were Kuhlman, Cape, 20:00; Alyssa Young, Smyrna, 20:10; Faith Mitchell, Milford, 20:21; Emily Trout, Sussex Academy, 20:53; Kaitlyn Cavallucci, Sussex Tech, 21:02; Kelly Barr, Smyrna, 21:09; Neubling, Cape, 21:19; and Ellie Yerkes, Polytech, 21:22.

Matt Lindell of Cape was voted Coach of the Year for girls. Czar Bloom of Polytech was the boys’ Coach of the Year recipient.

The DIAA State Championship meet is Saturday, Dec. 5, at Killens Pond State Park.