Cape girls’ track upsets Smyrna, honors teammate Maggie Browne

The Cape at Smyrna track meet on brisk Friday afternoon was a made-for-TV afternoon special, a story about kids suited for the child in all of us. 

“A picture was done by the Smyrna girls for us and it was great ... we arrived, and chairs were set up for our team and an empty chair was put out front with a framed picture and a poster that said, ‘Fly high Maggie from the Smyrna girls,’” said coach Tim Bamforth. “A class team and a great coach in Maura Schafer.”

Sophomore Maggie Brown died tragically April 6 in an accident. This was the girls’ team’s first meet since. 

There was a focused spirituality all afternoon among the Cape girls. There was joining hands and prayer before racing, and giving thanks afterward. A powerful presence was hanging over the Cape girls; it wasn't "win one for Maggie Browne," it was more reflective, respectful awareness of her spirit. 

And then a three-hour track meet over 18 events, which included girls, boys and Unified teams, ended with Cape winning the girls’ meet 82-64 punctuated with a win in the 4-by-400 with a team of Hannah Maney, Reagan Ciabattoni, Aya Daisey and Tia Jarvis in 4:15. Smyrna girls had not lost a dual meet to a Henlopen Conference school in a decade.  

Cape’s win was highlighted by a sweep in the 1,600, with Emma Duffield winning in 5:49, followed by Lexi Dougherty in 5:53 and Mia Nuebling in 5:57. 

The Vikings also swept the 300 hurdles and 800 meters. In the 300, Taylor Johnson won with a time of 50.4, followed by Noelle Sabbagh in 54.3 and Aubrey Myers in 58.0. In the 800, Lainey Shockro took first with a time of 2:41, followed by Lexi Dougherty in 2:42 and Emma Duffield in 2:42. 

Shockro also won the pole vault in 9-feet. Ciabattoni won the long jump in 15-feet-8-inches and the triple jump in 32-feet-11-inches. 

Smyrna won the boys’ meet 82-63.

See expanded results at capevikingssports.com and in Tim Bamforth’s Running column in the Friday, April 23 edition of the Cape Gazette.

Cape next competes at Polytech on Tuesday, April 20.