Cape hockey reconfigures for 2024 season
Cape field hockey doesn’t reload, it reconfigures.
The Vikings have won 11 Division I state titles since 2011, and every graduation class sees storied players go off to compete at the next level. The Class of 2024 was 11 strong, with a half-dozen legit D1 athletes moving on to play field hockey or lacrosse in college.
The 2024 fall edition has a different configuration, led by only two seniors with state championship season experience, Macy Steinwedel and Lina Frederick.
“We have athletes who will learn and improve as they go,” said veteran coach Kate Austin. “We basically have 44 girls spread over varsity and junior varsity. Just observing the few early-season practices coming off a summer of open fields, I’d say this team is going to be fast with a lot of interchangeable parts.”
Cape opened the practice season on the Legends Stadium track with two flights of athletes running the two-mile. Varsity candidates are expected to break 16 minutes, while junior varsity hopefuls have a 20-minute standard.
Hockey players compete more like house cats than distance dogs. It can be argued the first-day time trial is more used to test the fitness level of the players.
Cape will host a scrimmage play day Saturday, Aug. 17, welcoming 18 teams. There are varsity and JV brackets.
Cape, Sussex Central, Caesar Rodney, Indian River, Polytech, Delmar, Lake Forest, Dover and Sussex Academy are Henlopen Conference teams participating in the play day.
Other teams include Frank W. Cox, OLGC, Charter, James Madison, St. Mary’s, Stephen Decatur and Newark Charter.
Games are 25 minutes on a common horn.
Cape will scrimmage James Madison, Frank W. Cox, Good Counsel and Saint Mary’s. Cape’s play day will end with a seven-on-seven scrimmage of 15 minutes versus Newark Charter.
Parents and fans should check with a coach or player for individual schedules of games and locations.
