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Cape soccer preseason concludes with two scrimmages

The Cape soccer Class of 2026 comprises (l-r) William Burke, Lee Levis, Lawson Whaley, Brenner Short, Jorge Ruiz, Blake Fitzgerald and Quinton Eisenmann. DAN COOK PHOTOS
Dan Cook
August 30, 2025

Sussex Academy hosted the Bayside/Henlopen Classic Aug. 27 at the school’s turf fields in Georgetown. The final preseason tune-up was between Parkside, Colonel Richardson and Easton of Maryland’s Bayside Conference and Cape, Sussex Academy and Sussex Tech of Delaware’s Henlopen Conference.

Cape faced Parkside in the first game that ended in a tie 1-1, as Alan Hernandez-Becerra bent a corner kick into the Rams’ crowded goal cage. 

The second game with Easton ended with the Vikings falling 1-0 to the Warriors.  

“Our defense is a little unorganized right now,” said Cape coach Patrick Kilby. “Brenner [Short] is our anchor on defense, and the younger players need to heed his words. He tells everyone what he is thinking, and he is the leader back there.”

Kilby said senior Lawson Whaley is versatile, and the team will use him as a defensive holding mid and center back. 

On offense, the Vikings have returner Austin Tyndall who hit the twine eight times last season.

“We have a good rotation with Austin, Will Burke and Logan Cortijo,” said Kilby. “We are expecting a lot from Austin coming in as a junior and scoring a lot of big goals last year. We also didn’t get to see Seth Benjamin today, and it showed. He is our engine in the midfield. We have a lot of talent, but we’re very young.”

Cape is looking forward to matching up with Henlopen Conference rivals Sussex Academy, who defeated the Vikings 1-0 in the Henlopen Conference Championship, and Caesar Rodney, who defeated them 3-2 in the DIAA quarterfinals.

The Vikings open the regular season Saturday, Sept. 6, against Odessa at Legends Stadium. 

 

 

Cape senior Austin Whaley controls the ball from his center-back position against Parkside.
Cape senior Lee Levis controls a high pass for the Vikings.
Jackson Hess speeds the ball into the Vikings’ offensive zone.
Cape junior Austin Tyndall avoids a Parkside slide tackle attempt.
Cape goalie Anton Schierenberg clears the ball after a save against the Rams.
Logan Cortijo cuts off a Parkside offensive play.
Cape freshman Hedgie Swier controls the ball in the midfield.
Cape senior Lee Levis just misses the mark on a header in the game with Parkside.
Vikings senior Brenner Short heads the ball away in a crowded Cape goal cage.
Cape’s Austin Tyndall, right, and Will Burke takes care of a high pass.
Cape goalie Anton Schierenberg makes a save.
Cape’s Logan Cortijo controls the ball in the midfield.
Cape’s Jorge Ruiz, left, and Dominick Giardina takes the ball away from the Easton middie.
Cape’s Carter Matarazzi battles for possession on the sideline.
Cape’s Alan Hernandez-Becerra collides with an Easton midfielder.
Cape junior goalie Jacob Panyko makes a save against Easton.

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Dan has worked for the Cape Gazette for more than 30 years as a photographer and reporter, covering high school sports and happenings around eastern Sussex County. He won a photography award from the National Newspaper Association, and numerous awards from the Maryland, Delaware, D.C. Press Association. A Delaware native, Dan graduated from Cape in 1972 and returned as a teacher and coach in the 1980s. He retired from the classroom in 2016. He was inducted into Cape High’s Legends Stadium in 2016. In his spare time, Dan enjoys spending time with his wife, two sons, grandchildren and dogs. 

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