Hearn Heads popping up and facial recognition in cold conditions

Something happening here - And what it is ain’t exactly clear. Before the Cape versus Charter basketball game March 6, I realized a pair of plaques were being presented. I wasn’t getting one, so I decided to take a photo of Claudia McCormick of Charter and Ella Rishko of Cape, who received the Crown Trophy Academic Award from DIAA. I’m guessing it’s for high GPA while simultaneously being able to play basketball. And by the end of the night, Hearn Heads on sticks started to rise from the home stands. “You better get out there with your camera,” said Manny Davis, who evidently got a camera for Christmas. There was a banner and balloon numbers; everyone in the gym seemed to know it was happening, except me. Abbey Hearn had just scored her 1,000th point. Like the slowest runner in the longest race, I am losing contact with the field. 

Bad news for somebody - I always say if you pass a local muppet in the community that you’ve known for a very long time and they don’t recognize you, it’s bad news for somebody. A cold wind blew across Legends Stadium Saturday morning. I was the guy wearing three layers with two jackets on top. Lacrosse play day, or for me, “beat down Fredpop day,” I was in for three full scrimmages. I talked to a man along the fence who said, “You better get something to cover your face.” I was about to answer, “Yours ain’t so great either,” but instead almost asked him, “Did you come with Malvern or Severna Park?” and I’m glad I didn’t because it was Bud Hitchens, who I’ve known since 1975. He just looked different in his Nanook of the North Action Wear. 

Lucky Leprechauns - Milton remains a small town that can put on the dog, from the Lucky Leprechaun 5K to the Dogfish Dash 8K. Police Chief Robert Longo, guarding the intersection at the start, stood at attention saluting during the national anthem before 323 runners rounded the bend snaking up from the river basin for a jaunt through shipbuilders history. Longo is congenial and interactive, and so are the members of Station 85 who support St. Patrick’s Day Sunday. Everyone wore green; I wore orange, making a Protestant statement, even though there was a failed attempt to raise me Catholic. I am a child of the universe inside a connected community of muppets here at Sesame Street by the Sea. Milton Muppets have their own block. Find full race coverage with photos online and in the Friday Cape Gazette. 

Snippets - Cape wrestling had a postseason banquet brunch at Baywood Greens Sunday morning. Varsity awards were MVP Andre Currie; Most Improved and Tenacity Award, Mikey Frederick; Guts Award, Finbar Rishko; Most Dedicated, Carson Kammerer; and Sportsmanship, C.J. Fritchman. JV MVP was Bryan Garcia; JV Sportsmanship, Hank D’Ambrogi. I looked at Cape’s combined boys’ basketball roster for last season's varsity and JV. There were 19 total players, which included four graduating seniors. That leaves 15, of which three play a spring sport; that’s 20 percent if you’re keeping score at home. I will go out on a limb and say those athletes are not helping the school and are doing less to help themselves. Eighth-graders can play up at Sussex Academy. Jacob Schell, an eighth-grader, is listed on the varsity lacrosse roster for the Seahawks. Kealey Allison, a sophomore (Indian River), scored eight goals and had 16 draw controls for McDaniel College in a 19-13 win over Susquehanna. Kealey formerly played for the Eastern Shore Lacrosse Club and was a point guard for the Indian River basketball team. She dislocated her kneecap several times in high school, had surgery and didn’t play a full season until her senior year. “I couldn’t have done it without my amazing team and coaches at McDaniel,” Kealey said. I photographed Cape boys’ lacrosse for three straight scrimmages Saturday, and the defending state champions appeared to stay ahead of the Hun School and Garnet Valley, but Malvern Prep, ranked seventh in the country, lit them up, which is why they are called the Friars. Scrimmages are not for reporting results because you can’t assess what coaches are trying to do one week into the season. This is Step Up week for the Cape girls’ basketball team, as they will be playing Wednesday, March 11, at “The Bob” if they get by Tatnall at home Monday, March 9 (after our print deadline). The Cape Caravan of fans travels will be in full force to big games; the momentum is building. Cape hasn’t snagged a girls’ basketball title since 1973 under coach Bob Cassady. The Vikings, under coach Poochie Hazzard, lost in the finals to Sanford in 2011. The journey is electric, boogie woogie woogie woogie. Go on now, git!