I never liked fishing with the fleet; I’m an obtuse angler

Most goals attract most reporters - The Cape win over Archmere May 29 took a long time. When it was over, Gabe Best, who led Cape with four goals, was talking to all the reporters, except me. I grabbed JP Heid, Adem Tekmen and Andre Currie for my obtuse angle on the game. Plus, I never like fishing with the fleet. Role players maybe, but primetime for sure, a trio of athletic kids, all of whom scored in crucial situations. Billy Ott looked like a brand-new man on face-offs. “My job is to get us the ball and get off the field, and that’s what I try to do,” Ott said after playing his best game of the season. And those long poles, Brody McMahon, Ben Weathersby, Matt Prestipino, Landon Best and Drew Dennis all played great in front of goalie Baxter Travers, who is now 17-2 between the pipes. And it was the last game for the Auks’ Mitchell Moyer, who was held in check and still managed to score five goals.

Bulletin board material - I can count 37 years as a local sportswriter. Back in the day, what I wrote here stayed here; I was writing for the hometown team. And I’ve written some crazy stuff only explained to outsiders by, “You just have to know the guy.” We still “know the guys” in our Cape-connected world, and once in awhile a coach may show concern that I’m providing bulletin board material to outside teams. But the reality is there are no more bulletin boards in locker rooms, so maybe once in awhile I provide cellphone material to digitally distracted teenagers, but really they are programmed for short attention spans.

Bus barn - Damon Ayers was offered the job as head coach of boys’ basketball at Cape, but that deal is not yet sealed; the bus is not parked in the barn. The details of Damon’s daytime job working inside the high school, from assignment to salary, have to be put into focus and finalized. Back in August 1975, I was hired as a special education teacher at Cape and as a man who “could coach stuff.” I was an assistant coach in football. One day at an August practice, I was introduced to Athletic Director Frank Coveleski, who said, “Last night at the school board meeting you were appointed head track coach, congratulations.” I told coach, “I didn’t apply for any track coach job.” “Don’t worry, you’ll be fine,” he said. I spent the next few years apologizing for not being Tom Hickman, establishing my own reputation so someday someone would have to apologize for not being me.

Game on - Rolling buses and fans into a Tornado Watch to play a crucial game that may or may not happen defeats the purpose of time lapse satellite radar on a cellphone. I’m as dumb as the next guy, putting aside my Captain Safety instincts so many times I no longer think lightning is dangerous. I mean, what are the chances? “Thunder on the mountain rolling like a drum, gonna play over there, I’m just that dumb. All is clear on my weather app, I ride in my truck with my dog named Zap.”

Snippets - I’ve heard the word baccalaureate repeatedly over the last week, and honestly I’m not sure what it means other than it’s something to get through before graduation ceremonies. Cape girls’ track, field hockey and lacrosse have won a total of 19 state titles since 2009. Ran into Bishop Harold Hazzard (53 years old) at Smyrna Wawa May 29 on the way down from a lacrosse game. Harold’s church is New Life UMC. Harold was a two-sport athlete at Cape and is one of the kindest and smartest people on the planet. There were nine boys in his family. Sons of mom Betty are Petey, Reginald, Karl, Troy, Noland, Myron, Harold, Davey and Jaime. Phillies are 11 games over .500 and leading the division by three games, but can it last? Phillies are at the Dodgers this weekend. Hopefully it will be a great series. Patriots coach Bill Belichick, who grew up in Annapolis, was asked, “What is the major difference between football and lacrosse?” He answered, “That’s easy, lacrosse is fun.” It’s hard to recruit spring lacrosse players to a fall football team, but Cape coaches are busy trying to do just that. Just too many good athletes not to go after them. David Kwan of Lewes graduated from Williams College and was awarded a Fullbright Scholarship; he will be teaching English in Malaysia. Oddly enough, he may bump into Cape classmate Griffin Kammerer, a fellow Fullbright scholar teaching English in Malaysia. On May 31, my wife Susan and I, known locally by our acquired nicknames of Miz Fred and Fredman, landed on our 50th wedding anniversary. We are doing our best to hide in plain sight. Go on now, git!