It’s championship time for high school and club cross country

The Cape Vikings head into this weekend’s Henlopen Conference Championships with both the boys’ and girls’ teams boasting 11-1 dual-meet records. The only loss of the season came a few weeks ago from the Riders of Caesar Rodney, who went on to win the dual-meet title for the Henlopen Conference. The girls’ loss to the Riders was without top runner Olivia Brozefsky, who went home ill on the day of the CR meet, which may or may not have made the difference. The Vikings hope to be in full strength this Saturday, Nov. 3, at the Henlopen Conference Championships at Killens Pond State Park in Felton. The junior varsity girls will kick things off at 2 p.m., while the boys will follow at 2:30 p.m. The varsity girls will go off at 3 p.m., with the boys at 3:30 p.m.

The Cape boys will try to hang with the Riders, led by No. 1 Colin Ritchey, but the job will be tough, as the Riders have a tight pack of not just five, but seven runners, who all seem to be improving weekly. The Riders boys put all seven runners in the top nine at the Kent County Championships this past Tuesday. 

The girls’ race will be as interesting as they get, as the Riders come in with the best individual runner in the conference, Maleah Chumley, while the Vikings are led by a front runner as well in Brozefsky, who is coming off a win at Tuesday’s Sussex County Championship. The race is going to be won or lost farther back in the pack with the three through five runners. Following Brozefsky, the Vikings have the dynamic duo of Mia Nuebling and Elizabeth Melson racing nearly identical times, and then runners four through six are very tight as well. The Riders have a solid No. 2 runner in Keely Arndt and then they gap a bit to their three through five. If the Vikings can put four or possibly five ahead of the Riders’ three, they should be victorious, but the Riders can never be counted out, as they do a great job of rising to the occasion and racing tough in the big meets.

The last time the Vikings won the meet championship title was in 2009 under coach George Pepper. Cape also won in 2008, 1999, 1996, 1987, 1986 and 1985.

It should be a great day of racing at the Henlopen Championships at Killens Pond.

Henlopen Alumni 5K Run

If you are a Henlopen Conference cross country alumni and you can still walk, jog or run, join the Seashore Striders for the fourth annual Alumni 5K, beginning at noon, Saturday, Nov. 3, at Killens Pond. Carry on the tradition of Henlopen Conference cross country history with the alumni run, where the old and the new can come together and support the sport. The course will be the normal cross country 3.1-mile trail with rolling hills on open grass.

Preregistration is $20 through 6 p.m., Friday, Nov. 2. Runners can also register on race day from 11 to 11:50 a.m.

Awards will be presented to the overall, masters, and top 3 finishers in the nine age groups.  For more information, go to www.seashorestriders.com.

Regional Cross Country Championships

The young Seashore Striders will compete in the Regional Cross Country Championships this Sunday, Nov. 4, at Tyler State Park in Newtown, Pa. The Striders will send three teams and a host of individuals to the meet for a total of 34 competing. The host team will be the Ambler Olympic Club.

The top three teams and the top 20 individuals in each age group from the 6-8 sub-bantam to the 13-14 youth divisions will qualify to compete in the Coaches Cross Country Nationals that will be held Saturday, Nov. 17, in Lexington, Ky. Good luck to the local Striders.

Georgetown Boys & Girls Club 5K

Join the Seashore Striders and the Georgetown Boys & Girls Club for an inaugural 5K Run from the Georgetown Fire Department on Sunday, Nov. 11. The 5K race will kick off at 9 a.m. with a kiddie dash at 8:50 a.m. Each race participant will receive a Boys & Girls Club beanie while supplies last. Register online at seashorestriders.com. Preregistration price is $25 through Thursday, Nov. 8. Participants can also register Friday, Nov. 9 until race day for $28 with registration closing at 8:45 a.m. The one-mile fun walk is $20 for both pre- and post-registration. Join us as we thank the Georgetown Boys & Girls Club for their many years of encouraging, supporting and loving the children of our community. For more information, go to seashorestriders.com or bgclubs.org.