Marshall leads Cape at DIAA indoor championships

Senior Alia Marshall scored 19 of the Vikings’ 33 points at her first and last Delaware State Indoor Championship Feb. 2 in Landover, Md., at the Prince Georges Sports & Learning Center. The Vikings were seventh overall in the field of 22 teams and third of Henlopen Conference teams. 

Marshall scored in all four of her events in which she participated highlighted by a second-place finish in the long jump with a leap of 17-feet-4-inches, a new school record. Marshall was also third in an exciting 400-meter final in another new school record of 59.94 seconds. She earned a fifth-place finish in the triple jump with a leap of 34-10 1/4. In the 200-meter final, Marshall was eighth overall in 26.66 seconds. Defending state shot put champ Ce’yra Middleton was second with a toss of 37-3, while Mackenzie Parker was sixth in the shot put in 33-1 3/4. Jumper Sawyer Walker finished seventh in the high jump with a jump of 4-10, while freshman Tia Jarvis was eighth in the long jump in 15-5 1/4.  

The Vikings 4-by-800 relay team of Taylor Johnson, Fallon Moore, Elizabeth Melson and Mia Nuebling finished ninth overall in a season-best time of 10:53.28. Also finishing ninth was the 4-by-200 relay team of Jarvis, Noelle Sabbagh, Ariyanna Dabney and Walker in a season-best time of 1:52.70. Sabbagh also finished 10th in the 55 hurdles in 9.81 seconds, while she also returned in the triple jump to finish 12th in 31-1 1/2. Johnson returned in the 800 meters to finish 12th in 2:38.24, while Melson was 16th in the 16,00 meters in 6:01.00. The 4-by-400 relay team of Sabbagh, Johnson, Dabney and Nuebling finished 16th in 4:35.59.

Senior Dane Palmer scored eight points to lead the Vikings boys, with a third-place finish in the high jump in 5-10 and a seventh place finish in the triple jump in 41-5 1/4. The Vikings finished ninth overall in the field of 24 teams with 26 points and third of Henlopen Conference. Giovanni Bendfeldt was fifth in the pole vault in 11-0.  Isaiah Fillyau was also fifth overall in the 55 hurdles in 8.36 seconds. Thrower Josiah Miller set a season best with a toss of 46-9 in the shot put for sixth place. The 4-by-800 relay of Owen Allen, David Smith, Ethan Edery and John DiStefano finished sixth in 8:56.26. DiStefano was 10th in the 1,600 meters in 4:57.71. The 4-by-400 relay of Christian Partlow, Cody Workman, John Small and David Smith finished 17th in a time of 3:48.56 to close out the meet.

Women in Sports Day

Feb. 6 was proclaimed as Delaware Women in Sports Day in Delaware, and Cape was represented at the governor’s celebration in Wilmington. Coach Kate Austin and I tagged along with all-state field hockey and lax player and recent holder of four indoor track school records senior Alia Marshall. As we took our turn to say hello to the governor, John Carney said to us, "The Cape people ... you’re always at the top!" 

Congratulations to all the Delaware female athletes, including our Viking Alia Marshall. It was a fun day and they gave us a piece of cake for lunch!

Beacon Track & Field

At the end of last season, the Beacon Middle School girls had finished another undefeated season at 9-0 and extended its 10-year dual meet record to 82-1. The girls won the Jim Blades, Cape Relays, Cape MS Classic and D.C. Relay Invitationals and sent eight scoring eighth-graders off to the high school. The coaching staff all agreed that this 2019 season would be a rebuilding one. To our surprise and we will see who stays out, but after only two days there are 60 girls and 33 boys on the list. 

The Mariner team has had solid numbers for the past three years under coach Kenny Riedel and Mariner updates will be coming soon.