Rewards, awards and time to get along, little doggies

Cross-street cousins - Ella Rishko and Mikey Frederick are first cousins and senior classmates who grew up “lacrosse” the street from each other. They are connected through the Dolan sisters Nelia and Liza. At Cape’s Senior Awards June 2, both Ella and Mikey received Athlete of the Year awards, which was “so very special,” as the song goes, and if we had known such awards were taking place, Susan definitely would have been there. Ella is going to Virginia Tech to play lacrosse, while Mikey is heading to Mercer University in Macon, Ga., to play lacrosse and study engineering.  

One puppy, one camera, one tribe yaw - I am part of the media milieu, the part that is on the way out. Think of livestreaming and Instagraming and instantaneous postings and actual television sports networks covering high school sports. I missed a running race Saturday morning  because I was away at a lacrosse game, inspiring some runners to joke, “Is this really happening if Fredman’s not here?” I told fellow photographer Jim Graham, who is top of the line while I’m still standing in line, “I think I have one more camera left in me. Not sure if I should go mirrorless or stick with what I know, which is what, I’m not sure.” And one more puppy perhaps, except the rescue network wants to evaluate me as a suitable parent (that’s not my dog) and many of the pups available look like escapees from the “Island of Doctor Moreau,” a science fiction novel by H.G. Wells where I first learned the word vivisection. 

Delaware Sports Network - I watched Cape baseball’s 2-1 win over Saint Mark’s on Comcast channel 2005, and when Owen Daminger came on in relief to get the final out after Nick Cox ran out of pitches, I thought of 2018 and Mason Fluharty relieving David Erickson to secure the state championship. I went to Facebook and posted, “Owen Daminger with the bags full in the top of the seventh and Cape leading 2-1, a full count, two outs, runners are off with the pitch. In the words of Harry Kalas, ‘He struck him out." I was close friends with Owen's great-grandfather Dick Reiter – Jodie’s BDat. I gave a thumbs-up through the vaulted ceiling. Dick had written his own eulogy; one thing he wrote was, "I'm coming back, look for a sign." You live forever as long as one person remembers you. By the way, the DSN did a great job broadcasting the game, not just technically, but the commentary had context and relevance. Señor No Puppy was very impressed. 

Football camp - I went out to one Cape practice for 20 minutes last week – they are allowed a five-day camp in June – just to take some photos and say hello to Mike Frederick, the new head coach and my brother Tom’s son. Mike had “Moose” written on the front plate of his red Tundra. Moose was Tom’s high school nickname. The same school tried calling me “Elk,” but it never caught on. Cape will open the 2022 season Thursday, Sept. 1, at Abessinio Stadium versus Salesianum. The debut at home is Friday, Sept. 9, versus Woodbridge. Woodbridge was 12-0 last year before losing in the state finals to Archmere 27-0. 

Snippets - Mike Schmidt: “We have the advantage of watching the game in hindsight.” If you’re thinking about that statement, you may have earned three credits in philosophy. The Phillies fired Northwestern grad Joe Girardi, who has won 1,123 games as a major league manager. Imprinted on my cerebral cortex is Girardi leading the Yankees to the 2009 World Series title, then stopping on the way home to help a stranded woman change a flat tire. The Salisbury Seagulls baseball team is still alive in the Division III tournament as of our June 6 deadline. The Gulls are basically in the final four. Travel sports are here to stay, with June being a very active month. Fold in open fields and open gym, and the busy student-athlete barely has time for a summer reading list. Cape students chose not to invite a graduation speaker, employing the position, “We got this!” Go on now, git it!