Royals rusty in return to girls’ basketball action

Delmarva Christian’s J-Term is a special time for students and their families to enjoy one another, but it does come at a cost to their winter sports teams.

The Royals ended 2025 on a high note with a 42-24 victory for the girls’ basketball squad at Seaford, but they opened their 2026 slate Jan. 17 against an Indian River team that scored its fifth win in a row, handing them a 35-26 takedown.

“Good little battle for this Saturday,” coach Frank Roach said. “I wish we could maybe play them again at some point, maybe next year, but this year, they did a great job.”

IR went on a 7-0 run to start the contest, but the Royals clawed back to make it 9-5 at the end of the first quarter. The visitors began taking over in the second stanza, compiling a 23-13 lead at the half and shutting out Delmarva Christian in the third quarter.

A 31-13 deficit to start the fourth could have led to the Royals packing it in, but they shook off some of their rust and got the ball moving. Roach used the quarter to get minutes for some girls, which was the right move. The greenhorns began trimming the lead and actually won the final frame 13-4 to finish with a respectable 35-26 defeat.

While the game was never in doubt, the final eight minutes could prove to be a confidence boost for a Delmarva Christian squad facing a busy week.

“Next week we got three games, we got a couple practices before the game, so I think it'll tighten up a little bit,” Roach said. “We should be a little better and what will help also is Eva Elliott hopefully getting back.”

Delmarva Christian will play back-to-back away games against Salisbury School and Wilmington Charter Wednesday and Thursday, Jan. 21 and 22, before welcoming Red Lion at 11 a.m., Saturday, Jan. 24.

With a current 3-5 record, they could surpass the .500 mark with a trio of wins.