Seahawks soccer gets past Cape in OT
It was a typical Sussex Academy versus Cape soccer game. Two teams that have a strong rivalry, but respect each other’s talents and skills from travel teams and backyard competitions.
It was only fitting the 2025 match went into overtime.
The Sussex Academy squad took this season’s game 2-1 thanks to a Chase Ballinger blast past Cape goalie Anton Schierenberg with just three minutes left in the first overtime period.
Cape moves to 8-2, while the Seahawks are 8-1.
The Seahawks have had the advantage for three straight games, including a 1-0 Henlopen Conference Championship win last season.
The Seahawks drew first blood when George Sapna crushed a penalty kick past Schierenberg at the eight-minute mark.
“They are definitely a hard team to play against,” said Sapna. “They play the complete opposite of how we want to play. It’s hard for us to adjust to them, but we did throughout the game. I think we won with grit.”
It took a back-and-forth 17 minutes more before Cape sophomore Carter Matarazzi pounded a direct kick past Sussex Academy goalie Austin Taylor.
Each team took 12 shots in the game.
Seahawks goalie Taylor made 11 stops in the contest, while the Vikings’ Schierenberg made 10 saves. The Vikings held a 7-5 edge in corners.
“These seniors got blown out on this field as freshmen,” said Seahawks coach RJ Dina. “This is the game they circle every year. Each season it gets a little tighter, and this group just refuses to quit. They care so much about this program and always find a way to dig deep and get it done.”
“It was a good game,” said Cape coach Patrick Kilby. “We have to win the North to meet them in the conference championship to get redemption in this calendar year. We have five games remaining, and four are conference games.”
Dan has worked for the Cape Gazette for more than 30 years as a photographer and reporter, covering high school sports and happenings around eastern Sussex County. He won a photography award from the National Newspaper Association, and numerous awards from the Maryland, Delaware, D.C. Press Association. A Delaware native, Dan graduated from Cape in 1972 and returned as a teacher and coach in the 1980s. He retired from the classroom in 2016. He was inducted into Cape High’s Legends Stadium in 2016. In his spare time, Dan enjoys spending time with his wife, two sons, grandchildren and dogs.
