New Kid on the Block - A week ago, Seth Moore, a 14-year-old eighth-grade distance runner from Greenwood who runs varsity on the Sussex Academy track team was a Cape Gazette Athlete of the Week. Seth wasn’t even a blip on my radar screen because only captains of ships and planes have real-time radar. I saw him in person at the state track meet on the Division II state championship 3,200-meter relay team. The team of Rocco Buonopane, Seth Moore, Ben Moody and Ryan Moody ran 8:06.06 to upset favored Saint Mark's. Seth also ran the open 3,200 in 10:15.58. Then on Sunday morning in Lewes, Seth was in the front row of 500 runners in a following field at the DQ Dash 5K. “Hey, I know you,” I said. “I took your picture at the state meet.” Seth’s response, "Oh yeah, I remember.” Then the young rascal went out and blew away the field, running a 16:40 to beat masters runner Tim Pagano, 40, of Lewes, who ran 17:23. Harper Mamele, who won the Division I high jump title the day before, also won her age group at the race in 25:45. Harper plays volleyball, basketball and track. Keeping with the state champions theme, wrestlers Mikey Frederick and CJ Fritchman, running for the East Bound and Down Track Club Bandits, ran bibless in about 25 minutes.

Makes sense - The Talking Heads recorded an album, “Stop Making Sense,” which is a good theme for athletes in sports because the expression makes sense is often the reverse, meaning the message is clearly none of it makes sense. Valparaiso senior Brian Sponaugle is straight out of Milton, where he was a Little League catcher. He switched to cross country at Cape, then became an 800-meter runner. Then in college, he was a decathlete before finally specializing in the javelin. Last weekend, Brian capped off his college career by winning the javelin at the Missouri Valley Conference Championship with a throw of 208 feet. It makes sense that a catcher would transition into a top-flight javelin thrower with the overhead arm action. Actually, very little makes sense when it comes to athletes. Oddly enough, Brian went to Mariner, and the nickname for Valparaiso teams is the Beacons. 

Slade slides away - I notice that Cape Vice Principal Tim Slade retired as a Cape administrator. Tim was part of the legendary basketball starting five at Sussex Central that went to the state finals in 1988. The team coached by Jerry Peden was Tim Slade, Don Polk, Johnny Gibbs, Robert Ruffin and Doug Reed. The best Sussex Central boys' basketball team ever. Tim was a slick-shooting forward on that team that lost to the Red Devils of Wilmington and coach Gene Thompson in the finals 46-39.

Steel City - Tailgate at any NFL stadium where the Steelers are playing and their fans will be all over the parking lot. I know hundreds of people who have moved from Pittsburgh, but only one who has moved to Pittsburgh. That’s Mark “Cannonball” Hudson from Lewes. I just don’t get signing Aaron Rodgers, a 42-year-old veteran of 22 seasons to a one-year $25 million contract. 

A Moment of Remembrance - Alan Quillen of Seaford finished the Dairy Queen 5K, pointed to the sky with hand over his heart and said “John Hollis,” an homage to the longtime Seaford coach and community impact person who passed away last week. Alan knew that I knew he was close to John Hollis. I found the Sunday morning moment spiritual and touching. 

Snippets - Catholic University freshman lacrosse player Burke Healy, straight outta Cape, led his team in scoring this season with 41 goals and 24 assists for 65 points. The Jumbos of Tufts University will play Rochester Institute of Technology Sunday, May 24, at the University of Virginia for the NCAA Division III title. Mack Leonhartt of Cape and The Hill School has played in all 22 games for the No. 1-ranked Tufts team. The Tufts women play Middlebury in the semifinals of the Division III tournament Friday, May 22, in Rochester, N.Y. Salisbury (20-0) will play Wesleyan in the other semifinal. Home court, home ice, home field: What difference does it make? It’s all just noise. Go on now, git!