Sonja Friend-Uhl wins masters 800-meter indoor world title in Poland

Sonja Friend-Uhl - Sonja won the 800-meter state title in 2:18 in 1989 while running for Cape. On March 30, the now 48-year-old William and Mary graduate won the same event at the World Masters Athletics Indoor Track and Field Championship in 2:17.40. The race was contested at Arena Torun in Poland. Sonja also placed second in the 1,500 meters in 4:44.10. I asked Sonja how she maintained her speed and endurance while avoiding injury. “The speed/training question is a long answer. Basically I train like a typical collegiate middle distance runner [800 to 3,000 meters], but I take an extra easy day in between hard workouts [at least two easy days], and I keep the long run in the weekly cycle [average 10 to 12 miles on long run],” Sonja said. “During cross country season, I try to stay off the track. Most hard workouts are on grass, dirt or mulch trail during the late summer into late fall. I’m definitely leaner than I was in high school, but I don’t want to give girls the impression that the most important thing is weight.”

Baseball by the numbers - Cape baseball is 2-1 this young season with a 12-0 win at Laurel and a 1-0 victory at Lake Forest March 29. Cape lost to Sallies 2-0 March 27. There is good and bad news in the interpretation of the data. The good: Cape has allowed just two runs in 20 innings of baseball, recording a pair of shutouts. Sean Clendaniel and Parker Brown combined for a three-hitter at Laurel, striking out 12. But when the competition got better at Sallies and Lake, the Vikings’ offense was shut out in 13 of 14 innings played. They managed a first-inning run at Lake Forest, which held up as Luke Johnson pitched a four-hit shutout for the Vikings. Mason Fluharty had a good outing at Sallies, only giving up one run in five innings of work. Analysis: Pitching has been strong this season, but the last two games Cape has only scored one run. Cape plays at 2-0 Milford Tuesday, April 2, and at 0-2 Smyrna Thursday, April 4. The Vikings will host 0-2 Middletown at 1 p.m., Saturday, April 6. Cape will return to Wiamea High School in Hawaii for spring break. The Vikings made that trip in 2014, returned home, then dropped the last seven games of the season in what came to be known as “The Curse of Waimea Bay.”

Bryce and the Buckaloos - Bryce Harper hit a howitzer shot home run March 30 at “The Bank” against the Braves to make the score 7-4 in what proved to be the winning run of the Phillies’ 8-6 win. There to witness history was a bevy of local Buckaloos including Dickie, Bridget, Sloane, Quinn and Bill Henry. It was the 15th birthday for the triplets. Triplet Maren did not want to go on the triplet birthday trip, so Paris Mitchell took her place. Henry Buckaloo and Bill Buckaloo took a young Dickie to his first major league ball game at Connie Mack Stadium in 1951, a doubleheader, as the Philadelphia A’s hosted the New York Yankees. I was probably there as well. Living only two blocks away, I sneaked into games, just like a Dewey kid who walks over a dune to get to the beach. I’m sure Harper, from Vegas, never heard of a Buckaloo, unless it's a term when you get busted in blackjack. “You are Buckalooed, boss!”

Snippets - Can someone get accepted to a college and just decide to go there without saying “I’ve committed”? It makes college sound like a mental hospital. Speaking of which, is it really necessary to apply to 15 colleges, then brag you got accepted to them all? Rejection stories are more interesting. I have lost some weight, and half the people who notice are concerned that I am perhaps physically ill. “Are you trying to lose weight?” “No, actually I’m trying to maintain an optimal level of fatness and a 40 percent body mass index, but no matter how many hot dogs I bong, I just can’t seem to keep my pants up ... I mean weight up.” I was at DE Turf March 30 watching the U8 Central Delaware Diamonds play Queen Anne’s. My granddaughter Meredith plays for the U8 Diamonds. DE Turf is a great resource. We are lucky to have it downstate. Cape embedded its first unified track team inside the home high school meet with Indian River March 28 at Legends Stadium. Athletes threw the shot, long jumped, and ran the 100 meters and 4-by-100-meter relay. Go on now, git!