Sunday morning rain coming down over wet Sea Witch 5K

Early morning rain - I looked over Grove Park from the front seat of my 4Runner at 8 a.m., Oct. 29, an hour before race time, watching runners gather under the gazebo for the start of the 28th annual Sea Witch 5K. A designated scary weekend, and the rain riding warm southeast winds kept hundreds away, but a couple hundred showed up anyway. I watched 10-year-old Bennett Brumbley spin, whirl, climb and slide on all apparatuses designed by engineers for children, then he jumped the split-rail fence in front of me and waved on the way to his dad’s truck. Later, Bennett won the competitive 10-13 age group by running 22:30, just ahead of Alex Arnold, 12, 22:36, and Colin Kay, 13, 22:48. Bennett hung around near the finish line under a canopy for nearly a half an hour. It began raining Delmar Wildcats and Laurel Bulldogs, then Bennett’s eyes focused like a retriever in the blind. He headed back out on the course to fetch his 82-year-old buddy Dr. Lee Masser, and escort him to the finish line. Sussex County westside loyalty is a real thing - you make a friend, they are a friend forever.

Flotsam and jetsam - I watched Cape at Sussex Central Oct. 28 down-home style, streaming 302sports on a laptop from a couch in my garage. It’s as real as the press box, minus the biased announcing. High school games are slowed by flags - the more dynamic the play, the more likely it is coming back. A Central Homecoming float seemed to offend many Cape-side adults; the theme targeted Vikings freshman quarterback Sam Jones by number and name. Sam quarterbacked Millsboro Middle for coach Lance Keeler, the nicest guy out there, and Sam is a great kid, no question about it. I’ve never met a football coach involved in float input or to ask on game day “Which class won best float?” but some advisor has to take the heat on this. Grandmom Rose: “If you offend a mom, then it’s offensive, end of story. Don’t ever do that.” That float should have been jettisoned before it left the barn. 

Bailed on a classic - “I wanna watch the World Series, Nurse Ratched.” - One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest. I like the Los Angeles Dodgers, but I love the Houston Astros’ lineup and storyline. I flopped into bed Sunday night, and my wife Susan was groggily watching some highbrow public television stuff. She rolled away after throwing the remote at my head, saying, “You can change that.” The Astros were trailing Clayton Kershaw and the Dodgers 4-0 in the fourth inning and I said, “that’s OK, I’m sported out,” after watching the Eagles beat the Niners then the Cowboys roll past the Redskins. I only missed an epic 13-12 Astros win that took over five hours because I bailed on the ballgame. Kershaw was 71-1 in games where he had a four-run lead. It was the most improbable comeback since the day before when Ohio State got off the deck to beat Penn State, which played the last quarter like toast ready to pop.

Snippets - It’s a big sports week at the Cape venue, as Beacon and Mariner play each other in soccer at Legends Stadium and field hockey at Champions Stadium Wednesday, Nov. 1. Mariner hockey is undefeated, while Beacon has one 2-1 loss to Delmar. Then Thursday evening, Nov. 2, it’s Beacon vs. Mariner football  at Legends Stadium at 6 p.m. Beacon football is 2-3-1, while Mariner is 2-4. Cape volleyball plays Delaware Military Academy at Smyrna Thursday, Nov. 4, at 6 p.m., in the first round of the DIAA state tournament. Sussex Academy plays at Red Lion Christian at 7 p.m., and the winner plays Indian River at Tower Hill Saturday, Nov. 4, at 7 p.m. Delmarva Christian will play the winner of Concord and Christiana Nov. 4 at Saint Mark’s at 7 p.m. “Go hard or go home.” It’s tournament time. “Go hard and go home” is also in play if you follow the bracket all the way to the right, as there is only one line over the word “champion.” Go on, now! You don’t have to go hard or go home, just git!