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Tournament showcases future of Cape soccer at Legends Stadium

Games set stage for three years of middle school rivalry, four years of high school camaraderie
The inaugural Elementary School Soccer Tournament was held at Legends Stadium June 13. Cape soccer coach Patrick Kilby got a look at some of the players coming up through the pipeline. AARON MUSHRUSH PHOTOS
Aaron R. Mushrush
June 15, 2023

Coach Patrick Kilby got a look at some of the players in the Cape soccer pipeline June 13.

The inaugural Elementary School Soccer Tournament was held at Legends Stadium, giving the head coach of Cape Henlopen High School boys’ and girls’ soccer teams a preview of the district’s younger talent.

An interesting dynamic in the Cape Henlopen School District is the two middle schools. Over the next three years, Beacon and Mariner players will engage in an intense rivalry before being united on teams at Cape.

During the tournament, the district elementary schools’ rivalry took center stage. H.O. Brittingham, Milton, Rehoboth, Love Creek and Lewes elementaries competed against one another in the inaugural competition. 

The atmosphere gave the future middle schoolers a glimpse of what a game night might look like when they don their high school kits. Players warmed up to music blasting and were led through similar drills that high schoolers go through before games. Following player announcements, the national anthem was played as some kids nervously awaited their first game on the big stage.

Games turned into exciting affairs of some evenly matched teams, and other teams just looking to have fun. While there was a healthy number of travel ball players, they were good to their teammates who might not have such experience. The kids rocking travel team kits exhibited impressive skill and knowledge of the game. There were at least three upper 90s and the battles along the outside flanks were hard-fought. The future of Cape soccer exhibited excellent sportsmanship.

Cape Henlopen’s Class of 2030 put on quite the show for parents and soccer fans June 13.

 

An interesting dynamic in the Cape Henlopen School District are the two middle schools. Over the next three years Beacon and Mariner players will engage in an intense rivalry before being united on teams at Cape. The five teams face the American flag as the national anthem is played.
Rehoboth Elementary School’s Colson Moore dribbles down the pitch during the first game against H.O. Brittingham.
London Steigerwalt was a force to be reckoned with inside the box. She made quick work of Marshal Sheetz’s cross to score a goal for Rehoboth Elementary School.
Love Creek Elementary’s Savannah Shepard fires a shot against Milton Elementary.
Marshall Sheetz begins to pick up the pace as he gets closer to the box.
Safe to say Lewes Elementary players were having a ball and bonding well with one another.
The picture says it all. H.O. Brittingham’s London Nichols makes a brilliant save so close to the goal line that in professional soccer it would need to be verified by the virtual assistant referee.
Lewes Elementary’s Grace Ippolito dribbles past the H.O. Brittingham defender, over midfield, and up the left flank.
Love Creek Elementary’s Blake Jarecki fires off a shot as teammate Sophia Connelly looks on.
Rehoboth Elementary’s Logan Diaz Ambrosio boots the ball toward the middle of the pitch during a goal kick.
Love Creek’s Sophia Connelly, playing with a cast on her left hand, fires one of her many shots on goal during the tournament. While this one was saved, she did net a few goals during the games.
An absolute ball of energy, willing to play anywhere and chase after any loose ball, Bryan Puac flies down the pitch. Puac is considered a recess legend at H.O. Brittingham.
Milton Elementary’s Liam Tyndall cranks one from a distance with Lincoln Rogerson closing in.
Milton Elementary’s Vinny Amalfitano sends a cross into the box. Heading is not allowed in the lower-age levels of soccer, so crosses were often chested or one-timed by the forwards in the box.
It appears Milton Elementary School only functions as a team. What began as a few photo subjects became the whole team. Shown in back are (l-r) James Pena, Ava Brown and Charlotte Bjorklund. In front are Clark Maloney, Meredith Beavers, Madeline Hill, Garrity Cox, Gabriela Scarantino, Maurizio Retzlaff, Vinny Amalfitano, Liam Tyndall, Aaron Morales and Daniel Trujillo Robledo.
Milton Elementary’s Madeline Hill passes the ball before Julian Kaufman’s challenge arrives at her feet.
James Pena and Julian Kaufman had quite a few battles during their match. Kaufman was the right wing and Pena was the left back.
Milton Elementary’s Garrity Cox prepares to cross the ball into the box against H.O. Brittingham.
The playful side of future Cape Henlopen High School and incoming Mariner Middle Vikings. The eager bunch looks ready to rock already. Shown are (l-r) Liam Tyndall, Vinny Amalfitano, Garrity Cox and Madeline Hill.
Cape Henlopen’s Class of 2030 put on quite the show for parents and soccer fans June 13.

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Aaron Mushrush joined the sports team in Summer 2023 to help cover the emerging youth athletics scene in the Cape Region. After lettering in soccer and lacrosse at Sussex Tech, he played lacrosse at Division III Eastern University in St. David's, PA. Aaron coached lacrosse at Sussex Tech in 2009 and 2011. Post-collegiately, Mush played in the Eastern Shore Summer Lacrosse League for Blue Bird Tavern and Saltwater Lacrosse. He competed in several tournaments for the Shamrocks Lacrosse Club, which blossomed into the Maryland Lacrosse League (MDLL). Aaron interned at the Coastal Point before becoming assistant director at WMDT-TV 47 ABC in 2017 and eventually assignment editor in 2018. 

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