Track and field attracts an array of personality types

Squirrels gonna be squirrely - I had to go into Cape High to get a photo of three pole vaulters – Bailey Fletcher, Eddie Houck and Brady Mauro – who grabbed the top three spots in the DIAA state meet Feb. 4. Their efforts translated into 24 team points. I told the athletes they were forever part of Cape sports lore and the answer to a trivia question. Brady, a transfer from California, said, “My jump in California would have been like 50th place.” I joked, “That alone is reason enough to move.” I mentioned that a quick-twitching, squirrely personality was a prerequisite for pole vaulting, and they looked at me like I was nuts. Cape’s Vincent Glover, the Birdman, set a state record in the triple jump in 1982 of 48-feet-12-inches. But I couldn’t  make his human pogo-stick self into a high jumper. High jumpers tend to be a bit high-strung. Hurdlers are reckless, sprinters are lazy, and the best coaches are more or less totally crazy. Fletcher set a Henlopen meet record Feb. 8 with a height of 13-feet-8-inches. 

Extrapolation - The Beacon girls’ basketball team finished the regular season at 12-0. Their closest game was a 40-26 win at Dover Central. Six of Beacon’s 12 opponents didn’t break double figures in the game, while another five didn't break 15 points. The teammates are unselfish, featuring crisp passes with no gunners. Bad shots are not part of the game plan. Many of the players have come up through the youth field hockey and lacrosse network. They are coachable athletes and rock-hard competitors. Beacon was also 12-0 in 2022, 2018 and 2014. And so what does it mean, and how does it translate to success at Cape Henlopen High School? Cape’s varsity team is currently 15-2 with 15 wins in a row. Ursuline is tearing up its schedule, currently at 17-0, with challenging games remaining against Sanford and St. Elizabeth. Cape last beat Ursuline in the semifinals of the 2011 state tournament 63-55. I just remember Johnesha Warren went off for 21 points. The starting five were Warren, Meg Bartley, Jacki Coveleski, Taylor Harris and Kadijah Doughty. Poochie Hazzard and Will Edwards were the coaches. 

Coach Alderman - Jim Alderman led Cape football to the state championship in fall 1979. Jimbo passed away in July 2020. He will be inducted into the Delaware Afro American Sports Hall of Fame this spring as part of a class of 12. The banquet is April 15 at 6 p.m., at the Modern Maturity Center in Dover. Kathy, Abby and Brad will fly up from Florida for the event. The website is daashof.org. No tickets will be sold at the door. Call Clem Jordan (Sussex County) at 302-539-5050 for tickets. A ticket is $50 and a table of 10 is $500. I can share that Abby and Kathy would love to see a couple of tables of Alderman’s friends, but they’re not about to organize it. We need some step-up people, some high rollers and low ballers, and by the way, Miz Fred and I have to buy our tickets just like everyone else. Contact Fredman inside my office of disarray to see if we can organize an expedition – we roll together forever, and when we show up, we sit together.   

Crumbs on my keyboard - I won’t worry about cookie crumbs on my computer keyboard until the mouse comes to life and starts to nibble at them. Eek-A-Mouse is a Jamaican reggae artist, now 65 years old, who had a hit called “Khaki Suit.” Most coaches and sportswriters are khaki and cargo personality types, preferring white socks and sneakers, and you better get somewhere with your Skechers slippers.

Snippets - Insidelacrosse.com is the site for scores and stories from all divisions of men’s and women's lacrosse. Bookmark the page if you're like me, a housebound lunatic who can watch eight streamed games simultaneously with a mouse in my right hand and a cookie in my left. There are two local people who, when someone says their name to me, it's always prefaced with “your boy.” One is “Your boy Tim” (Bamforth) and the other is “Your boy Butch” (Archer). Butch is retiring (electrician and community fund person). There is an Irish Eyes party planned for him on Friday, Feb. 17. Then Monday, Feb. 20, a luncheon for Tim will be held in Wilmington to honor his community service. I will be there for “my boys.” Go on now, git!