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Cagey Coverdale still a closer on the field hockey pitch

Parents of college athletes beam and bounce with pride
October 9, 2018

Cagey Coverdale - Erin Coverdale is the most unlikely-looking assassin on the hockey field, and off the field wearing glasses, she’s even less imposing. But she is an athletic heartbreaker, and it’s best to know where she is if you want to leave the field a winner. On Oct. 6 at Franklin and Marshall, the Diplomats trailed Ursinus 2-1 late in the game. Coverdale scored two goals in the final six minutes, including the game-winner with 33 seconds left, ripping an inserted pass off a corner. Dips win! Dips win! Go back to Nov. 8, 2014, a quarterfinal game at Dover between Cape and Sussex Tech. The Vikings trailed 2-0 at the half, looked destined to go down. Sydney Ostroski scored at 43:33, making it 2-1. Later it was holy guacamole, as Erin Coverdale sneaked through a shot at 58:07 to tie it up at 2-2, and before fans could figure, “How does overtime work?” Tess Bernheimer scored with four seconds on the clock for a 3-2 Cape win. Cape would beat Padua 5-4 in the semis on an overtime goal from Sam Broadhurst, then beat Polytech 3-1 in the championship game.  Tina “Cabbage Patch” Gooding was the goalie on that squad. Erin’s sister Alex, a Virginia Tech graduate, was on Cape’s 2012 state championship hockey team.

Beam me up, Scotty! Proud parents beam and bounce – they can’t help themselves – I’ve seen it at college tailgates forever. The new millenium has unfolded with monogrammed canopies and slow cookers and actual Beamers, not Buicks, rimming lacrosse play days. Susan and I were at the Naval Academy on Oct. 6 to support granddaughter Lizzie and friends and the Temple women’s lacrosse team. Navy, St. Joe’s, Arizona State and San Diego State were the other teams at the play day. We had to take a shuttle from the football stadium – a freaking yellow school bus with a center aisle so narrow a fourth-grader would have to turn sideways on the way to his straight up-and-down seat built for people who weigh under 100 pounds. A good day was had by most. Susan didn’t get to see Lizzie – it ain’t like high school; the protocols are pretty rigid, except for me, I’m like the Temple team Golden Retriever. Eighteen athletes on San Diego State are from the East Coast/mid-Atlantic region because “that’s where the players are.”

Leaving time on the field - A year ago Oct. 9, my son Tom left this earth at age 40, his last words at noon, “I’m taking Darby Dog for a ride.” The family has faced down all the holidays and the twins’ birthday Dec. 2, and we had a birthday get-together for Jack, who must move forward like the rest of us. Jack told me: “It’s just a shame Tom had to miss the Eagles’ Super Bowl win.” I had both Tom and Jack on the sidelines for a couple of Eagles games, so they had an experience few fans ever enjoy. The anniversary of the dreadfully sad day is another “can’t duck this” day. We all deal with it in our own way. As Lyle Lovett sang, “I live in my own mind.” Lots of bad things happen to lots of good people over the course of a year, and the best we can do is, “Smile on your brother and try to love one another right now.”  

Journey on - Granddaughter Anna asked me by text, “No Buddy Walk for you?” “No, actually Lizzie will be my Saturday buddy,” I said. “Very cool,” she answered. I also missed Dewey Goes Pink. My niece Michelle just survived year one of no fun, but there are always good people to cover your absence. Dan Cook covered Cape at Poly football as I was home resting up for the Saturday road trip. Jaden Davis, a sophomore, had 24 rushing attempts for 133 yards and three touchdowns. I sure didn’t see that coming.

Snippers - Vincent Vasques McDowell, adopted by the McDowell family 10 years ago, was married Saturday with Deacon Dave officiating the service and serving as best man. Vinnie married Bethany Berry, daughter of Suzi Berry. Colleen McDowell’s famous words at the kitchen table 10 years ago, “Sit down, Deacon, and tell me again, we’re adopting who?” You laughing? Lung Force Walk is set for Sunday, Oct. 14, starting at the Rehoboth Boardwalk Bandstand at 10 a.m. Locals should come support team Sentman Strong to honor Doug Sentman. His daughter Shelley is co-chair, so I expect to see Cape hockey and the entire hockey network represented. Go to http://action.lung.org/site/TR/LUNGFORCE/ALAMA_Mid-Atlantic…  I’ll put it right here! Sussex Academy middle school field hockey beat Beacon 3-1 on Oct. 3, and I wasn’t there or any other middle school game this entire fall. Dan Cook is the middle school guy, but I may show up somewhere soon. Go on now, git!

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