Vikings dominate state lacrosse championships

Congratulations to Cape High’s girls’ and boys’ lacrosse teams, who, for only the second time since the championships began, both won DIAA state titles in the same year.

It’s a familiar story for the girls’ team, which defeated Archmere May 23 to win its 11th straight state championship – meaning seniors were only in second grade when Cape’s decade-plus of dominance began.

While the Cape community has grown accustomed to victory, winning never comes easy. Every year requires hard-fought battles that begin well before the first game with training during the off-season. The girls’ team finished the season 18-0, extending its streak to 137 straight wins against Delaware opponents.

The Vikings previously posted unbeaten seasons in 2010 and 2012 under legendary coach PJ Kesmodel; 2019 marks the first unbeaten season for coach Lindsey Underwood, whose three-year record is 51-3.

This year, the boys’ team, under coach Mark D’Ambrogi, joined the girls, defeating Salesianum June 6 to win the championship for the seventh time since the tournament began in 1993. Salesianum is a familiar opponent, meeting the Cape boys six times in the championship game, with each team garnering three wins.

Seeded No. 1 in the tournament, Cape fielded a tight-knit team. Seven Vikings scored in the 12-10 victory: Jack Dennis turned in a hat trick, and Luke D’Ambrogi, Gabe Best and Greg Boyce each scored twice. Adam Tekman, Blake Gipko and JP Heid scored one apiece.

But it wasn’t all about scoring. After the game, defensive coach Jack Lingo, the head coach back in 2014, the last time Cape beat Salesianum in a state final, said Billy Ott, Jaden Davis and Andre Currie battled on the face-off line the entire game, while Brody McMahon, Ben Weathersby and Matt Prestipino were great on defense. Lingo also had high praise for goalie Baxter Travers, a first-year starter, for an incredible game in goal, holding off a late surge by the Sallies.

The Cape Gazette joins in high praise for both the unbeaten girls’ team and the 18-2 boys’ team – one of those losses was to national lacrosse champion Bullis School – for their outstanding play this season.