Vikings indoor track competes at Ursinus College

The Cape Henlopen boys’ and girls’ indoor track & field teams traveled Jan. 9 to Ursinus College in Collegeville, Pa., to compete in the Collegeville High School Invitational at the Floy Lewis Bakes Field House, featuring a 200-meter indoor six-lane oval. Thirty teams from around the Delmarva area competed at the meet, with all athletes required to wear masks at all times other than racing and no spectators allowed.

The Cape boys were led by the 4-by-200 relay team of John Small, Konner Knarr, Daniel Saez, and Ja’on Harris, winning the race in 1:37.44. Small was second in the 55-meter hurdle finals in 8.57 seconds. Jumper Barritt Ross was second in the high jump in 5-feet-3-inches, while Eddie Houck jumped 10-0 for second in the pole vault. Cape was third in the 4-by-400 relay in 3:53.32, while distance runner Joey DeGregory was fourth in the 3,000 meters in a time of 9:34.70. Also finishing fourth was Bailey Fletcher in the pole vault in 9-6, Brandon Ayers in the high jump in 4-11, and Harris in the 200 meters in 24.55. Owen McDaniel was fifth in the long jump in 16-10, while Saez was fifth in the triple jump in 35-6. Owen Daminger was sixth in the 400-meter dash in 56.71, while McDaniel was seventh in the triple jump in 33-7 ½. Thomas Gibbs tossed the shot 34-7 ¼, good for eighth place, while Daminger jumped 16-2 in the long jump, finishing ninth. Ayers also finished ninth in the 55-meter hurdles in 10.40.

The Cape girls’ track team was led by a fourth-place finish from the 4-by-200 relay team of Hannah Maney, Grace Wiggins, Landon Diehl and Montana Jones, running 1:58.97 on the flat oval. Tia Jarvis returned to the track for a test event of 400 meters where the senior finished sixth in 1:04.43. Maney was close behind in seventh in a time of 1:04.60. Junior Katie Kuhlman finished seventh in the mile run in 5:51.76 and returned to race to a time of 11:34.51 in the 3,000 meters, which converts to a 12:14 for 3,200 meters, just short of her season best of 12:12. Lindsey D’Ambrogi was 10th in the 55-meter hurdles with a time of 11.29 in the finals, while she also triple jumped 28-10 3/4 for seventh place. The 4-by-400 relay of Maney, Jones, Diehl and Lainey Shockro was sixth in 4:37.35.  Hailey Archambault finished seventh in 29-4 in the shot put. Wiggins was sixth in the long jump in 14-0, while Elizabeth Melson finished eighth in the high jump in 4-5.  Shockro also finished sixth in the pole vault in 9-6.

Taiwan Savage in Arizona

A Cape graduate and one of the all-time best distance runners who has ever worn a Vikings uniform, Taiwan Savage, lives with his family in Tucson, Ariz. I coached Taiwan when he was in high school; he was part of the 1992 and 1993 state track & field championships that we won. Taiwan was also instrumental in the early developmental years of Seashore Striders, racing in USATF and AAU track & field and cross country championships all around the country. Taiwan kept in touch when my sons, Jake and Ben, were born and followed their running careers, which mirrored his own 20 years earlier.

This past week, my son Jake, who recently became a professional triathlete, was in Tucson participating in a weeklong training session with his Colorado State University triathlon team and connected with Savage. Taiwan met Jake at the training facility pool and brought cookies for the team to enjoy. Taiwan Savage is one of the Savage siblings – a track & field family that has won more state championships than any family in Delaware. A great guy whom I am lucky to have coached.