Athletes of the Week Aug. 5

Luke Bender

Luke sailed through his sophomore season at Cape wrestling 145 pounds and was basically unchallenged en route to a state championship. Cape also won the Division I team crown that year for the first time in its 50-year history. That spring, Luke hyperextended his elbow – it was bad – and he’s rehabbed himself to doctor’s clearance, but it would never be right without surgery. On Jan. 8, Bender had season-ending surgery, taking a stud out of the middle of a strong wrestling lineup. The team did the electric slide, shuffling the lineup and won the Division I dual-meet state title. Bender stood there and watched it all go down. But now “Wingspan Gumby” is back and it’s time for others to go down. Luke is training with two-time state champ Patrick Davis and working out with Dewey Beach Patrol, where he recently won the pushup contest in the rookie test.  

Isabella Fuscellaro

Izzy is a rising junior and heroic high school kid attempting to play goalie in field hockey for the first time. Fredman introduced himself to Izzy Monday at Champions Field Hockey Camp, but he already knew the rising junior. Izzy is coming off a year of treatment that required a port and resulted in her losing her hair. She had a constant smile through her struggles, but now she has a clean bill of health. Her hair is back, and the irrepressible Izzy never left the game. She is trying to be a goalie for the first time while working on building back her stamina. Throughout the long six-hour days of camp, she is there the entire time just working on her game while working on herself.  

Isabella Mekulski

A rising Cape ninth-grader, Izzy has been a field hockey goalie since sixth grade and also plays on the Oranje Gottaloveit travel team. Last fall as an eighth-grader, she led a Beacon team coached by Lynn Richardson to a 9-0-1 record, which included eight shutouts. Izzy is a top-flight Academic Challenge student whom coach Richardson describes as a hard worker and a quiet leader. Suffice it to say she is poised, smart and confident. Throw in athletic and fearless, and you have Izzy, your basic field hockey goalie. Morgan Newcomb returns as Cape’s starting goalie, and there are also second-year player Brianna Windish and first-year goalie Izzy Fuscellaro. All four are in Champions Field Hockey Camp this week.  

Terrique Riddick

“Reek” signed to play football at the University of Delaware during a ceremony at OutTrain Fitness & Performance in Harbeson Aug. 2. He reported for his physical Aug. 3, with practice beginning Aug. 5. Reek played freshman ball at Cape before moving to Woodbridge, where he became an all-state all-purpose back and led the Blue Raiders to a state championship. He rushed for 1,503 yards and scored 18 touchdowns his senior year at Woodbridge. He was an All-American his freshman year at William Paterson. Reek was a dean's list student at William Paterson and ran a 4.4 for 40 yards. The late Anthony Burton, who played for Cape 1975-78 and later for Swarthmore, is his great-uncle. He is also related to the Hazzard and Daniels families of Slaughter Neck. As a player, electric is his characteristic; he’s solid and reminds Delaware fans of Omar Cuff (2004-07), who’s now a Blue Hen Hall of Famer.