Sleep at night, prowl in the morning

SoDel to Sunday - Between the Bluecoast and Thompson Island restaurants June 10, the SoDel Cares 5K rumbled away from Route 1 toward Veterans Way with 331 runners and another 200 one-mile walkers. Hot Sauce Band played at the finish line. The upside-down life — sleep at night and prowl in the morning — is always in play at running races. The next day it was the Chicken Chase 5K, which started on the northbound side of Route 1 across from the Starboard, then rumbled into Rehoboth, crossing Silver Lake Bridge before taking a hard right up to the Rehoboth Boardwalk. Then it hit reverse like UNO and headed back for the party. I reflected, “Silver Lake is such a beautiful place that I can barely afford to slow down.” Both weekend races were Races2Run events. Next weekend, the Seashore Striders will host the Triple Crown Series with races Friday, June 16, in Georgetown; Saturday, June 17, at Hudson Fields; and Sunday, June 18, on Wilmington Avenue and the Boardwalk in Rehoboth Beach. After a frenzied and focused month of May closing down scholastic spring sports, there’s time for a deep breath or at least some heavy breathing. My wife Susan said, “Now that school sports are over, you can get back to your runners.” And a weird aside: There are no other photojournalists in my age group. I am always the champion.

Wesley Hall of Fame - Derrick Quillen, part of Cape’s 1998 lethal lax attack that included Billy Lingo and Josh Wyatt, was inducted into the Wesley College Athletics Hall of Fame June 10 in an outdoor ceremony in Dover. Derrick posted: “Very humbled and honored to be inducted into Wesley College Hall of Fame for athletics. Lacrosse has been a love of mine ever since I was introduced to this amazing sport. I’ve played with, and against, some amazing players and have had some of the best coaches in the game. Coaches and teammates that have poured into my life on and off the field. Everything started with Cape lax and we finished our high school career strong with the first lacrosse state championship for Cape and an undefeated season (19-0). Playing college ball was a different experience and taught me a lot about myself on and off the field. I love the game! I love the people who battled by my side and the ones who have still never left my side.” 

Ball of confusion - Monday morning I read that the boys’ and girls’ Delaware lacrosse all-star games were that night, but I had planned for Tuesday. I went to dellax.org and discovered I was right. The main page still shows last year’s game, but the Senior All-Star Game tab has the correct information. The games are June 13, but, according to the website, players should report early on June 14 (2022) to pick up their uniforms. 

Slugfest - On Sunday, I flipped back and forth between Super Regional baseball games, as Virginia hosted Duke and Wake Forest hosted Alabama. Jake Gelof is an obvious local connection for Virginia, while Bill Cilento is the associate head coach for the Demon Deacons and the son of Bob and Barbara Cilento of Lewes. Wake clinched a berth in the College World Series with a 22-5 win in front of 3,903 fans. The Deacons hit nine home runs in the game, with junior Brock Wilken smacking three. Wilken has set an ACC record with 70 career home runs. “Wake is in the four-team bracket opposite UVA, so the only way they could meet is in the finals,” said Bob Cilento. Virginia beat Duke 12-2 in the other no-drama, it’s-all-over-but-the-dogpile ticket to the World Series game. Gelof became Virginia’s all-time home run hitter when he cracked the 38th of his career April 11. Both Wilken and Gelof are eligible for the 2023 MLB Draft July 9-11. A sold-out Disharoon Park holds about 5,900 fans. The College World Series begins Friday, June 16, and concludes Monday, June 26. 

Snippets - High school football teams are now permitted to practice two hours per week no contact, so if you see Monday night lights at Cape, you’ll know it’s not band camp. Hopefully there will be other clues. Go on now, git!