Athletes of the Week Aug. 18

August 18, 2023

C.J. Fritchman

C.J. Fritchman has had quite a year so far. After winning an individual state title in wrestling at Cape, C.J.’s successful spring led to being named Delaware Player of the Year for boys’ lacrosse. He was later named Cape’s 2023 Male Athlete of the Year. But before taking his talents to Salisbury University this fall, C.J., a Dewey Beach Patrol guard, added another medal to his collection when he won the beach flags title at the U.S. Lifesaving Association National Championships in Virginia Beach, Va. His win contributed significant points to Sussex County’s total, helping the team finish second overall at the competition. Fritchman is planning to play lacrosse at Salisbury.

Terry Pettyjohn

A former Cape cross country runner who is now 20 years old and pursuing a degree in computer science from Delaware Technical Community College, Terry is fit of body and mind, and just a really nice person. On the Cape Henlopen High School track Aug. 11, Terry won the 20-39 age group in the Maggie’s Mile, running four times around the Legends Stadium track in a respectable time of 5:23. Earlier in the summer, Terry placed first in the 20-24 age group at the Beebe Heroes 5K with a time of 20:11 and first in his age group at the Jungle Jim's 5K in 20:41. Terry works out multiple times a week at both Planet Fitness and a boxing gym in Camden, as well as working full time for Grotto Pizza.

Ethan Redefer

This rising junior at University of North Carolina Wilmington took on 30 professional skimmers at the World Championships of Skimboarding last weekend in Dewey Beach, finishing in second place behind winner Lucas Fink of Brazil. "Ethan is super down-to-earth and has a great style," said fellow local pro Sydney Pizza. "It was super cool to see a local homie take it to the final with a world champ.” Ethan turned pro in 2021 and took third in his very first event at Vero Beach, Fla. A 2020 Cape graduate, he is now ranked 11th on the UST Tour, and is sponsored by Grape Skimboards and SLUG home video. When not in the surf, he skateboards and plays on the Rusty Rudder beach volleyball team.

Sean Saxton

A big-time talent with big personality to match, Sean, 25, won the elite division at the Maggie’s Mile event Aug. 11, kicking in the turbos for the final 300 meters to run 4:45 and hold off rising Cape sophomore Jason Baker (4:46). Sean won the 32nd Dave Reynolds Biathlon earlier this summer, coming out of the water in second place a full minute behind, then throwing down a time of 17:17 in the 5K to finish in 29:37 ahead of Xander Geiersbach in 29:47. “I ran for coach Jim Solomon at Dover,” Sean said. “I absolutely love the guy. Now, my focus is triathlons. Unlike most triathletes, the weakest part of my three legs is the bike, but I’m working on it.”