Gaining wisdom, losing perspective - I have always been wise beyond my years, but I’ve finally caught up to myself. My focus on the outcomes of games has gotten worse. There are much more important issues plaguing the planet, I know that, but I feel no angst or apprehension about the crisis at our southern border (Indian River Inlet bridge is as far south as I go) or foreign aid packages delivered by Amazon. But sports is a different story for me. And if I’m related to someone who is part of the team, it’s even worse. I remember Cape’s 2013-14 state tournament semifinal soccer game against Appo, in which it was a scoreless first half. I talked to Angela Carter McMillon at halftime; her son Joe was a senior playing in the game. “Fredman, I just want them to win so badly; I don’t know where to put myself.” I said, “There was a tsunami in Indonesia yesterday and an earthquake in Central America. There is pestilence, drought and all kinds of bad stuff going on. It’s all a matter of emphasis and perspective.” Angela, a very smart person, responded, “I know all that, but it doesn’t help.” “It certainly doesn’t,” I said in agreement. Cape went on to lose that game 1-0 on a goal in the 78th minute by junior Yusef Basma. Basma went on to be state Player of the Year as a senior and a four-year dean's list student at the University of Delaware. 

Tethered in all weather - Joe Aukward is a 63-year-old visually impaired runner who requires a guide to navigate a running course. I assume, like lots of runners, Joe doesn’t listen to Tim Bamforth’s lengthy directions before the start of a race. His shirt reads “Visually Impaired Runner” on the back to warn off racers who may try to squeeze between Joe and his guide, then get all tangled up. Joe, with Margaret Colvin as a guide by his side, ran 25:45 in the Feb. 11 slippery-when-wet Valentine’s 5K on the Rehoboth Boardwalk. Joe won his age group and placed 16th overall in a field of 105 runners. Margaret’s time was unofficial, a sort of “Smokey Joe and the Bandit” story. 

Wrestlebacks - There is no tougher road in a state championship final meet than getting sent to the losers’ bracket, dealing with the disappointment, then fighting back to grab third place. Cape grapplers who grabbed third in the state tournament were: Joe Gibbs, 1973, 180 pounds; Tyrone Gray, 1983, 138; Chad Epifanio, 1986, 155; Jared Hill, 1992, 130; Matt Wiggins, 1992, 152; David Barlow, 1997, 125; Matt Graviet, 1997, 275; Kyle Hopkins, 2002, 135; Andy Bradley, 2003, 215; Travis Dorman, 2005, 140; Kyle Kaminski, 2008, 189; Chris Young, 2010, 119, Chris Young, 2011, 130; Sam Mohr, 2011, 152; Tom Ott,  2011, 285; Garrett Smith, 2012, 138; Justin Lopez, 2012, 145;  Sam Mohr, 2012, 152; Justin Lopez, 2013, 170; Elliott Young, 2014, 138; Austin Smith, 2014, 160; Emerson Fajardo, 2015, 106; Vinnie Diego, 2016, 138; Joel Torres, 2016, 220; Vinnie Diego, 2017, 138; Luke Bender, 2020, 132;  Mikey Frederick, 2020, 145; Finbar Rishko, 2020, 152; Mikey Frederick, 2021, 138; Alex Taylor, 2021, 220;  Holt Baker, 2023, 126; and Alex Taylor, 2021, 215. Alex’s third-place finish was followed by second-place finishes in 2022 and 2023. Third-place finishers who also won state titles were Jared Hill, 1991; Matt Graviet, 1999; Tom Ott, 2012, 2013 and 2014; Luke Bender, 2021 and 2023; and Mikey Frederick, 2022.  

Snippets - There have only been two Cape football teams that have won two postseason games in the state tournament – the 1979 team that beat Saint Mark’s and Caesar Rodney to win the state championship, and the 2023 team that beat Dover and Sussex Central before losing the state championship game to Salesianum. I emceed the Cape football banquet Feb. 15 at the Rehoboth Beach Convention Center at Sesame Street by the Sea. Rehoboth is a town where most muppets can’t afford to live and can’t afford to park. It’s a good thing the meters are off. Go on now, git!