Cape girls pull away from Smyrna for seventh straight win

Senior Mya Maull balls out in final regular-season home game

Cape sophomore Amalia Fruchtman battles Smyrna junior Kai Burnette for a rebound in the Vikings’ 49-35 Feb. 16 victory. AARON MUSHRUSH PHOTOS

Vikings senior Mya Maull scores two of her 14 points during the final regular-season home game of her high school career.

Cape junior Faith Re dribbles passed Smyrna sophomore Amiyah Ellerbe.

Vikings senior Mya Maull carefully delivers a rare low-entry pass.

Cape junior Hayden Hudson eyes up a shot after grabbing one of her team-high 14 rebounds.

Vikings sophomore Amalia Fruchtman led the Vikings in scoring with 22 points.

Cape freshman Ally Diehl connects from long range as part of the Vikings’ comeback in the second quarter.

Vikings senior Mya Maull makes her way past Smyrna freshman Me’Aziah James.

Cape freshman Mairead Rishko showed she wasn’t afraid to bleed for her team in the closing seconds of the first half.

Vikings sophomore Amalia Fruchtman shoots over Smyrna senior Alicia Betton to put Cape on top 26-24 at the break.

Cape freshman Mairead Rishko eyes up her defender as she looks to make a play.

Vikings senior Mya Maull grabs a bucket.

Cape freshman Mairead Rishko scores two of her five points as the Vikings begin to pull away.

Vikings junior Havyn Greene absorbs a little contact from Smyrna senior Talaney Pierce.

Cape junior Kayden Borge Williams with the no-look.

Vikings freshman Ally Diehl hits her second three of the contest.

Cape freshman Amara Fruchtman looks for an open passing lane.

Vikings freshman Mairead Rishko thought about a shot but opted to keep the ball moving.

Cape sophomore Amalia Fruchtman is a head and two hands above the competition.

Vikings sophomore Amalia Fruchtman earns her second block of the game.

Aaron R. Mushrush

February 18, 2024

Event Date:

Fri, 02/16/2024 - 09:00 pm

Cape sophomore Amalia Fruchtman battles Smyrna junior Kai Burnette for a rebound in the Vikings’ 49-35 Feb. 16 victory. AARON MUSHRUSH PHOTOS

Vikings senior Mya Maull scores two of her 14 points during the final regular-season home game of her high school career.

Cape junior Faith Re dribbles passed Smyrna sophomore Amiyah Ellerbe.

Vikings senior Mya Maull carefully delivers a rare low-entry pass.

Cape junior Hayden Hudson eyes up a shot after grabbing one of her team-high 14 rebounds.

Vikings sophomore Amalia Fruchtman led the Vikings in scoring with 22 points.

Cape freshman Ally Diehl connects from long range as part of the Vikings’ comeback in the second quarter.

Vikings senior Mya Maull makes her way past Smyrna freshman Me’Aziah James.

Cape freshman Mairead Rishko showed she wasn’t afraid to bleed for her team in the closing seconds of the first half.

Vikings sophomore Amalia Fruchtman shoots over Smyrna senior Alicia Betton to put Cape on top 26-24 at the break.

Cape freshman Mairead Rishko eyes up her defender as she looks to make a play.

Vikings senior Mya Maull grabs a bucket.

Cape freshman Mairead Rishko scores two of her five points as the Vikings begin to pull away.

Vikings junior Havyn Greene absorbs a little contact from Smyrna senior Talaney Pierce.

Cape junior Kayden Borge Williams with the no-look.

Vikings freshman Ally Diehl hits her second three of the contest.

Cape freshman Amara Fruchtman looks for an open passing lane.

Vikings freshman Mairead Rishko thought about a shot but opted to keep the ball moving.

Cape sophomore Amalia Fruchtman is a head and two hands above the competition.

Vikings sophomore Amalia Fruchtman earns her second block of the game.

In a tale of two halves between two 12-5 teams, the Cape Henlopen girls’ basketball team’s strong finish against Smyrna Feb. 16 allowed the Vikings to overcome the Eagles’ fast start for a 49-35 win.

Cape senior Mya Maull accumulated 14 points, two rebounds, two assists and one steal to contribute to the Vikings' seventh win in a row.

“I didn’t realize it was my final home game until after the game. I’m glad we won,” Maull said.

Trading leads early in the contest, Smyrna climbed out of an early hole to take a 15-13 lead at the end of the first.

“We were up nine and they were up seven, so the swings in the score were pretty drastic,” said Cape coach Pat Woods.

Down seven in the second quarter, Maull and freshman Ally Diehl began to disrupt Smyrna’s red-hot offense.

“We’re very resilient, and all the girls coming off the bench know their job,” Maull said. “They know it’s to come in, play defense and knock down open shots.”

Diehl, who led the team with three blocks, connected on a three a few minutes before the half to make it 24-20 and kick-start a 9-0 run. Cape’s leading scorer with 22, Amalia Fruchtman’s basket gave the Vikings a 26-24 lead heading into the break.

“We played as hard as we could,” Fruchtman said. “Unfortunately, they played hard back because they wanted it just as bad. They got a lead right before halftime, but we fought hard and worked together as a team to get that lead back.”

Cape was able to expand its advantage in the third, but only by two, and claimed a 35-31 lead heading into the final quarter.

Cape’s offense erupted in the fourth fueled by stingy defense and efficient offensive possessions. Leading by 17 at one point, the Vikings cruised to a 49-35 victory to improve to 13-5.

“We’ve got some fast, young girls that can just wear people out, so we wanted to use that to our advantage. I thought this was a good team win,” Woods said.

Closing out the game for the home team, freshman Amara Fruchtman gained valuable minutes running offensive sets alongside her sister Amalia, Maull, Diehl and Hayden Hudson. Amalia led the team with 15 rebounds, but Hudson wasn’t far behind with 14 of her own.

The Vikings close out the season with away trips to Ursuline Academy Monday, Feb. 19, and Polytech Wednesday, Feb. 21.