JP Eichten
JP might only be a sophomore, but he just wrapped up his third regular season as captain of the Sussex Academy boys’ tennis team. JP's undefeated performance in Henlopen Conference play earned him the No. 1 seed in the conference championships at Caesar Rodney. On the final day, he clinched first place in first singles by defeating a gritty Jaime Roblero-Puac 6-4, 6-3, helping his team finish second overall and claim the Henlopen South title. It is quite the remarkable turnaround for a kid who won one match in first singles as an eighth-grader on a team that went winless two years ago. JP's love for the game is evident not only in his matches, but also as he tries to encourage his teammates. He practices nearly every day of the week and puts in 10 to 15 hours per week with lessons, drills, tournaments, serving practice and hitting partners.
Ryan Moody
Last weekend at the Henlopen Conference Track & Field Championships, Sussex Academy distance runner Ryan Moody showed his mental toughness. Running the 3,200 meters, he was matched against four Cape runners, including school record holder Jason Baker. Baker won the race in 9:34.19, but Moody busted up the chase pack, catching Riley Stazzone on the final straightaway to grab second in 9:40.41. In the 1,600 meters the next day, Moody upset Baker with a time of 4:20.97 to Baker’s 4:21.63. Moody also medaled in the 4-by-800 relay, as the Seahawks placed third in a fast time of 8:15.67. Oddly enough, both Moody’s dad Chris (Cape ’93) and Baker’s dad Mark (Cape ’90) were linemen in high school, and both have produced top-shelf distance runners. Moody will run 3,200 and 1,600 races and the 3,200 and 1,600 relays at the Division II state meet.
Sienna Serpico
Sienna is a senior captain on the Sussex Academy girls’ soccer team and the leader of a defense that registered seven clean sheets and conceded only 11 goals in 14 matches. On her Senior Night, the center back scored her first goal of the season and spent the second half as the keeper in the 8-0 win over Seaford. Sienna started playing when she was 5 years old, and has played travel ball for Henlopen, Coastal and River soccer clubs. She has played all over the pitch, but has fallen in love with her current position in the heart of the back line. Sienna was accepted into the Honors College at the University of Delaware and will study entrepreneurship. A ball of energy on the field, Sienna also has drive in the classroom, and as a member of the World Scholars Program at UD, she will spend her first semester studying abroad in Athens, Greece.
Lawson Whaley
This 6-foot-4 junior middle blocker on the Cape volleyball team has been playing for only two seasons, but he already had a legacy game in the first round of the state tournament against Christiana. His 17 kills, 10 digs and two blocks led Cape to a 3-1 victory. So far this season, he has 125 kills and 24 blocks. "Lawson continues to demonstrate his athletic ability each day," said Cape coach Tyler Coupe. "He’s positioned himself as a pivotal part of our team both offensively and defensively. He displays a natural athleticism and read for the game that typically is found in players that have been playing year-round for several years, and he possesses the unique ability of having a do-or-die approach while on the court." He is also a center back on the Cape soccer team. An honors and AP student, Lawson is active in Honor Society and Morgan's Message. He enjoys the beach, fishing, hunting, surfing and golfing.
