Every athlete teaches life lessons

Harrington Harrier - Matt Sparacino, representing Races2Run in a Seashore Striders racing event, won the Ashley Furio 5K on a drizzly Saturday morning Oct. 11, holding up No. 4 as he crossed the finish line in 18:12. “It’s the fourth year in a row I’ve won this race,” Matt joked. “It’s not as notable as Dylan Smiley winning Dogfish four straight years, but for an old guy like me, it’s pretty good.” The 47-year-old humble harrier from Harrington raising four fingers crossing the finish line is akin to spiking the football. It reminds me of a T-shirt I saw in the stands at a Delaware football game, “Life’s too short not to be Italian.” 

Young and younger - Kyla Romanczuk circled past Olivia Montini at the turnaround at the Ashley Furio 5K. Montini is 21 years old, grew up around the racing scene and is the No. 1 runner for the Swarthmore College Garnet. Romanczuk is 11, her address listed as Hockessin, and you may be from Delaware if you can pronounce it. Romanczuk was overall female winner in 20:25 with Montini 0.9 seconds behind her. Little sister Ellie won the 9-and-under division in 22:59. Olivia’s dad, Paul “Crusader Rabbit” Montini, 57, ran 20:30, but decided not to go Great Santini and chase down his daughter as Liv was content to encourage 11-year-old Kyla without attempting to snap down the stretch in a focused frenzy, which is just so uncool.  

Anachrophobia - The fear that no one will know what I'm talking about as many of my references belong to an earlier time. Old school is cool until you represent and drop words like malarky or last Thursday night when broadcaster Al Michaels referred to Giants quarterback Jaxson Dart as having matinee idol good looks. Al is 80 years old. The iconic “Do you believe in miracles?” call goes back to the 1980 Winter Olympics when the American hockey team defeated the Soviets, generating the film “Miracle.” The good thing about back-in-your-time references is usually you get a crazy old guy waiver as the younger crowd appreciates the shared insight until they determine you just ain’t right, then it’s time to move over, rover and let a younger dog chase the ball.

Black Men Run - Arthur Wright is a 72-year-old Black man from Ellendale who runs, but he’s not a member of Black Men Run. He is on the smaller side and seems to just float along at his own pace. In fact, in the 70-and-over age group, he did not place at the Ashley Furio 5K. But his running in the rain with no pain photo was just the best and very inspiring to me, and if I could run with him, I would, but busted struts prevent me from showing my stuff.  

Yngve Senior Day - Maya Yngve greeted me with a hug last Thursday prior to her Senior Day family ceremony and cross country race at Sandhill Fields. Maya and I go back to her running in races with her mom Carla when Maya was 5 years old.  “This is all very emotional for me,” Carla said. “I can’t believe Maya is a senior.” Maya told me she hopes to go south for college, perhaps University of Georgia or Tampa University, and major in sports journalism. Maybe growing up she’s seen me having too much fun, but I think the two are not connected, we are just friends across the generations. 

Marco Castellanos - A young man walks from the Cape hallways 25 years ago over to me at the finish line of a cross country race and says, “What’s up, Fredman?” I answer without hesitation. “Hey, Marco. How are you doing?” Marco was there to support his niece, Bella Luna-Castellanos, a Cape sophomore, but the biggest and best story on action news is Marco brought Bella over to meet me after her race. Perhaps a small gesture, but a first-class move that shows respect for history and from the extended Castellanos family. 

Turf Bowl - I bailed on the Cape versus Milford field hockey game played at 5 p.m., Saturday at Rullo Field on the University of Delaware campus. Cape broke away from a 1-0 halftime lead to win 5-0 on a pair of goals from Grace Heers and single scores from Mairead Rishko, Kailey McMahon and Izzy Mastrangelo. Madi Stahl had 12 saves for Milford. Cape is 11-1, all wins coming by shutout. Cape is scheduled to play Newark Charter at 6 p.m., Tuesday, Oct. 14, on Senior Night. 

Snippets - Cape’s JV football team is 3-0. The Fred Thomas football team is 4-0. Mariner boys’ cross country is 5-0. Mariner girls’ volleyball is 6-0. Beacon volleyball is 5-0. The sister schools meet Wednesday, Oct. 22, at Beacon. Cape football (3-3) hosts Sussex Central (3-3) at 6:30 p.m., Friday, Oct. 17. Throw those old records off the shelf. A crucial contest for both teams. Go on now, git!