Cape cruises to cross country championship
At last year’s DIAA State Championships, a relatively young Cape boys’ cross country squad held a wire-thin lead over Salesianum with 200 meters to go, but the Vikings couldn’t quite close the deal, falling three points short of the team crown. With six of its seven varsity scorers returning this season, Cape’s shot at redemption carried with it some lofty expectations.
Coach Matt Lindell’s charges exceeded them all fall, posting one shutout after another locally and shining at prestigious out-of-state invitationals like Carlisle (fourth), Paul Short (fifth), and the Virginia Showcase (seventh). After they swept the county and conference titles for the second straight year, the Vikings had one final box to check Nov. 8 at Killens Pond State Park.
Cape delivered in dominant fashion, scoring 42 points to flip the script on Sallies and secure its second Division I state title.
Senior star Jason Baker ran the race of his life up front, taking a close second in 16:06 despite a sacral stress fracture diagnosed just days before the meet.
“I’m fine with how the race played out,” said the 2024 state champ after his heroic effort. “Obviously, I would’ve liked to win it, but given my situation, I’m lucky to have even raced today. The team championship meant a lot more to me than the individual one.”
Baker led for most of the race but was stalked by Charter’s Brandon Williams throughout. They crested Killens Pond’s final hill stride for stride, but the Force senior kicked away from there, winning in 16:03.
Senior Riley Stazzone (seventh, 16:48), senior Andrew Radka (ninth, 16:58), sophomore Nick Petito (10th, 16:59), and senior Brayden Redd (14th, 17:06) slammed the door for the Vikings, who outpaced Salesianum by 31 points and posted a top-five average 20 seconds clear of the field. Freshman Dylan Harp (17th, 17:12) and senior Josh Cohen (23rd, 17:32) rounded out the scoring and showcased Cape’s exceptional depth.
While Baker and Stazzone went to the front from the gun, Cape’s third through seventh boys went out rather conservatively and made passes as the race played out. Redd and Harp, for instance, moved from 26th and 27th at the 800-meter mark to 14th and 17th at the finish.
Lindell was all smiles after his boys secured their second title since 2020 and their sixth consecutive top-three showing.
“If any group of guys deserves a win, it’s this group of kids,” Lindell said. “It was special to watch. Watching them at the mile mark and the two-mile, it was a crescendo just building throughout the race. The third mile, they were just passing kids left and right. We preached going out relaxed today with it being warm. We were of the mindset that if we just do what we’ve done all season, we’re fine. It was about place today, not necessarily time, and the kids methodically moved up. They ran smart today given that this is the first time we’ve had warm weather in a while.”
Lindell reflected on a banner season for the Cape program, a year that produced the fastest and most decorated squad in school history.
“The momentum has been building since winter and spring of last year, through summer training, and from Day 1 this year,” Lindell said. “They had a goal in mind and never worried about other teams. They were just like, ‘We’re going to be the best and push each other.’ That’s what they’ve done all season. They’ve worked hard, they’ve faced adversity at different parts of the season, and they’ve overcome it.”
The Viking girls placed fourth in the Division I race with 130 points. Senior Natalie Schneider led the team with a 17th-place finish (21:09), while sophomore Claudia Stazzone chased her home in 18th (21:15). Logan Crotty (21st, 21:42), Shiloh O’Grady (32nd, 22:33), Lexi Bryson (42nd, 23:02), Alisa Tsirtsan (55th, 24:02), and Allison Ortiz-Rivera (60th, 24:24) also scored for Cape.
Tatnall senior Dylan McCarthy captured the boys’ Division II title in 15:37, while Padua senior Anna Bockius (17:34) romped to a 52-second victory in the girls’ Division I race. Tower Hill junior Izzy Daniel, a former Beacon Middle athlete, held off Tatnall freshman Lauryn Leech by one-tenth of a second for the girls’ Division II crown. Daniel was clocked in 18:27.9 to Leech’s 18:28.0.
Saint Mark’s secured the boys’ Division II title, while nationally ranked Padua put up an anemic 16-point total in the girls’ Division I race. Tatnall took home the girls’ Division II crown.
The Sussex Academy boys placed eighth in the Division II team race, while the Seahawks girls took 10th.
Senior Ryan Moody finished fifth individually for the Seahawks, breaking the tape in 16:07. Sussex Tech freshman Savannah Stevenson brought home some hardware of her own, placing 15th in the girls’ Division I race.
