Cape seniors reflect then roll Sussex Central 8-0

Eleven Cape senior hockey players were honored with their families before the Sussex Central game Oct. 15. They have never seen or experienced anything but success and state championships. There is no rest, though, only the quest to keep it going, or as some joke “to get out before somebody gets gotten.”

There are sister acts and moms who played hockey for Cape and even three generations of players, not to mentions aunts and cousins. You don’t need to give ancestry.com a credit card number to understand the joke that “everyone in Sussex County is related” is close to true when talking the last 45 years of Cape field hockey.

After 30 minutes of biographies, shout outs and inside jokes, it was time for 9-0 Cape to battle 2-7-1 Sussex Central.

The Golden Knights, a program resurging from the glory days of when Debbie Windett had them in the hunt every season back in the 80s, were up to the challenge.

The game was a scoreless tie for the first 18 minutes, as the Knights smelled blood in the water, not sensing it was their own or believing they had no chance. Then in the final 11:30 before halftime it was Sydney Ostroski and three howitzer shots from Tess Bernheimer to give Cape a 4-0 that would result in a 8-0 Cape victory.

“Teams are excited to play us and to hang in the game,” said Cape coach Kate Austin. “Our team is used to the dog fight, but there is also a lot of skill in the sport.”

Cape’s second half goals were scored by Katie Frederick, Erin Coverdale, Bernheimer and Alia Marshall. Marshall, Lizzie Frederick and Coverdale had assists in the game.

The final numbers showed Cape with 32 shots and Central with none.

The Vikings, now 10-0, head into the second half of the season, which includes five regular season games then another four in the postseason if the team goes to the finals.

Huge games coming up include Polytech (8-1) at Cape on Thursday, Oct. 22 and Cape at Delmar (10-0-1) to end the season.

“We are playing fast and loose and having fun,” Austin said. “We’re not afraid of losing; it’s just not something we think about.”

The Cape junior varsity beat Sussex Tech 5-0, Delmar 4-0 and Sussex Central 4-0 on three consecutive afternoons to go 7-1-1.

Goals in the Delmar victory were scored by Vienna Iacona, Maci Long 2 and Amanda Sponaugle.

Goals in the Sussex Central win Leah Barry, Amanda Sponaugle and Madison Buchwald 2.