Big plays doom Cape football at Legends Stadium
In the premier battle of Sussex County high schools, it was the Golden Knights who claimed victory over the Vikings 41-27 Oct. 11 in Legends Stadium.
“What a game!” Cape coach Mike Frederick said. “If you were here, and you were part of these two organizations and these two communities, you couldn't ask for anything better.”
Sussex Central junior Malik Bell got loose on a carry to give the Golden Knights a 7-0 lead just 1:16 into the game. Cape responded in kind with a score but in a very different manner. Collecting seven first downs and earning tough yards against a disciplined defense, the Vikings got on the board with 1:44 left in the first when Quardell Richards raced into the end zone.
Wanting to keep momentum, Cape attempted an onside kick but was badly bitten when Josiah Johnson fielded the attempt and took it the distance. Central expanded its lead in the second on a time-draining drive capped off by a William Harmon rushing touchdown. The visitors took a 21-7 lead into halftime.
Cape’s need for a spark was only exacerbated when Harmon stretched across the goal line for the second time to spot the Golden Knights a 27-7 lead in the third. Junior Jayden Messick answered the call on the ensuing kickoff.
“My blockers did a great job making a gap for me, and I know I'm fast enough to hit the gap,” Messick said. “When I hit the gap, I see all my teammates running downfield trying to block for me. I knew they knew I was gonna make a big play to get more yardage off.”
Starting the drive in Central territory, Cape cashed in when Richards scored his second touchdown on a hard-fought goal line play. Cape attempted another onside kick and recovered this time, but according to the refs, the ball did not go 10 yards and had not touched a Central player. The Golden Knights seized on the opportunity, leading to another Bell touchdown.
The Vikings used some scouting to get into scoring position on their following possession. Noticing Central defenders were holding Cape receivers quite a bit, the aerial attack worked with penalties and catches. Amari Jackson was on the receiving end of a Jameson Tingle touchdown pass to bring the Vikings within two scores, 34-21.
Another successful onside kick gave Cape the ball back in favorable field position. Tingle led the boys down the field once again, connecting with Messick, who made an acrobatic catch and celebrated accordingly with Tingle. Messick said the big guys were the reason Cape scored 20 points in the fourth quarter.
“Our linemen did an amazing job,” Messick said. “They did an amazing job this week, and they had a great week of practice. Our linemen are the most hardworking people on our team.”
Messick recovered the onside kick attempt but was ruled to have touched the ball just before it reached the 50-yard line.
Cape’s defense created a riddle Central needed to solve, and Harmon had the answer. He bolted out of the Golden Knights’ backfield, down the sideline and into the end zone for a touchdown to seal a 41-27 victory.
“We got them into third and six – we had a timeout. If we could have made the stop right there and gotten the ball back with 1:20 left, I like our chances against those guys with who we have at quarterback, our skill guys, and our guys up front,” Frederick said.
The Vikings will lock horns with another Henlopen North rival when they travel to Caesar Rodney Friday, Oct. 18, to take on the Riders on their Senior Night. It will be a Pink Out game.
