Cross country at Cape is a 50-year tradition of excellence
Matt Lindell begins his ninth year as Cape’s cross country coach, fronting a program that has been serious business for 50 years.
The interest in both boys’ and girls’ cross country runs so deep that Lindell now has three full-time assistants in Rob Perciful, Rick Brokaw and Martin Rodriguez.
Lindell is in year 21 of his coaching career, going back to stints at Caesar Rodney, Dover and Wesley.
In 2020, when Cape won the Division I boys’ state championship, some athletes (mostly girls) wore blue socks with the coach’s smiling image.
Cross country is all about pain and perspective. The athletes are mostly self-driven to do the best they can in a foot race over five kilometers.
Lindell said the team’s 10 fastest in time trials for the boys were Jason Baker, Joey DeGregory, Max Gillen, Brayden Redd, Riley Stazzone, Aaron Tikiob, Kieran Morrissey, Owen Mattioni, Anthony Amalfatino and Clay Wakefield.
The girls cluster eight runners within a minute of each other. Hailey Hassell, Ava Dolan, Emma Thompson, Zoe Miller, Allaire Burton, Natalie Schneider, Maya Yngve and Chloe DeForrest all run with the lead pack.
Cape has won seven cross country state titles. The Vikings will open the competitive season Saturday, Sept. 9, at the Lake Forest Invitational.
