Large local group tackles Cherry Blossom 10-Miler

A large group of local runners took part in the popular Cherry Blossom 10-miler April 6, in Washington, D.C. Although none of the locals hit the 4:32 per mile average that winner Charles Hicks from Eugene, Ore., achieved, it was an impressive group. When Hicks finished the race, half of the locals competing had not reached the halfway mark, showing just how fast the folks on the front line are at this event. Here is a look at the local finishers: Martin Rodriguez, Selbyville - 1:04:33; Heather Gibbs, Lewes - 1:22:42; Charles Williams, Milton - 1:22:42; Eugenija King, Rehoboth Beach - 1:24:03; Scott Cameron, Rehoboth Beach - 1:24:47; Heather Alleman, Lewes - 1:33:40; Dulce Lopez, Georgetown - 1:36:01; Elizabeth Gerritt, Greenwood - 1:36:37; Vic Yzaguirre, Lewes - 1:37:29; Will Albanese, Lewes - 1:39:59; Enos Benbow, Georgetown - 1:40:00; Max Moore, Rehoboth Beach - 1:40:06; Joanne Woodruff, Dewey Beach - 1:47:32; Cindy Redefer, Rehoboth Beach - 1:49:45; Mary Beth Hutton, Rehoboth Beach - 1:49:46; Ava Cannon, Rehoboth Beach - 1:49:46; John McCahan, Millsboro - 1:53:08; William Alleman, Lewes - 1:53:36; Broc Romanek, Lewes - 1:54:22; Jeanine Yzaguirre, Lewes - 1:56:03; Amy Linzey, Ocean View - 1:56:58; John McCahan, Selbyville - 1:59:22; Laura Ritter, Rehoboth Beach - 2:02:16; Burke Wong, Bethany Beach - 2:05:46; Deborah Ney, Lewes - 2:14:11; Mark Ney, Lewes - 2:14:12; Amanda Robinson, Lewes - 2:14:28.
 
High school wrap-up

The Cape boys traveled to Dover April 8, to take on the Senators and the Smyrna Eagles, with the Vikings beating Dover 102.5-55.5 and Smyrna 99-46. The Vikings won 13 of the 18 events and took three of the four relays, while Jason Baker won the 1,600m and 3,200m events. Liam Ramsey won the shot put and the discus. The Cape girls won 13 of 18 events and took three of the four relays as well to easily beat Smyrna by a score of 101-44 and Dover 122-22. Anejah Johnson-Grace won the triple jump and the 300m hurdles, while Mallory Kauffman won both the shot put and the discus to highlight the Vikings.

The Cape boys took part in the Delaware Invitational April 5 in Newark, with several fine performances on the college oval. Cardin Benjamin ran the 800m in a time of 2:00.53 for fifth place, while Jason Baker went 4:22.58 for sixth in the 1,600 meters. Nick Petito finished third in the 3,200m run in a new freshman record of 10:00.33, while the Vikings hurdle duo of Robert Redden and Elijah Shockley-Taylor went 1-2 in the 110m high hurdles. Redden was first in 15.79, and Shockley-Taylor was second in 15.82. Stephen Hart jumped 20-6 in the long jump, while Will DiPaolo captured the pole vault in 12-0.

The Delaware Invite also had a few downstate ties with outstanding performances, as Anna Bockius won the 800m run in 2:10.88 and the 3,200m run in 10:36.42, and former Sussex Academy runner Paige Ballinger won the 1,600m run in 5:05.82 and was second in the 800m run in 2:18.88. In the college version of the Delaware Invite, Cape Henlopen graduate Alexa Dougherty of the University of Delaware was fifth in the 400m hurdles in 1:05.92, while Cape grad Katie Kuhlman of UD finished third in the 3,000 meter steeplechase in 11:59.80.

In April 9 action, the Vikings boys beat Polytech 97-48 and Sussex Tech 124-22, while the Vikings girls beat Polytech 89-57 and Sussex Tech 124-17.
 
Jim Blades Invitational

Three Cape Henlopen middle schools sent teams to Lake Forest High School April 4, for the annual Jim Blades Invitational. One of the best all-time performances by a middle school athlete was turned in by Fred Thomas distance runner Jude Peacock in the 1,600m run. Peacock, an eighth-grader heading to Cape High next year, led from start to finish and easily won, setting a new Fred Thomas school record of 4:57.79. He also broke the Cape district middle school record of 5:01.5, set in 2012 by Ben Bamforth racing for Beacon. Fred Thomas jumper Kha’Niyha Johnson won the high jump in 4-10 and was second in the long jump in 14-2, while Samuel Schubert was second in the triple jump in 34-5. Addison Wilson of Beacon Middle jumped 14-4 in the long jump for third and ran 12.85 in the 100 meters for fourth place. Young Eva Czaszar took third in the 1,600 meters in 6:02.21. Natalie Horsey won the shot put in 33-9 and was second in the high jump with a leap of 4-10 for her Mariner team, while Fiona Fisher was second in the triple jump in 29-7. Jeraniah Jackson was second in the discus in 81-7. For the Mariner boys, Dylan Harp was second in the 1,600 meters in 5:13.25, and Kristopher Ramos-Morales won the triple jump in 34-8.
 
Oy Vey 5K

Tim Pagano of Lewes was first across the finish April 6 in the Oy Vey 5K with a time of 17:50, while Lisa Sherman of Washington, D.C., ran 23:23 to win the overall female title. Mark Walchinski of Virginia, winner of the Open Space 5K a day earlier, ran 19:38 to win the male masters, and Mardiny Ung of Elizabethtown, Pa., ran 24:08 for the female masters title. About 100 finishers made their way down Holland Glade Road before turning onto the Junction & Breakwater Trail for the 5K out-and-back course. A shout-out to the Friends of Cape Henlopen State Park who volunteered at the water stop, as well as organizer Alyssa Simon and her team for the multiple casseroles of delicious kugel dishes. The 1-mile walk had a dozen brisk walkers complete the course.