Running man Henry Danver is a soccer legend in Churchill, Md.
The Running Man - I know runner Henry Danver. I could not only pick him out of a lineup, but could easily identify him a half mile from the finish chute with his style and soccer haircut. I didn’t know that in Churchill, Md., soccer games are played inside Shepherd Stadium at Danver Field. Henry coached at Churchill High School for 23 years, compiled a boys' record of 246-69-15 and won five state titles, 10 county titles, 10 county championships and eight regional championships. Henry also coached the girls to a record of 173-61-17. I’ve been watching Henry run forever - I'm pretty sure a few years ago a doc advised him to stop running. Last Sunday, I saw him go out on a cool-down run after finishing the Turkey Trot 5K. I am the sports guy who knows too much, but coach Danver, I had no idea. I thought Henry was just the guy who keeps running. People are remarkably inspirational. Henry’s son Brian Danver is the head boys' soccer coach at Georgetown Prep in Washington, D.C.
Kelly Snow - She's a 35-year-old mother of three who is focused on running 35 races in her 35th year. She knocked out No. 30 since April at the Pumpkin Pie 5K in Rehoboth on a balmy morning Nov. 28 in Rehoboth Beach. Kelly suffered an intense bout with postpartum depression 19 months ago after her third child Jack was born. Jack is fine, by the way, and has older siblings ages 7 and 4. Postpartum depression - onset after childbirth - is a combination of internal chemical imbalances coupled with real-life stressors, which in Kelly’s case were her job and the death of her beloved grandmother. “I choose to run to help fight back the depression, and it really helps,” she said. “I wanted to bring it out in the open so others know they are not alone.” I mentioned that society is so much better accepting illnesses of the mind and Kelly said, "Not really. There is still a stigma, but it’s just better being out and sharing the story.“ Kelly was wearing an Eagles pullover, and I joked, “Being an Eagles fan can't be helping at all.” We both had a good laugh over that one.
Trophy in the bus - The Cape field hockey team put the state championship trophy in the bus for the fifth straight year with a 19-0 record and are 93-1-1 over that span, which is amazing considering they don’t have many good players, at least if you look at the all-state picks. Cape’s 2015 defense included Annie Judge, Lizzie Frederick, Korrinne LeMaire, Lexi Gooch and goalie Riley Shields. That D only allowed four goals all season, three shots in four state tournament games and yet no all-state players. It's personal for me because of Lizzie, who simply shrugged and said, “Every time I hear the word honorable mention, my eyelid starts to twitch.” I joked to Annie Judge after the Mt. Pleasant tournament victory, “My worst fear is I wake up one morning and someone tells me 'Annie Judge was given the job today of shutting you down. If that happens I’m conceding and not going out the door.'" And nothing against the players who made it - much love to them - but only four Henlopen Conference coaches attended the meeting, which is all the way lame. All selection systems are flawed; the only fair way is out on the pitch, where Cape fields 11 all-state-caliber players, and no other team can do that.
Saturation Saturday - Thousands will be running local scenic trails this Saturday morning in the Rehoboth Marathon, and later in the day the Cape wrestling team is at the Bulldog Invitational at Brandywine High School. The Upstate/Downstate Hoops Challenge was switched from Saturday to Sunday. Cape plays Concord at St. George’s at 12:30 p.m. The Vikings were housed by Concord last year 62-37. Sussex Tech will play Howard at 4 p.m. And the intriguing state football finals feature the Hawks of St. George’s with J.D. Maull of Lewes as head coach versus the Howard Wildcats. Both championship games are at UD’s Delaware Stadium on Tubby Raymond Field, “Da Tub.” Salesianum vs. Smyrna at 1 p.m. and St. George’s vs. Howard at 5:30 p.m. Cape’s boys' basketball roster of 10 includes Jerry Harden, Ryan Meade, Drew Mulcahy, Noah Piper, Demetrius Price, Randy Rickards, Ian Robertson, Jeremiah Smack, Rashed Woods and William Yeates.
Snippets - All winter sports team are full blown into their schedules, beginning Tuesday, Dec. 8 with the Immaculate Conception, a Catholic holy day of obligation, not to be confused with the Steelers' Immaculate Reception in 1972, a deflected ball scooped up by Franco Harris as the Steelers beat the Raiders 13-7 in a divisional playoff game. Coaches Chuck Noll versus John Madden is a classic in football history. Get out and go get somewhere. Go on now, git!
