Sussex Academy game pits students against teachers

With their winter seasons wrapped up, Sussex Academy recognized its student-athletes with a March 3 pep rally and teachers vs. students game.

“We've been making a greater effort, and so has [Kyle] Bentley, to include the entire secondary campus in things that we do when we recognize student-athletes, students in general, for anything,” Athletic Director R.J. Dina said. 

Basketball was the sport chosen, as the logistics of the other three sports would be a bit tricky. The teachers featured Dawnyel Furlong, Nico Caceras, Brian Huebler, Andrew Fox, Cameron Smith and Josh Bowe. Starting for the students were wrestlers Doug Horton and Gabe Hill, double state championship swimmer Anna Mumford and state placer Gretchen Maughan, and high-jump state champion Katya Geyer.

“Growing up with them, they were your mentors that taught you through the classes,” Horton said. “It was really fun to play against them and show school spirit.”

Horton finished fifth at the wrestling state championship after taking second in the Henlopen Conference meet at 175 pounds. 

“[Josh] Bowe put a three in my face once,” Horton said. “They were better than I expected.”

“It was really fun,” Geyer said. “I think the teacher picks were unfair because I'm 5-4 and Señor Smith is 6-2, but it’s OK.”

Dina pointed out to the packed house that Geyer won the high jump state title by clearing her height – 5-4.

“To see the looks on the kids' faces when they get recognized, they get the same sort of praise and recognition that other fall and spring athletes have, I think is cool,” Dina said.

“I think our school is like a family, and so is my team, so I think it's really great to have that kind of support,” Geyer said. 

“We need to get to a point as a school and as an athletics program where we are recognizing the accomplishments of every student we can,” Dina said.  “As our winter sports are growing ... it's important that we share the same recognition that we would for a fall sport like soccer and field hockey or a spring sport like boys’ and girls’ lacrosse. It allows for a sports season here that historically has not done as well or finished as well as the fall and the spring sports to experience what it's like to be in front of the school and be recognized and really be the face of sports here.”

The celebration came after the following team accomplishments:

• The boys’ basketball team won back-to-back games for the first time in program history
• The girls’ basketball team won the most division games – including their first sweep of a divisional foe – in program history
• Cheerleaders competed in the state competition for the first time
• The boys’ swim team went undefeated in the Henlopen South
• The girls’ swim team went undefeated in the regular season for the fifth year in a row
• Track had a state champion in the long jump 
• Wrestling qualified two grapplers for the state tournament, and Horton’s second-place finish in the Henlopen Conference tournament and fifth-place showing in the state tournament were the highest in program history.

“Working as hard as you can through all four years of high school really showed during this last season, and it was good to be recognized in front of everybody,” Horton said.