Cape track opens with double win over Sussex Central
The Cape Vikings track team opened the season March 22 at home against the Golden Knights of Sussex Central. The boys won 97-49, while the Vikings girls won 93-53. On the boys' side, DeAndre Sheppard scored 13 points to lead the way, winning the 100 meters in 11.6 and the high jump in 5-feet-8-inches. Cape won the 3,200-meter relay in 8:47 and the 800-meter relay in 1:40, while Sussex won the 400-meter relay in 45.5 and the 1,600-meter relay in 3:39. Sam Nye was a double winner, taking the 1,600 meters in 5:05 and the 3,200 meters in 11:03. Hakeem Evans also was a double winner, taking the long jump in 19-feet-1-inch and the triple jump in 38-feet-9-inches. The Knights took the 400-meter and 200-meter individual events.
On the girls' side of the coin, it was DaJonte Mackey scoring 15 points to lead the way. She won the 100-meter hurdles in 17.3, the long jump in 15-feet-9-inches, and the triple jump in 31-feet-3-inches. The Vikings won the 3,200-meter relay in 12:13, while Sussex took the 800, 400 and 1,600 relays. Cape's Grace Brokaw had a big day on the track, winning the 1,600 in 6:05, the 3,200 in 13:25 and anchored the 3,200 relay to victory to score 11.25 points. Cape won all six field events on the day.
One of the best athletes in the state is junior Naiya Smith from Sussex. She won the 100-meter dash in 12.8, the 200-meter dash in 26.7 and was a part of both winning sprint relays for the Golden Knights.
Beacon/Mariner open season
The middle school season opened up March 24 with a quad meet at Cape Henlopen between Beacon, Mariner, Millsboro and Georgetown. Nearly 300 young athletes competed in 13 events, from the 55-meter hurdles to the 1,600-meter run. Results occurred after deadline so look for them in next week's column.
Guest writer of the week
Adults are not the only ones that can suffer from heart disease
By Celina Sordi
Shields Elementary School third-grader
Did you know adults are not the only ones that can suffer from heart disease? Children can be born with heart conditions that need medical help. These problems are known as congenital heart defects.
There are many types of CHDs. Some are more serious than others. Several require one or more surgeries to fix the formation of the heart and to help it function properly.
CHDs happen in at least eight babies out of 1,000. My brother Jackson is one of those babies born with a heart problem. When my mom was pregnant they could see his heart growing bigger than it was supposed to be on an ultrasound. Doctors are still not sure why these defects develop. However, they are getting better at correcting them.
Unfortunately, after two operations, my brother passed away from his complicated heart defects when he was 16 days old. This is why me and my twin, Brie, do Jump Rope for Heart in his memory. We hope the money raised for the American Heart Association goes to research ways to help kids with congenital heart defects have healthier hearts.
Upcoming races
• Saturday, March 26 - Bunny Palooza 10K/5K, Bethany Beach, 8:30 a.m., races2run.com
• Saturday, April 2 - Inaugural DPR Tie Dye Run for Radio 5K, Rehoboth, 5 p.m., races2run.com
• Sunday, April 3 - 22nd April Fools’ Day Prediction Challenge, Lewes, 10 a.m., seashorestriders.com
• Saturday, April 9 - 3rd Kim Miller 5K Run, Georgetown, 9 a.m., seashorestriders.com
• Saturday, April 9 - 2nd Georgetown Middle Run for Color 5K, Georgetown, 1 p.m., seashorestriders.com
• Sunday, April 10 - 4th Oy Vey 5K Run, Rehoboth, 9 a.m., seashorestriders.com.
