The Cape boys traveled to Snow Hill to take part in the weekly invitational Jan. 2, and they came away with a second-place finish with 67 points, while Kent Island won the meet with 74. Sussex Tech finished 11th and Sussex Academy finished 15th in the boys’ team standings. The Cape girls did not compete. Sussex Tech was 10th and Sussex Academy 12th in the girls’ team standings.
Highlighting Cape’s afternoon was a second-place finish in the high jump from senior Dane Palmer, as he cleared 6-feet-2-inches. Thrower Josiah Miller was second in the shot with a toss of 42-feet-4-inches. Palmer jumped 19-feet-4-inches to win the long jump and 38-feet-7-inches to finish second in the triple jump. Sophomore Isaiah Fillyau was second in the hurdles in 8.10, while sophomore Daniel Adili-Khams was second in the 3,200-meter run in 10:48.
Sprinter Curtis Purnell was fourth in the 55-meter dash in 6.70 and grabbed another fourth in the 300-meter dash in 39.0 seconds. Vaulter Giovanni Bendfeldt was fifth in the pole vault at 10-feet-even, while Pat Tkach was third in the shot in 41-feet-3-inches. Cody Workman was second in the long jump at 18-feet-2-inches, while John Small was third in the triple jump at 36-feet-9-inches. Quinn McCullough was fourth in the triple jump in 33-feet-9-inches.
“We didn’t run all of our kids at this meet and tried to give some other athletes we have a chance to race,” said coach Ellis Gaulden.
The Cape boys and girls will return to Snow Hill for another meet Wednesday, Jan. 9.
Race into the New Year 5K
The 16th Race into the New Year was held Dec. 31, with 210 participants taking part in Rehoboth Beach. Eighteen-year-old Selbyville runner Quinn Serfass took the overall championship in a good time of 16:36, while Jeff Young of Wayne, Pa., ran 16:40 for second place. Matt Dunn out of Trappe, Md., was third in 18:55, while Martin Rodriguez of Selbyville was fourth in 19:21. Katie Tomlinson of Charlottesville, Va., rounded out the top five finishers and also captured the female championship in a time of 19:25. Paul Montini of Huntingdon Valley, Pa., won the male masters in 19:35, while Susan Greally of New York won the female masters in 20:52.
The race kicked off with a 12-and-under kids’ dash with a couple dozen youth racing the Boardwalk for a 400-meter dash.
Jack Vassalotti ended the year with 72 races under his belt (or tutu), which is quite an achievement for any runner. Jules Woodall had an amazing 81 races. For nearly 20 straight years, Dr. Lee Masser had a streak of more than 100 races annually, which is very impressive, but it may not be too healthy for the body in hindsight. Craig Karchner of Landenberg, Pa., ran 23:09 to finish fourth (for the 20th time this year) in a tough 55-59 age group. Craig was honored at the awards celebration with a medal for having the most fourth-place finishes in 2018. A pair of rising 7-year-olds to watch out for in the future completed the 5K run, as Gavin Knutsen of Olney, Md., ran 30:41 and Cody Kuhlman of Milton ran 49:17.
Alberto Castillo and his wife Stella, both over 80 years old, went two months without participating in any race events, but decided to take part in the Race into the New Year 5K.
“We did not compete for a while for fear of the intense cold, but today Stella and I wanted to finish the year 2018 with this race,” said Alberto. “Also, before leaving for a trip to the south [like the wild geese looking for warmer places], we wanted to be able to say goodbye to all our good friends of the last 10 years from the Seashore Striders and the Certified Running Nuts.”
2018 Master Grand Prix Champions
My buddy and former Seashore Striders Series champion, Brent Ayer, past president of the Road Runners Club of America, always keeps me updated on the National Road Racing news. This week, he sent me the winners of the Master Grand Prix, which includes local Sonja Friend-Uhl of Georgia. Sonja is still getting it done and racing with the best in her age group, as she won the national honor in the 45-49 division. Congrats to Cape Henlopen graduate Sonja!
