Athletes of the Week Nov. 15
Teagan Baker
A freshman off Cape’s 12-0 JV team, Teagan was brought up at the end of the season and started getting runs at forward in games that were not close. Teagan, an honors and Academic Challenge student, is the happy cool kid who runs well in open space and is fundamentally sound. She began to get time in big games from the Henlopen Conference Championship to all three state tournament games. Teagen scored a first-quarter goal in the 10-0 win over St. Georges and had an assist on Emily Wells' winning goal in the 2-1 semifinal win over Charter School of Wilmington. But the freshman shot heard around the Delaware field hockey world came at 4:43 of the third period of the state championship game with Cape clinging to a 1-0 lead over surging Smyrna. Avary Miller won possession then executed a perfect pass to a streaking Kailey McMahon who found Teagan, who beat a sliding goalkeeper for what proved to be the game-winner in a 2-1 Division I state championship victory.
Olivia Balback
Olivia is an eighth-grader who just wrapped up her first season of varsity field hockey for Delmarva Christian. Despite being one of the younger players on the team, Olivia finished second in goals with six, assists with two and points with 14. In the team's final game against Tome School, she assisted the Royals’ lone goal. Olivia stole the show the game prior, Delmarva Christian's final home game, when she completed a hat trick with the game-winning goal in overtime to seal the victory over Seaford. Olivia began playing around third grade and recently switched clubs to Surge. She said her favorite part of playing field hockey is having fun with her friends. Math comes easy to her and is her favorite subject. When she is not solving number problems, or creating problems for opposing defenses, she enjoys playing softball and is on Delaware Express travel ball team. She provides plenty of reason for optimism for Royals fans who believe their young core might make some noise in the years to come.
Laela Brown
A Delmar senior on her way to Wingate University, Laela closed out a great and productive field hockey career Nov. 9, scoring the winning goal with 2:56 left to play in a 4-3 Division II state championship victory over Wilmington Friends. Laela also had an assist on Jordyn Hollamon’s third-period goal. “We had so many close games closing out the season, starting with 2-1 over Cape in the conference championship," Brown said. Brown had two assists in the semifinal 3-2 win over Sussex Academy. When you play Delmar, you first try to slow down Jordyn Hollamon and set the defense to have someone who can run with Brown coming down the left side of the defense. During Laela’s freshman year, she had the winning goal in a 2-1 Henlopen Conference Championship win over Cape. Cape fans wish Laela all the best at Wingate, but no one is sorry to see her move on. Laela and Katie Hanich of Saint Mark’s were winners of Delaware Field Hockey Coaches Association scholarships.
Isabella Mekulski
In the final minutes of Cape’s Division I state championship game Nov. 9, Northwestern commit Bree Moffett of Smyrna, a lightning-in-a-bottle scoring threat, sent a screaming shot ticketed to the right of Cape goalie Isabella Mekulski. It is a celebrated unsung moment, Moffett versus Muppet Mekulski. Izzy made a kick save then smothered a rebounded shot. Cape went on to win its 14th state championship – its most improbable title ever with just two seniors. Izzy is calm like a folk singer – smart as the day is long. She’s an Academic Challenge and honors student who is described by teachers and coaches as a great kid. She finished the regular season with a 14-1 record and 0.7 goals allowed per game. She added three wins in the electric state tournament, closing with 2-1 wins over the Charter Force and Smyrna Eagles in back-to-back games.
