Gramps and the Grappler celebrate 100 victories
Gramps and the Grappler - Justin Engelmann, a Saint Mark’s 126-pound senior, won his 100th career match Feb. 12 versus Cape. Justin was getting some photos taken by friends with his teammates after the match, but the one I wanted was "Gramps and the Grappler." Justin's grandfather is Ron Eby, a Smyrna High legend, who was head coach for the Eagles from 1965-77, amassing an overall record of 123-20-3 and a conference record of 91-5-2. He coached 30 conference champion wrestlers and 11 state champions. Eby also founded the Smyrna Little Wrestlers program. Jeffery Engelmann, 132, is another Eby grandson, a freshman for the Spartans. I watched Eby during his grandsons' matches - they both won - and he exhibited the class expected of a coach with his resume. Most psycho out-of-their-minds relatives have no resume, not comprehending the act-like-you’ve-been-there rules of sports etiquette.
Couple of crazy kids - I snapped a “freeze frame” photo at the finish of Saturday’s Valentine's Day 5K and shouted “front page material!” But I have no control over that, just the sports pages. The only hand holding smiling while frozen photo to be captured was of Tony Zeccola and Pepperr Liner of Lewes. Pepperr saw the photo on Facebook and wrote, “TZ was sooo sweet; he was kicking my butt but walked so I could catch up to him so we could finish together ... at this point I see the finish line and that ALWAYS puts a big smile on my face (TZ ALWAYS puts a big smile on my face too).” I never see the smiles I put on faces because it’s always when I’m leaving.
Coach Re is the best - Now I really don’t know who is the best teacher/coach in Delaware high school basketball, but I do know that Cape’s Steve Re can “coach them up.” He holds his players to a higher standard of behavior than the school discipline code, and he loves his players and they know it. Friday night in the fourth quarter he turned around to the student section and waved them on with his arms letting them know, “I need you. The team needs you." After the game in the locker room, the first thing he said to me was, “How about our fans and the energy they brought to a road game? We don’t win without them.”
Three balls and free balls - It's obvious to me that the three-point line in high school basketball needs to be moved back while the free-throw line needs to be moved up. The data suggest that the teenage brain focus points are different from the blurred vision world the rest of us inhabit. Friday night at Sussex Tech, the Cape JV boys' team shot 22-for-53 from the free-throw line. First question is, “Who shoots 53 foul shots in a 24-minute game that lasted 90 minutes? And who misses 31 of them?" The varsity boys' game followed with each team making nine three-point shots, which is just crazy. The girls' game at Cape saw 11 total three-balls made, but the two teams combined to shoot 13-for-36 from the free-throw line. Blame the game? Deduce the obvious? When the game slows to a stop, teenage focus takes a vacation. This field data can be applied to the classroom. Saturday SATs should have bodies running around the room occasionally swiping pencils.
Snippets - Delaware redshirt freshman Diaz Nardo (Cape) started his first two collegiate games playing third base for the Blue Hens. Nardo had a hit in a 3-0 loss to Wake Forest and a hit against Georgetown in a 3-2 win.
Bill Cilento, son of Cape Athletic Director Bob Cilento, is an assistant coach at Wake Forest.
Jack Redefer (Sussex Tech), a junior on attack for the Wesley men’s lacrosse team, had two goals and two assists in an 11-4 home win over Ferrum.
Lynchburg College men’s lacrosse beat Salisbury Feb. 14, 12-7, in a major upset in Division III.
Jon Warren (Cape) is averaging 12 points and six rebounds per game for the Harford Community College Fighting Owls. Toney Floyd (Cape) is averaging four points coming off the bench, with 21 assists for the season. Harford is 17-12 on the season. Go on now, git!
