Sophomore Allison Smith scored the first goal as Tower Hill blanked Woodbridge 2-0 in the DIAA Division II Girls Soccer Tournament on Saturday.

MILFORD – At 6-foot-2, Delaware Girls Basketball Player of the Year Altia Anderson presented a formidable obstacle as Woodbridge’s goalkeeper on Saturday.

It took 14 shots and 42 minutes for Tower Hill to finally get one past her. Then the Hillers added an insurance goal and fought through a steady rain to seal a 2-0 victory over the Blue Raiders in the opening round of the DIAA Division II Girls Soccer Tournament at Briggs Stadium.

“She’s an imposing figure,” Tower Hill coach Garry Chandler said of Anderson. “She’s tall and athletic. She can get the high ball, she can get to the wide ball. We really had to work.”

The eighth-seeded Hillers (12-4) outshot ninth-seeded Woodbridge 11-1 in the first half, but Anderson kept it even. The senior punched out a 20-yard drive by Tower Hill’s Allie Salter in the 35th minute, cradled a 30-yard blast from Simi Olurin a minute later and smothered a low shot by Isabelle Pilson two minutes after that.

“We can bring attack, but we have really struggled to finish for much of the year,” Chandler said. “It showed in the first half. Once you get the first one in, you can relax a little bit. But as minutes tick by, it gets tighter and tighter.”

The Hillers finally found a way to loosen it up two minutes into the second half. Sophomore Allison Smith instantly pounced on a rebound to make it 1-0.

“Our team had a lot of opportunities and crosses, and it was all thanks to them,” Smith said. “I just happened to be in the right place at the right time to put it in.”

Anderson managed to stop Pilson on what appeared to be two golden opportunities, but she had no chance in the 64th minute. The ball deflected off three players and straight to the right foot of Salter for a tap-in goal.

“I was just in the right place,” Salter said. “Everyone did a really good job serving the balls to us. It was really important to get that one more goal.”

Tower Hill advanced to face top-seeded Indian River in the quarterfinals on Wednesday, at a site and time to be determined. Anderson made 13 saves for Woodbridge, which finished its season at 11-4-1.

Contact Brad Myers at bmyers@delawareonline.com. Follow on Twitter: @BradMyersTNJ.

St. Elizabeth head coach Dick Rago, who has announced his retirement after 30 years as boys basketball coach, is a five-time Catholic Conference coach of the year and three-time Blue-Gold coach with a 358-319 career record.

Dick Rago has announced his retirement after 30 years as boys basketball coach at St. Elizabeth.

Rago’s Vikings qualified for the state tournament nine times in the last 10 years, reaching the semifinals twice and the quarterfinals three times. The five-time Catholic Conference coach of the year and three-time Blue-Gold coach compiled a 358-319 career record.

One of the most memorable nights of Rago’s career came on Feb. 10, 2012, when Andre Patton and Tim Massado each reached 1,000 career points and Rago earned his 300th victory as the Vikings defeated Caravel 59-48.

“It has been a wonderful, wonderful experience being part of these boys’ lives,” Rago said. “They say they learned a lot from me, but I have learned a lot from them.”

Rago, a Salesianum and Villanova graduate, plans to continue his legal practice in Wilmington and spend more time with his family, including wife Evelyn, sons Richie, Darryl and Dale and grandchildren Colyn and Alyssa.

A reception celebrating Rago’s coaching career will be held from 1-3 p.m. June 26 at the St. E Center. All St. Elizabeth alumni are invited to attend, and are asked to send their name and the names of their guests to Kathleen Houghton at khoughton@sehs.org by June 22.

Information on the coaching vacancy is available at sehs.org/career-opportunities. Applicants are invited to send resumes and cover letters to Joann Corradin at jcorradin@sehs.org.

Frederick, Manning lead All-State girls lacrosse team

Blue-Gold roundup

With the spring season concluded, it’s time for the annual Blue-Gold games to bring the state’s top senior athletes together for a final time in several sports.

First up are the Blue-Gold lacrosse games, to be held Tuesday at Scott D. Miller Stadium at Wesley College. The girls game will kick it off at 6 p.m., followed by the boys at 8.

The Blue-Gold softball game will be played at 6:30 p.m. June 15 at Dover Little League.

The Blue-Gold baseball game will be contested June 16 at Frawley Stadium, with a start time of 6 p.m.

A week of activities leading up to the Blue-Gold football game will begin Sunday with media day.

The instrument zoo involving the Blue-Gold marching band will be held at 11 a.m. under the west stands at Delaware Stadium, with players from both teams playing games with their Blue-Gold buddies on Tubby Raymond Field at noon.

The 61st annual Blue-Gold football game will kick off at 6 p.m. June 18 at Delaware Stadium. Parking opens at 1, alumni tent and kids games area open at 2, ticket sales open at 3, stadium gates open at 4 and opening ceremonies begin at 5.

General admission tickets are $10 for adults, $8 for students and are available at all Grotto Pizza locations in Delaware, all Delaware Lions Clubs and through www.dfrc.org. Tickets will also be available at the gate on game day.

Padua’s Scully leads All-State girls soccer team

Top track coaches

Joe Gioffre of Salesianum was named the boys track and field Coach of the Year and Jim Fischer of Ursuline earned the girls Coach of the Year honor at the annual banquet Monday night at Padua.

Gioffre, in his first year as Sallies coach, also won the boys indoor coaching honor. The Sals won both the DIAA Indoor and DIAA Division I boys team titles.

Fischer, in his second year at Ursuline, guided the Raiders to a second-place finish in the DIAA Division II girls meet. Ursuline finished 16th in 2014, before Fischer arrived.

Contact Brad Myers at bmyers@delawareonline.com. Follow on Twitter: @BradMyersTNJ.

BLUE-GOLD SOFTBALL ROSTERS

Game to be played at 6:30 p.m. June 15 at Dover Little League

BLUE TEAM

1 Kelsey Stuckert, Middletown; 2 Lauren Maichle, DMA; 3 Jordan Scout, Appoquinimink; 4 Callie McDowell, Indian River; 5 Noelle Holiday, Red Lion Christian; 6 Kaylee Hazewski, Red Lion Christian; 7 Kathryn Kalinowski, Charter of Wilmington; 8 Alexis Graham, Delcastle; 9 Brooke Banks, Middletown; 10 Jenna Bessel, A.I. du Pont; 11 Sarah Adkins, Middletown; 12 Catera Kennedy, Lake Forest; 13 Karina Atancio, Appoquinimink; 14 Rachel Pritchard, Concord; 15 Brady Keeler, Woodbridge; 16 Daniela Solis, Wilmington Christian; 17 Ky’Lesha Neal, Indian River; 18 Sarah Brady, A.I. du Pont; 19 Kylie Quirk, DMA; 20 Samantha Mengers, Archmere.

Coaches – Ashlie Tatman, Lake Forest; John Maichle, DMA; Robert Banner, A.I. du Pont

GOLD TEAM

1 Kendall Lewis, Caesar Rodney; 2 Kendra Ziemba, Hodgson; 3 Taylor Collins, Sussex Tech; 4 Sydney Ostroski, Cape Henlopen; 5 Rosa’lynn Burton, Caesar Rodney; 6 Nicole Hovatter, Sussex Tech; 7 Taylor Cappella, Smyrna; 8 Karleigh Warren, Sussex Central; 9 Rebekah Ahlstrom, Glasgow; 10 Samantha Owens, Hodgson; 11 Kira Vitella, Cape Henlopen; 12 Morgan Dodge, Polytech; 13 Chelsey Ward, Sussex Central; 14 Whitney DeMora, Polytech; 15 Brooke Stoeckel, Sussex Central; 16 Taylor Pechin, Polytech; 17 Kierstin Fallers, Padua; 18 Anna Zebley, Padua; 19 Riley Shields, Cape Henlopen; 20 Tayler John, Smyrna

Coaches – Dave Morrow, Hodgson; Jeff Evans, Cape Henlopen; Pete Boyer, Padua

Tommie Neubauer, DIAA’s coordinator of officials and events since 2005, will become executive director of the governing body of Delaware high school athletics on July 11.

Veteran athletic administrator Tommie Neubauer has been selected as the new executive director of the Delaware Interscholastic Athletic Association, the governing body of high school athletics in Delaware.

Neubauer has served as DIAA’s coordinator of officials and events since October 2005. His new role begins July 11. He will replace Kevin Charles, who is retiring, and will become the seventh executive director of DIAA and its two predecessors since the governing body started in 1945.

“I’m thrilled,” Neubauer said Tuesday. “This is something that I’ve been working toward for 20 years, directly and indirectly.”

Neubauer replaced Charles in his current job 11 years ago, and has worked closely with Charles and administrative assistant Tina Bates — DIAA’s only three paid employees — ever since.

“With a staff of three, it was always a ‘we’ thing,” Neubauer said. “The executive director, naturally, is the leader and the public face of DIAA. But we made decisions between the three staff members, and we always reached out to the hundreds of people who make DIAA — our member schools, our volunteers, our committee people, our interpreters.”

Neubauer lauded Charles for expansions of state tournaments and education of athletic directors, the establishment of Unified sports programs and enhancements in athlete safety during his tenure.

“My bucket list is just to keep that going, and maybe extend it to coaches education,” Neubauer said. “That is something Kevin got started, but I would really like to take that one and run with it. Having a coaches education program and a coaches certification program that is affordable and there for all of our schools.”

Neubauer started his career in education as a teacher at Caravel in 1980. He moved to teaching at Middletown in 1986, and also served as the Cavaliers’ athletic director from 1998-2005. He also officiated youth and high school football and softball for more than 20 years.

Neubauer said he has learned a tremendous amount from working alongside Charles and DIAA’s 19-member Board of Directors.

“To listen to the smart people in the room, and to build consensus between the groups that come to the table,” he said. “Delaware is a very diverse state, is a very flexible state when it comes to the amount of choices that parents and student-athletes have. Bringing all of those factors together is something Kevin has been masterful at, and I’m learning that and hope to continue that.”

Neubauer’s move creates an opening in his old job. He said DIAA will work quickly to solicit applications and work through the hiring process.

Prep notes: Rago retires as St. E hoops coach

Tops in track

Middletown sprinter Daija Lampkin was named Girls Athlete of the Year and Mount Pleasant jumper Malachi Davis was named Boys Athlete of the Year at the annual All-State track banquet on Monday night at Padua.

Lampkin won the 100- (11.94), 200- (24.38) and 400-meter (55.45) Division I titles at the DIAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships. She missed the Meet of Champions to travel to Havana, Cuba, where she set the state’s fastest 100 time (11.52) while finishing second in the Caribbean Scholastic Invitational. The junior now holds the state’s fastest times in the 100 and 200, and is sixth-fastest all-time in the 400.

Davis, also a junior, won the long jump (23-2) and triple jump (48-10) titles in Division I, then swept again at the Meet of Champions.

Auks do it again

The Archmere rugby program capped its season with a second straight title at the High School Rugby Challenge, a national event held last weekend in Chester, Pa.

The Auks came back to defeat West Chester, Pa., 24-19 on Sunday to win the Boys High School Open 7s. Last year, Archmere took the title in the single-school division.

The Auks led 17-0 at halftime in the final, only to see West Chester rally for a 19-17 lead.

“Our guys had to turn it around and come back,” Auks coach Drew Cocco said. “It was an interesting experience for them, because I don’t think we’ve been behind on the scoreboard in a very, very long time in 7s. But they turned it around and got the job done.”

Nick Udovich, Alec Giakas, Tanner McIlrath and Connor Ruggieri scored tries in the championship game, and Noah Niumataiwalu kicked two conversions.

The Archmere program started with 14 players just four years ago. This year, the Auks reached their limit of 35 players.

“These seniors that graduated, they built this program from freshman year on up,” Cocco said. “These guys were our first group, so it’s pretty special.”

Archmere swept state titles in 7s and 15s, the Subaru 7s regional title and the HSRC nationals for the second straight year. Among the Auks’ seniors, Giakas (South Carolina), Niumataiwalu (St. Joseph’s), McIlrath (St. Joseph’s), Udovich (West Chester), Greg McCord (Princeton) and Colin Freeh (Navy) plan to continue playing rugby in college.

“Wherever they’re going, whether they’re getting scholarships or not, I’m just happy they’re playing,” Cocco said.

Contact Brad Myers at bmyers@delawareonline.com. Follow on Twitter: @BradMyersTNJ.

Lake Forest’s Ben Moore receives the inspirational athlete of the year award from Mike Schmidt during the Delaware Sports Awards banquet at the Bob Carpenter Center Wednesday.

Members of the Mount Pleasant boys basketball team were named the team of the year at the Delaware Sports Awards banquet at the Bob Carpenter Center at the University of Delaware in Newark on Wednesday evening.

Mike Schmidt speaks during the Delaware Sports Awards banquet at the Bob Carpenter Center Wednesday.

Athletes of the Week are recognized during the Delaware Sports Awards banquet at the Bob Carpenter Center Wednesday.

Mike Schmidt speaks during the Delaware Sports Awards banquet at the Bob Carpenter Center Wednesday.

Guests at the Delaware Sports Awards banquet get photos taken along the red carpet at the Bob Carpenter Center at the University of Delaware in Newark on Wednesday evening.

Keysha and Dariyon Williams, 8, check out posters of The News Journal’s Athletes of the Week as they make their way down the red carpet for the Delaware Sports Awards banquet at the Bob Carpenter Center at the University of Delaware in Newark on Wednesday evening.

Mike Schmidt speaks during the Delaware Sports Awards banquet at the Bob Carpenter Center Wednesday.

Mike Schmidt speaks during the Delaware Sports Awards banquet at the Bob Carpenter Center Wednesday.

Mike Schmidt speaks during the Delaware Sports Awards banquet at the Bob Carpenter Center Wednesday.

Mike Schmidt speaks during the Delaware Sports Awards banquet at the Bob Carpenter Center Wednesday.

The News Journal’s High School Sports Reporter, Brad Myers, speaks at the Delaware Sports Awards banquet at the Bob Carpenter Center at the University of Delaware in Newark on Wednesday evening.

Mike Schmidt signs a jersey at the Delaware Sports Awards banquet at the Bob Carpenter Center at the University of Delaware in Newark on Wednesday evening.

Mike Schmidt signs a jersey on top of The News Journal’s Sports and Engagement Editor, Jason Levine’s head at the Delaware Sports Awards banquet at the Bob Carpenter Center at the University of Delaware in Newark on Wednesday evening.

Guests get their picture taken with former Phillies third baseman Mike Schmidt at the Delaware Sports Awards banquet at the Bob Carpenter Center at the University of Delaware in Newark on Wednesday evening.

Guests at the Delaware Sports Awards banquet fill the lobby of the Bob Carpenter Center at the University of Delaware in Newark on Wednesday evening.

Guests at the Delaware Sports Awards banquet make their way down the red carpet at the Bob Carpenter Center at the University of Delaware in Newark on Wednesday evening.

Guests at the Delaware Sports Awards banquet make their to their tables at the Bob Carpenter Center at the University of Delaware in Newark on Wednesday evening.

Guests at the Delaware Sports Awards banquet make their way down the red carpet at the Bob Carpenter Center at the University of Delaware in Newark on Wednesday evening.

Guests fill the floor of the Bob Carpenter Center for the Delaware Sports Awards at the University of Delaware in Newark on Wednesday evening.

Hall of Famer Mike Schmidt smiles on state as he is announced at the first Delaware Sports Awards at the Bob Carpenter Center.

Hundreds attend the first Delaware Sports Awards held at the Bob Carpenter Center.

Hundreds attend the first Delaware Sports Awards held at the Bob Carpenter Center.

Hundreds attend the first Delaware Sports Awards held at the Bob Carpenter Center.

Hall of Famer Mike Schmidt is announced at the first Delaware Sports Awards at the Bob Carpenter Center.

Kevin Charles speaks at the first Delaware Sports Awards at the Bob Carpenter Center.

Sports reporter Brad Myers and sports editor Jason Levine welcomes attendees at the Delaware Sports Awards.

The News Journal publisher Susan Leath speaks at the first Delaware Sports Awards at the Bob Carpenter Center.

Coach Cory Frederick puts a wrestling move on Andrew Brooks on the red carpet at the Delaware Sports Awards.

Hannah Scarborough sings the National Anthem at the Delaware Sports Awards.

Malachi Davis, Jashawn Johnson and Keon Taylor walk the red carpet for the first Delaware Sports Awards at the Bob Carpenter Center.

Mike Schmidt signs baseballs for raffle before the Delaware Sports Awards banquet at the Bob Carpenter Center Wednesday.

Attendees have their photos taken on the red carpet as they arrive during the Delaware Sports Awards banquet at the Bob Carpenter Center Wednesday.

Mike Schmidt signs baseballs for raffle before the Delaware Sports Awards banquet at the Bob Carpenter Center Wednesday.

Members of the Mount Pleasant boys basketball team were named the team of the year at the Delaware Sports Awards banquet at the Bob Carpenter Center at the University of Delaware in Newark on Wednesday evening.

NEWARK – One of the most familiar luminaries in Philadelphia area sports history loomed large over the inaugural Delaware Sports Awards Wednesday night at the Bob Carpenter Center.

But recognition of the First State’s best in high school sports during the 2015-16 school year took center stage.

Even the evening’s featured speaker, Phillies Hall of Fame third baseman Mike Schmidt, couldn’t help but be stirred – and humbled – by the gathering and its myriad of accomplishments.

Invited guests in a crowd of 600 included all first-team All-State athletes. Among those recognized were the players of the year in each of Delaware’s high school sports.

Five prominent awards were presented: Female Athlete of the Year (Ursuline senior Kailyn Kampert); Male Athlete of the Year (William Penn senior Brandon Dooley); Inspirational Athlete of the Year (Lake Forest senior Benjamin Moore); Team of the Year (Mount Pleasant boys basketball); and Coach of the Year (P.J. Kesmodel of Cape Henlopen girls lacrosse).

Well before reaching major league stardom, Schmidt was a three-sport high school athlete in Dayton, Ohio, undermined by knee injuries suffered on the football field.

“I was never in the position they were in because I never got an award in my life,” said Schmidt, 66, standing in an arena named for the former Delaware resident whose family owned the Phillies from 1943-81. “I wasn’t good enough to be All-City or All-State. I got a lot of awards in Little League, but that was when I was a little boy.”

In opening remarks, Susan Leath, president of The News Journal Media Group, which sponsored the event, told the gathering that the value of high school sports goes much deeper than victories, defeats and personal rewards.

“The triumphs and pitfalls of sport instills character that will serve you and your community the rest of your lives,” said Leath, who has two daughters playing NCAA Division I volleyball and a son playing high school basketball in Delaware. “You have learned the value of teamwork, dedication, focus, friendship and helping others.’’

The event, Leath said, was part of USA Today Network’s “vision” to recognize high school athletes across the country and ensure “we’re making an impact in our communities. … We have a very engaged high school athletic community.”

MORE: Complete coverage of the Delaware Sports Awards

It will become an annual event, Leath added, saying it fills a void for statewide events recognizing high school athletes.

David Ledford, vice president/news and executive editor of The News Journal, said the Carpenter Center provided the ideal setting and lauded David Arthur, UD assistant athletic director for entertainment sales, for his efforts.

“The Bob is the place,” Ledford said, mentioning the many high school athletic events and graduations that take place here.

Schmidt attended Fairview High in Dayton, where he played football, basketball and baseball. But a torn ACL in his left knee as a sophomore and a cartilage injury in his right knee as a junior – both suffered playing football – limited him.

“It was a tough road back, and when I got back I never was the same,” he said in a pre-banquet interview. “I don’t know if the old ‘never give up your dream’ thing is the reason I got where I am today, but I believe it was God’s plan for me.”

At Ohio University, Schmidt made the freshman basketball team but was told his knees were too big of a risk for medical insurance. He made his legs stronger, went out for baseball and eventually starred at shortstop. The Phillies chose him out of OU in the second round with the 31st pick of the 1971 draft.

He made his big-league debut in 1972 and became the Phillies’ regular third baseman in 1973. Schmidt was a 12-time National League All-Star, three-time MVP, including when the Phillies won the World Series in 1980, and a 10-time Gold Glove winner. He retired in 1989, having played all of his 2,404 big-league games with the Phillies. He hit 548 career homers.

“I probably at some point should have said, ‘Why don’t you just try to get an education and earn a living like normal people do and give up on the whole sports thing?’” Schmidt said, “but I didn’t. It seemed like every time I hit the edge and should have quit, something good happened.”

Schmidt called addressing high school athletes “relatively new for me,” as most of his association is with present-day Phillies and those in the organization’s farm system in spring training or broadcasting weekend games on TV.

In his remarks to the audience, Schmidt said he’d “exceeded every dream I could possibly have” by overcoming those early obstacles and becoming a pro athlete. He urged athletes to avoid specialization and “play multiple sports because something in every sport can make you better” and to do so with “tenacity and accountability.”

Creston Campbell, manager for the Mount Pleasant boys’ basketball team, listens as his team is announced as the team of the year at the Delaware Sports Awards banquet at the Bob Carpenter Center at the University of Delaware in Newark on Wednesday evening.

Mount Pleasant’s acknowledgment as Team of the Year drew a particularly warm response, considering the Green Knights had lost in the state semifinals to eventual state champion Sanford in the very building in which they were honored Wednesday. The Blue Hen Conference champions finished the season 20-4.

But, by that time, the players had already succeeded in something more important. They had eased the transition to high school for a nervous freshman, Creston Campbell, who was in the school’s Special Autism Program, by noticing his love of basketball and befriending him, with first-team All-State guard Raheim Burnett leading the way.

“We learned that even though people are different, everyone is the same in the heart,” Burnett said Wednesday.

Campbell became the team manager. That carried over into players spending time with other students in the autism program, in what became a spontaneous and very effective lesson in inclusiveness and mainstreaming, school leaders said.

“It’s pretty humbling,” Green Knights coach Lisa Sullivan said of the award, “when you look at all the athletes and all the teams in here and the choices that could have been made. It’s not just about winning and losing, and we’ve had a good program for years. To pick us is definitely an honor.”

Lake Forest’s Benjamin Moore poses with Mike Schmidt after being named the inspirational player of the year at the Delaware Sports Awards banquet at the Bob Carpenter Center at the University of Delaware in Newark on Wednesday evening.

As Inspirational Athlete of the Year, Moore was lauded for carrying a positive attitude that rubbed off on football and lacrosse teammates even though he has, because of limited contact with his parents, resided for the past five years at the Elizabeth Murphey School group home in Dover.

Moore was a slotback, linebacker, long snapper and returnman, in which he made second-team All-State, while rarely leaving the field in football. A concussion has knocked him out of Saturday’s Blue-Gold all-star game at Delaware Stadium. He was also honorable mention All-State in lacrosse in just his second year playing.

Ursuline’s Kailyn Kampert poses with Mike Schmidt after being named the female athlete of the year at the Delaware Sports Awards banquet at the Bob Carpenter Center at the University of Delaware in Newark on Wednesday evening.

Kampert keyed Ursuline’s state championship victory on the Carpenter Center floor in basketball, a sport in which she was second-team All-State. She’d been first-team All-State in volleyball and, in her first year of high jumping, placed fifth in the Division II outdoor state track and field meet.

She succeeded as a three-sport standout while performing even better academically, earning a 4.11 grade-point average. She’ll attend Virginia Tech.

William Penn’s Brandon Dooley poses with Mike Schmidt after being named the male athlete of the year at the Delaware Sports Awards banquet at the Bob Carpenter Center at the University of Delaware in Newark on Wednesday evening.

Dooley was a first-team All-State center and second-team All-State defensive tackle for the William Penn football team. He also returned from December knee surgery to win the Blue Hen Conference 285-pound wrestling championship and finish second in the state meet after an overtime final match – he was state champ as a junior – despite not being 100 percent healthy. He also played baseball.

Dooley had a 3.83 grade-point average and received an academic scholarship to Susquehanna University, where he’ll play football. He is playing in the Blue-Gold game this week.

“This means everything,” Dooley said, “but this isn’t really for me, though. All my teammates helped me get this award.”

Cape Henlopen Girls Lacrosse Coach PJ Kesmodel poses with Mike Schmidt after being named the coach of the year at the Delaware Sports Awards banquet at the Bob Carpenter Center at the University of Delaware in Newark on Wednesday evening.

Kesmodel turned 73 on May 31. That night, Cape Henlopen won its eighth straight girls lacrosse state championship under Kesmodel, who had a successful lacrosse coaching career in Maryland before moving to Delaware in 2005 to retire, then ended up coaching again after initially volunteering to help. In nine seasons under Kesmodel, Cape went 143-17-1 and owns a 99-game unbeaten streak against in-state opponents.

Kevin Charles, retiring this month as Delaware Interscholastic Athletic Association executive director after 11 years, was also recognized and spoke. One of the hallmarks of Charles’ tenure has been the addition of Unified Sports to several DIAA state championships in a relationship built with Special Olympics.

“Inclusion is everything,” Charles said. “We’ve come a long way, but there’s still more to do.”

An auction of various items to benefit Special Olympics, including a signed Schmidt jersey, also was part of the festivities.

The event included slideshows and video presentations for each award winner and Schmidt, whose video ended with his memorable trot around the bases following his 500th home run at Three Rivers Stadium in Pittsburgh on April 18, 1987.

Results of a delawareonline.com non-scientific fan poll were also revealed in which the winners were Smyrna (most passionate fans); Conrad (loudest gym); Smyrna (best marching band); and Laurel-Delmar (best Delaware high school sports rivalry).

Contact Kevin Tresolini at ktresolini@delawareonline.com. Follow on Twitter @kevintresolini.

Delaware Sports Awards

Team of the Year – Mount Pleasant boys basketball

Female Athlete of the Year – Kailyn Kampert, Ursuline

Male Athlete of the Year – Brandon Dooley, William Penn

Inspirational Athlete of the Year – Benjamin Moore, Lake Forest

Coach of the Year – P.J. Kesmodel, Cape Henlopen girls lacrosse

Players of the year by sport

Baseball, Jordan Hutchins, Dover

Girls basketball, Altia Anderson, Woodbridge

Boys basketball, Mikey Dixon, Sanford

Girls cross country, Lydia Olivere, Padua

Boys cross country, Kevin Murray, Charter School of Wilmington

Field hockey, Kate Walker, Mount Pleasant

Football (lineman), Kyle Cathers, Salesianum

Football (offense), Will Knight, Smyrna

Football (defense), Colby Reeder, Salesianum

Golf, Phoebe Brinker, Tower Hill

Girls lacrosse, Annie Frederick, Cape Henlopen

Girls lacrosse, Abby Manning, Tower Hill

Boys lacrosse, Ben Revak, Archmere

Girls soccer, Mackenzie Scully, Padua

Boys soccer, Matthew Dina, Appoquinimink

Softball, Whitney DeMora, Polytech

Girls swimming, Josephine Marsh, Appoquinimink

Boys swimming, David Crossland, Tatnall

Girls tennis, Grace Shiau, Charter School of Wilmington

Boys tennis, Robby Ward, Archmere

Girls indoor and outdoor track & field, Daija Lampkin, Middletown

Boys indoor track & field, Andre Hally, Salesianum

Boys outdoor track & field, Malachi Davis, Mount Pleasant

Volleyball, Sydney Fulton, Delaware Military Academy

Wrestling, Joe Miller, Salesianum

Ryan Bradford’s warm and welcoming personality made everyone want to be his friend.

Ryan Bradford, who was involved in the Special Olympics, loved sports and his welcoming personality was one of his best attributes.

The good-natured teenager loved sports, active for years as a Special Olympics Athlete with the Kent Wild Kats area program and participated on Caesar Rodney High School’s Special Olympics Unified teams.

“He was the kind of kid everybody liked to be around,” said Dave Manwiller, the area director for the Kent Wild Kats for Special Olympics Delaware.

Bradford, who turned 18 on Friday, died overnight Sunday. He had been in critical condition at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia due to smoke inhalation after being injured in a house fire Thursday in Magnolia.

“It was so easy for him to make friends,” Manwiller said. “The kids at the high school liked him. The kids on the Special Olympics team liked him. All the coaches liked him. He was always friendly, an outing-going kid.”

In addition to participating in the Special Olympics, Bradford was involved in the Best Buddies program and the Blue-Gold program. Bradford received the notable recognition of being the buddy chosen last year by Delaware Foundation Reaching Citizens with intellectual disABILITIES to represent Delaware as the gold team honoree. From January to June of 2015, when the Blue-Gold football game was held at the University of Delaware, Bradford would attend DFRC events and represent the buddies.

STORY: Sunday fire claims three Magnolia homes, two pets

STORY: Special Olympics law enforcement runner named 

STORY: DIAA/Special Olympics Delaware Unified Flag Football

Tony Glenn, the executive director at the DFRC with intellectual disABILITIES, said he would most remember Bradford’s acceptance of everyone and how he loved life.

“There was so much to learn from him just watching him,” Glenn said. “He possessed the keys to life. We learned a lot from him, not with just what he said, but how he lived his life. You would have to not have a pulse to not understand how he cared, how he embraced others.

“He would just walk up to you with that smile and embrace you. He did that with everybody.”

Manwiller, who had known Bradford for a few years, said Ryan and his family had been involved in Special Olympics Delaware for “a long, long time.”

“Ryan displayed great spirit and determination as he enjoyed several team sports year-round within our program,” Special Olympics Delaware said in a statement. “His smile was contagious and his personality one that endeared him to anyone who knew him. He will be dearly missed by all who knew him.”

Bradford’s parents, Ryan and April, have both been coaches in the Special Olympics. His sister, Katelyn, is a unified partner and also coaches. Bradford’s father is a soccer official in Delaware, and the younger Ryan would go to the soccer games his dad officiated.

Bradford participated in softball, bowling, soccer and basketball. A couple of Bradford’s soccer teammates from this past year visited Ryan while he was in the hospital.

“I think Ryan really enjoyed soccer,” Manwiller said. “He enjoyed softball as well. His dad was one of our softball coaches. He was always at all the practices.”

To help the Bradford family, Special Olympics Delaware created a fund and will cover all administrative costs associated with the contributions made through the fundraising page (http://www.firstgiving.com/fundraiser/specialolympics-delaware-1/BradfordFamilyFund​). A car wash will be held Saturday, July 9 at Caesar Rodney High to help raise money for the family, too.

Howard’s Kevin Womack (20), Christian Francis (53) and Hissan Snell (30) celebrate the Wildcats; 28-13 win over St. Georges on Dec. 5 for Howard’s first DIAA Division II football championship.

It’s never easy to win a Delaware Interscholastic Athletic Association championship, but more schools are finding a way to do it.

A record 17 schools added to their trophy cases as 31 titles were decided during the 2015-16 school year. There were actually 32 first-place awards, as Tatnall and St. Georges shared the title in Division II boys outdoor track and field.

Private schools won 19 titles (59.4 percent of the total), with public schools taking the remaining 13 championships. Catholic schools led the way with 11 state titles, followed by eight for the Henlopen Conference, six for the Delaware Independent Schools Conference, four for the Blue Hen Conference, two for non-conference schools and one for the Diamond State Conference.

Salesianum, Padua and Tatnall led individual schools with four titles each. Six other schools – Smyrna, Charter of Wilmington, Cape Henlopen, Ursuline, Caravel and Caesar Rodney – each managed two championships.

The fall sports saw four first-time champions among the 10 winners, including both Smyrna (Division I) and Howard (Division II) in football. Charter of Wilmington’s first D-I boys cross country championship broke an eight-year run by Salesianum, and Delaware Military Academy’s volleyball title was the school’s first in any DIAA-sanctioned sport.

Tatnall continued to dominate in Division II cross country, racking up its 12th straight girls title and seventh consecutive boys championship. Padua ruled for the third straight season in Division I girls cross country.

The boys soccer titles went to a couple of familiar programs, as Salesianum won its sixth straight Division I championship (12th in the last 14 years) and Indian River took D-II for the second time in three years. Cape Henlopen rolled to its fifth consecutive field hockey championship.

The only first-time winner during the winter season was Charter, which ended Sallies’ 10-year streak in boys swimming. Ursuline snapped Charter’s eight-year run in girls swimming, as the Raiders won for the first time since taking the first two titles in 1986-87.

Familiar faces cut down the nets in basketball, as Sanford won its ninth overall boys title and Ursuline earned its second straight girls championship (16th overall). Indoor track also didn’t stray out of the ordinary, as Padua earned its fourth title in a row (12th overall) and Salesianum cranked out its ninth championship.

The Henlopen Conference continued to rule in wrestling. Smyrna rolled to its fourth consecutive Division I crown, and ninth overall counting five earlier titles in Division II. Smyrna, Caesar Rodney and Sussex Central have combined to give the Henlopen North 14 of the last 16 D-I dual-meet championships. Henlopen South member Milford won its third straight D-II title (fifth overall).

The spring sports saw two first-time winners. Tower Hill stood atop the podium in golf for the first time, led by eighth-grader Phoebe Brinker, who became the first girl to hoist the individual trophy. St. Georges’ shared title in D-II boys track and field was only the second ever for the school, which also won D-II wrestling in 2013.

Salesianum rolled to its fifth boys lacrosse championship in the last six years, and added its 16th overall title in D-I boys track and field. Tatnall’s shared boys track championship was its third in the last seven years, and the Hornets won D-II girls track and field for the seventh time in 10 years. Padua ran to its fifth straight D-I girls track and field title (17th overall).

Caravel continued an amazing run in softball, winning its 10th state title and appearing in the championship game for the 17th time in 18 years. The Buccaneers also won their third straight Division II girls soccer championship, the only D-II school to win since the field was split three years ago.

Padua romped to its fifth straight D-I girls soccer title, and finished second in the final USA Today/NSCAA spring national rankings. Cape Henlopen racked up its eighth straight championship in girls lacrosse, and ran its winning streak over in-state opponents to 99.

St. Mark’s took the baseball crown for the ninth time in 13 years (14th title overall). And Caesar Rodney swept in boys and girls tennis, earning its fifth boys title in the last six years and its second girls championship.

Football in China

Two Delawareans are among 44 players selected to compete for the United States Under-19 National Team in the International Federation of American Football (IFAF) World Championship, which begins Thursday and runs through July 11 in Harbin, China.

Glasgow wide receiver Ja’Saan Cunningham, who will be a senior this fall, and Delaware Military Academy running back Alphaeus Hanson, who graduated this spring, are among athletes from 20 states who will compete against national teams from Australia, Austria, Canada, China, Japan and Mexico.

The team, coached by Dennis Thomas of Millville (N.J.) High, held a training camp from June 18-24 at Kean University in Union, N.J., and will open play in China on Thursday against Austria. The U.S. team’s other three games will be played July 3, 7 and 10 or 11, with opponents to be determined based on the tournament’s results.

Gatorade winners

Charter of Wilmington’s Kevin Murray has been named Gatorade Delaware boys track and field athlete of the year, and Middletown’s Daija Lampkin has been named Gatorade Delaware girls track and field athlete of the year.

Murray, a senior headed for the Naval Academy, won the 3,200-meter run at the DIAA Meet of Champions in 9:26.19. He also had the state’s fastest times in the 3,200 (9:12.31 at the Arcadia Invitational) and 1,600 (4:14.80 at the New Castle County championships) this spring. Murray also earned a 4.37 grade-point average and was a National Merit Scholarship semifinalist.

Lampkin, a junior, swept Division I titles in the 100- (11.94), 200- (24.38) and 400-meter (55.45) dashes and anchored Middletown’s winning 4×200 relay (1:41.75) at the DIAA Outdoor Track and Field meet. She also set a state record in the 200 (23.80) at the New Castle County championships, has a 4.15 grade-point average and is a member of the National Honor Society.

Track nationals

Lampkin and several of Delaware’s other top track and field athletes wrapped up their seasons at the New Balance Outdoor Nationals, held June 17-19 in Greensboro, N.C.

Lampkin finished sixth in the girls 100 (11.72) and eighth in the 200 (24.15). Padua’s Taliah Cintron took 12th in the girls 400-meter hurdles (1:01.37), and St. Georges’ Micaiah Dendy was ninth in the triple jump (38-4¼).

Mount Pleasant’s Malachi Davis highlighted the Delaware boys finishes with a third in the triple jump (49-3¾). Glasgow’s Tahaire Riley tied for 12th in the boys high jump (6-4¼).

In the Emerging Elite division, William Penn’s Miles Duncan placed fourth in the boys triple jump (45-3). A.I. du Pont’s Noah Agwu earned sixth in the boys discus (155-3) and 20th in shot put (50-6¾). Smyrna’s Zion Cole was 10th in the boys long jump (21-0) and Cape Henlopen’s Isaiah Morris took 11th in high jump (6-2¼).

Padua’s Darby Deutsch tied for 13th in pole vault (11-5), and Smyrna’s Myrissa McFolling-Young finished 17th in girls shot put (39-10¾). The Delaware Military Academy foursome of Xaviann Nobles, Sean Butler, Myles Weston and Brian Poad was 20th in the boys 4×200 relay (1:32.72), and Smyrna’s girls 4×400 relay of Madison Keister, Naomi Bowser, Perriasia Thompson and Shaneese LaMons finished 20th in 3:59.00.

Contact Brad Myers at bmyers@delawareonline.com. Follow on Twitter: @BradMyersTNJ 

Tower Hill’s Abby Manning (23) in the DIAA girls lacrosse championship game against Cape Henlopen at Wesley College in Dover.

Lizzie Frederick and Abby Manning ended their high school lacrosse careers together.

Frederick tallied two goals and an assist as Cape Henlopen topped Tower Hill, 16-4, with Manning scoring twice for the Hillers.

The pair shared the field on that May afternoon. They also share a team-first approach as well as Player of the Year honors as selected by the Delaware Girls Lacrosse Coaches Association.

“I’ve never really been focused on my stats. My number one [priority] has been winning the state championship,” Frederick said. “Scoring goals is great, and if it helps my team win, then great, but it’s not my first priority.”

Frederick, who will join sister Annie on the Temple University team, finished her preps career with four state titles under head coach P.J. Kesmodel, who retired after this year’s championship.

Manning and Frederick were both Academic All-Americans this season. Manning plans to play lacrosse and field hockey at Wesleyan University.

Cape prevented Manning and the Hillers from winning a state championship. But that was not for lack of effort.

She tallied 81 goals and 54 assists while leading Tower Hill to a 12-3 record. Tower Hill’s only two in-state losses came at the hands of Cape. In the playoffs, Manning had 14 goals and nine assists.

Despite the stats, Manning says she’s not a standout player.

“I don’t really see myself in that light exactly,” Manning said. “I know a lot of players in the state that I see as very, very outstanding lacrosse players that I look up to and that I want to play like, so I don’t really see myself in that light and it’s funny because when people say things like that, it still doesn’t really register because I don’t see myself as standing out above everybody else. I had a lot, a lot of help from my teammates, I can’t stress enough how much they helped me.”

Still, according to Hillers coach Wiz Applegate, Manning proved herself in no uncertain terms this season.

“Some kids, certainly in the state of Delaware, can rack up how many goals they might score in a particular season, but with our schedule and with the strength of our schedule – I think we had eight of our games with teams with a .700 win-loss percentage. So it’s not like Abby’s racking up goals against weak goalkeepers or weak defenses,” she said. “She really had to work hard to earn those 81 goals.”

Applegate said it took some convincing to get Manning to accept her talent.

“Early on in the season, I had to nudge her a bit and say ‘Abby, it’s OK to be dominant, it’s OK to challenge, go to the cage and shoot,’” Applegate said.

Meanwhile, Frederick tallied 66 goals and 34 assists on the year while leading Cape to a 15-0 record. In the playoffs, she had 13 goals and 10 assists, with her best performance coming against Caravel in the semifinals. In that game, she notched eight goals and six assists.

“What stands out most about Lizzie besides her obvious lacrosse skills and talent are her fierce competitive drive and will to win,” Kesmodel said. “It is very contagious and continually inspires her teammates to perform at their best. This is the mark of not only a great lacrosse player, but that of a true leader.”

Frederick said assists are more important to her than goals, as it is about starting a great play rather than finishing one.

“One of my really big things that I enjoy doing is setting up other people,” she said. “It’s nice to score your own goals, but there’s nothing better than assisting one of your teammates and seeing how happy they are and just knowing you were able to do that for them.”

Her season might have been even stronger if not for nagging foot injuries, which have plagued Frederick since freshman year. She was originally diagnosed with plantar fasciitis, but doctors this year diagnosed her instead with sesamoiditis, an irritation of the tiny bones within the tendons that run to the big toe.

To alleviate some of the pain, Frederick switched from midfield to attack. She also underwent physical therapy.

Frederick takes a long-term approach to injuries.

“Sports are important and stuff, but it’s also really important to stay healthy because I mean sports mean a lot now, but you’re going to have your legs for your entire life and you’re going to need them to work if you want a happy life,” she said.

In addition to lacrosse, Manning and Frederick also played on their respective schools’ field hockey teams for all four years. The Hillers went 13-2 this season, losing to Frederick and 15-0 Cape Henlopen in the state semifinals.

“It’s a great outlet,” Manning said. “Lacrosse is my love, it’s my favorite thing, but field hockey and basketball is more ‘well my friends play,’ and I grew up playing sports, so I don’t think I could ever not play them. Competition is very important in my life, I like the competitive side of them.”

Off the field, Manning is considering a career in medicine. Frederick said she is looking into speech pathology.

Their futures may be headed in different directions, but the co-MVPs share a respect for one another.

“I remember playing against her my freshman year in the State Championship game, it’s kind of funny that we came full circle,” Frederick said. “She’s improved as a player, even from last year, she just became so much more dominant. … And she’s playing both field hockey and lacrosse at Wesleyan. She’s going to do awesome up there.”

Manning returned the compliment.

“I played against Lizzie since freshman year, I respect her tremendously,” she said. “She’s a fantastic lacrosse player. I hate playing against her, but she’s a great person. We’re friends on and off the field, so I’m really happy that we can share this together. She 100 percent deserves it, no doubt in my mind.”

When Jordan Hutchins started to get comfortable with getting out of his comfort zone, it made opponents uncomfortable.

It also led to an 18-3 season and berth in the state semifinals for the Dover Senators. And it led to Hutchins being voted the state’s Baseball Player of the Year by the Delaware Baseball Coaches Association.

Hutchins embraced pitching for the first time, and went 7-0 with a 0.78 ERA. He embraced hitting the ball to the opposite field, and produced an eye-popping .524 average with seven doubles, 18 RBIs, 14 stolen bases and 26 runs scored.

Most importantly, he had fun.

“Once the season got going, we just loved each other,” Hutchins said. “It was really fun to go to practice. Every single kid, some of them were football players, some were basketball players as their main sport, but even they loved coming to practice. We had so much fun.”

Of course, winning is fun. Even when the Senators lost, it was close. Dover’s only setbacks were 3-2 to Smyrna, 5-3 to Sussex Tech and 5-3 to St. Mark’s in the semifinals of the DIAA Baseball Tournament.

The Senators were stocked with talent, including senior Garrett Lawson, who made first-team All-State both as a pitcher (5-2, 1.26 ERA) and designated hitter (.479, 17 RBIs). But Hutchins, a four-year starter at shortstop, was the catalyst.

“He was just more mature on the baseball field,” Dover coach Dave Gordon said. “We had a couple of kids like that. They grew up a lot more, didn’t let the little things bother them. If they had a bad at-bat, they took it on the chin, got back in the dugout and learned from their mistakes.”

Hutchins pitched only once as a freshman, once as a sophomore and four times as a junior. But this year, the Senators needed a second starter to complement Lawson. Hutchins had the arm strength, but he was reluctant.

“At first, I didn’t really want to pitch,” Hutchins said. “But I knew if we wanted to be successful, we needed a second pitcher to step up. Whatever coach asked me, I just told him I’d do it for him.”

His coach was a little reluctant, too.

“I always felt like he’s been the best shortstop in the state the last four years, even when he was a freshman,” Gordon said. “Why would I take the best shortstop off of shortstop?

“But this year, we needed more guys on the mound. We gave him the ball, and he did well with it.”

Hutchins didn’t lose a decision and wound up striking out 53 batters in 44 2/3 innings, even though that was never the goal.

“I just lit up the strike zone,” he said. “I just threw as many strikes as I could. I tried to limit the walks, and I didn’t really worry about striking out a lot of people.”

Meanwhile, his offensive game expanded, with help from assistant coach Daniel Bunnion.

“A lot of times after practice, coach Bunnion would stay and throw to me whenever I asked him to,” Hutchins said. “I give him a big thank you for that.”

They worked on driving the ball to right field, which had always been a struggle for the right-handed Hutchins.

“I started taking inside pitches, which is what I like,” he said. “I ended up being more comfortable with the away pitches. I had a lot of success with that, took a lot of pitches the other way.”

Gordon noticed.

“One of the biggest things he improved on was using the whole field,” the head coach said. “Last year, he was very pullish up there. This year, I think he had five triples, and probably four of them were in the right-center gap. That was good to see.”

University of Delaware coach Jim Sherman also noticed. Now Hutchins is thrilled to be headed for the Blue Hens, although that wasn’t his original plan.

“My sophomore and junior year, I kind of wanted to get away from home,” he said. “I wanted to see if I could go as far away as possible. Then once I started talking to UD and I visited the campus, I just loved it. I was just praying that I could have a chance to play there, and as soon as they offered me I knew where I wanted to go.”

UD went 33-22 overall this season, but just 10-14 in the Colonial Athletic Association. Gordon believes Hutchins could be a key piece in a turnaround.

“I think he’s going to fit really well with what they’re trying to do with their roster,” Gordon said. “I think they’re trying to get a little more athletic, a little more speed guys. Jordan is definitely one of those guys.”

He is keeping his skills sharp while playing American Legion ball for Fox Post 2 this summer. Hutchins projects as a middle infielder in college, but he’s willing to play anywhere.

“If a spot in the outfield, third base, wherever it’s open, if they want to give me the shot I don’t really care where I play,” he said. “As long as it gets me in the lineup.”

His comfort zone has expanded.

Contact Brad Myers at bmyers@delawareonline.com. Follow on Twitter: @BradMyersTNJ

Dover High School baseball player Jordan Hutchins.

Padua’s Mackenzie Scully (No. 22) runs ahead of Appoquinimink’s Alison Candy (No. 25) in the second half of Padua’s 4-0 win at Appoquinimink this spring.

Padua’s Mackenzie Scully (left) and Caesar Rodney’s Kimberly Glasser vie for possession in DIAA Division I state title game at Smyrna High.

Padua Academy’s Mackenzie Scully is state girls soccer Player of the Year.

Padua’s Sarah Brush (center) celebrates her opening goal with Mackenzie Scully (left) and Molly Drach in the first half against Caesar Rodney in the DIAA Division I state title game at Smyrna High School Friday.

In an age when specialization has run rampant in high school sports, Mackenzie Scully preferred to just be special.

She didn’t focus all her athletic time and energy on one sport, starring in both basketball and soccer at Padua Academy.

That didn’t prevent her from being the Delaware High School Soccer Coaches Association’s choice as state Player of the Year for the 2016 season.

“I love playing two sports,” said Scully, a Newark resident who recently graduated from Padua. “When I was younger, I always liked playing basketball more during basketball season and playing soccer more during soccer season.

“They’re completely different games, but I enjoy the different aspects of each and it keeps me in better shape. In basketball, you always have to see that one extra pass, and I think that helps me in soccer. I always try to look ahead before I even get the ball to see where I need to pass it.’’

Scully, whose knack for making the perfect pass from her left midfield spot cemented her soccer reputation, was also one of just 28 girls named to the National Soccer Coaches Association of America Winter-Spring All-American team.

A separate All-American team exists for those who play girls soccer in the fall. Girls soccer is played in the fall in 25 states and the District of Columbia, in the winter in six states and in the spring in 20 states, including Delaware (Arizona has fall and winter seasons), according to the National Federation of State High School Associations.

Soccer sprouted in the spring as a girls high school sport in Delaware in the early 1990s because of the availability of fields, referees and coaches opposite the boys’ fall soccer season and away from another fall girls sport, field hockey, which has deep roots and strong popularity in Delaware.

A four-year varsity performer, Scully played on Padua teams that went 48-2-3, won four state championships and went unbeaten in the last 41 games dating to May of her sophomore year. Padua finished the 2016 season ranked No. 2 nationally in the USA Today/National Soccer Coaches Association of America poll.

The difficulty in earning a spot on the field for Padua drove Scully to improve and excel.

“It’s been awesome,” Scully said of being part of the Padua juggernaut. “My freshman year I thought I was mediocre but because of the pressure and all that we had to do I thought it made me a better person.

“All these good younger players keep coming in and you say to yourself ‘I’ve got to play better.’ You make your whole team better and we all push each other. I feel like I’ve come a long way.”

Scully could always be counted on, Padua coach Joe Brown said, for “big-time moments in big-time games against quality opponents” while compiling career totals of 29 goals and 33 assists.

In the 2016 season, that included scoring a fourth-minute goal to ignite Padua’s 3-0 state semifinal win over Wilmington Charter and setting up Padua’s lone goal in its 1-0 victory over powerful Ocean Lakes High of Virginia.

In this year’s 4-1 state championship win over Caesar Rodney, Scully’s 36th-minute cross found the head of Megan Mallon, who delivered the Pandas’ second goal.

“When Mackenzie gets it on the left side, no one can stop her,” Mallon boasted afterward. “She gets by everyone. She finds the open person.”

“She will spread the defense out,” Brown said. “She will wear out that right back all day long. If she beats the defense and gets in [to shoot] – boom! She has the speed to do that. But she’s always crossing balls to set up goals.”

One of those serves from the corner set up Arryana Daniels’ goal that gave Padua its initial edge in a 3-1 state championship triumph in 2015 over Caesar Rodney.

A slick Scully delivery had also led to Daniels’ goal – Padua’s second – in its 3-1 win over CR in the 2014 state final.

As a midfielder, Scully also had to play a key defensive role while maintaining a tireless work rate.

“It’s a great honor to have your hard work recognized,” Scully said, “when you’re the person who’s on the side, so you’re not always scoring the goals.

“My main role was beating my defenders to the baseline and being able to cross the ball, putting it in great position for my forwards so they can score goals. That’s how you get the goals. Scoring the goals is nice but the ball has to get there somehow. But I couldn’t have done it without our forwards. They have to be there to get the ball. They made the great runs.”

Scully, who played club soccer for the Delaware Rush, will attend the University of Delaware, where she’ll study athletic training eyeing graduate school for physical therapy. She hopes to play on the UD women’s soccer club team.

“I love dual sport athletes,” Brown said. “They’ve learned to use different athletic skills. They’re competing in different arenas. They can take bits and pieces from those experiences and bring it here. Even though her primary sport is soccer, in basketball, as a guard, Mackenzie was the one who controlled the floor along with Megan Mallon.”

Scully said she’s had friends who, sometimes from parental pressure, became so focused on one sport that, eventually, the enjoyment vanished and they grew bored of it.

Variety has spiced up her athletic life and been a key to her success. Scully, who also used to swim competitively, feels being an all-around athlete helped prevent her from ever suffering a serious injury.

“Always playing basketball kept my mind off soccer,” Scully said, “and when I got back into soccer season I was so excited.”

Contact Kevin Tresolini at ktresolini@delawareonline.com. Follow on Twitter @kevintresolini.

St. Andrew’s School alumni, Eric Boateng, working with basketball players during the Strive Sports Challenge at St. Andrew’s School in Middletown, Del,.

St. Andrew’s School alumni, Eric Boateng, working with basketball players during the Strive Sports Challenge at St. Andrew’s School in Middletown, Del,.

St. Andrew’s School alumni, Eric Boateng, working with basketball players during the Strive Sports Challenge at St. Andrew’s School in Middletown, Del,.

St. Andrew’s School alumni, Eric Boateng, working with basketball players during the Strive Sports Challenge at St. Andrew’s School in Middletown, Del,.

St. Andrew’s School alumni, Eric Boateng, working with basketball players during the Strive Sports Challenge at St. Andrew’s School in Middletown, Del,.

St. Andrew’s School alumni, Eric Boateng, working with basketball players during the Strive Sports Challenge at St. Andrew’s School in Middletown, Del,.

Jeremy Edwards, co-founder of Strive, plays soccer dressed as Gumby at St. Andrew’s School in Middletown, Del,.

Jeremy Edwards, co-founder of Strive, plays basketball dressed as camel at St. Andrew’s School in Middletown, Del,.

St. Andrew’s School junior, Rick Townsend, a goalie on the boy’s soccer team, talks about this experience at the Strive Sports Challenge at St. Andrew’s School in Middletown, Del,.

High school athletes walk to their classroom instruction at the Strive Sports Challenge at St. Andrew’s School in Middletown, Del,.

Mechelle Perez, left of Queens, N.Y., receives a high five from Strive Sports Challenge director, Sabrina Zurkuhlen, before a classroom instruction session at the Strive Sports Challenge at St. Andrew’s School in Middletown, Del,.

Soccer coach Jesse Gonzalez of San Diego, CA., talks about coaching at the Strive Sports Challenge at St. Andrew’s School in Middletown, Del,.

Girl’s field hockey finishes their morning session at the Strive Sports Challenge at St. Andrew’s School in Middletown, Del,.

Jason White (14) of Philadelphia, Pa., participates in a team spelling challenge during a classroom session at the Strive Sports Challenge at St. Andrew’s School in Middletown, Del,.

MIDDLETOWN – At first glance, it looks like the typical sports camp that draws students to fill their summer vacation void between the end of one school year and the start of another.

The sound of bouncing basketballs, squeaking sneakers and echoing voices fills the Sipprelle Field House at St. Andrew’s School.

Outside, girls lacrosse players inhabit one field and girls and boys soccer players fill another. They dart between and around orange cones in one drill or zip passes to one another as they hone their skills, oblivious to the heat and humidity.

But it’s what happens before and after — and often amidst — all these sports practices that makes the Strive Sports Challenge Leadership Academy unique and, those associated with it say, superior.

Building leadership, self-awareness and other positive, influential character traits are the camp’s primary objectives. They are the focus of on-the-court and on-the-field sessions as well as daily classroom learning.

“I’ve come back every year for the last 14 years because there is no other camp like this anywhere that is so beneficial to the kids — and the coaches, too,” said Jesse Gonzalez, a high school and club soccer coach from San Diego, California, who brought six players with him.

This is the program’s 19th year and 14th at St. Andrew’s. It has brought together 108 high school student-athletes from 15 states. Eight students are from Delaware, nominated by the Newark Boys & Girls Club, Serviam Academy and St. Andrew’s.

All went through a rigorous application process. Tuition is $2,000 and roughly three-quarters of the attendees receive need-based financial aid through Strive, a Wilmington-based non-profit, that covers most of that cost, said Andrea Valentine, the executive director.

Each day at the two-week residential camp that ends Saturday — St. Andrew’s is a boarding school — begins with what the campers call “vitamins,” which are actually a 7 a.m. dose of speed, strength and agility training that precedes breakfast.

Hearts start racing early here. The mind isn’t far behind.

Band of football ROMEOs loves weekly breakfast meeting

‘It’s a learning experience’

Where a typical basketball academy may focus on shooting technique or a lacrosse camp on catching and cradling proficiency, sports skills are just a fragment of the daily regimen.

There are classes every day in sports psychology, conflict resolution, public speaking and other self- and group-improvement techniques, said Sabrina Zurkuhlen, a New York City-based coach and teacher who is the camp director. The value of fairness, humor, gratitude and diligence are frequent subjects.

The positive benefits are plain to see in the camaraderie among participants and commonly heard in the words that are spoken.

“We talk a lot about empathy and grit,” said Valentine, who knows about the latter as a former field hockey goalie at Tower Hill School and Haverford College. “But we don’t just talk about what those words mean. We ask questions like, ‘What does it look like?’ ”

Such queries get participants thinking and interacting, which are the pathways to personal growth and empowerment, Valentine said.

Campers also have another popular saying and motion — “Brush it off,” which comes with a flick of the hand across the shoulder — to signify they’ll take a risk, learn from failure and keep striving.

Jayna Jones, a rising senior at Wilmington Friends, where she runs track and cross country and plays basketball, enjoys the challenges.

“One thing they have us do,” she said, “is sit with someone different each day at lunch, so we can meet them and get to know them and learn from each other.

“One of the exercises I’ve found most beneficial is the classes on conflict resolution, about getting people together to try and work your way through situations. I’ve been on teams where that was a problem and I know when I leave here that’ll be something I’ll be better equipped to handle through collaboration.”

The classes and activities enhance interaction and bridge racial and cultural divides. They also may provide just the challenge someone is looking for.

Larissa Orellana, 17 and from Boston, came back to Sports Challenge after being here last year to test herself in areas she felt she needed improvement.

After 55 baseball seasons, St. Andrew’s Colburn retiring

“Last year I was a very shy student-athlete here and I thought I could have pushed myself more,” she said. “. . . It made me really think what type of person I could be. I was more of a lead-by-example type of student. I felt as if I didn’t have to be that type of leader, I could be a more vocal and outgoing leader.’’

The public speaking classes have helped Orellana accomplish that goal, she added.

“It’s a learning experience that helps on the field,” she said. “It all comes together at the end.”

A lesson in self awareness

Coaches come from schools throughout the U.S. and even overseas, and they also teach the classes.

Among them is Eric Boateng, the St. Andrew’s graduate who played college basketball at Duke and Arizona State and was on Great Britain’s team in the 2012 Summer Olympics, which was played in his hometown of London.

Now 30 and playing professionally in Europe, Boateng relishes the chance to return to his alma mater.

“It’s just my honor to help and the leadership skills are so important,” said Boateng. “And they need to be learned. They don’t just come intuitively. That’s what I think is so special about this academy. It really teaches kids leadership concepts and, as a result, it’s a safe environment to try things out.’’

Sports Challenge was hatched when co-founder Jeremy Edwards and other coaches at Haverford College were “frustrated,” he said, “with the degree to which we weren’t seeing leadership skills on the college and youth scene.”

They found that “a lack of self-awareness” and teammates being from divergent cultural and socio-economic backgrounds was often at the root of the problem. They went about devising programs that would refine those qualities and create connections where gaps existed.

Alexa Caldwell, who returns every summer to her alma mater to coach girls lacrosse at Sports Challenge, marvels at the outcome.

“As a young 19-year-old, I found my best self here, and it’s been an incredible process seeing how I’ve grown,” said Caldwell, a 2007 St. Andrew’s graduate who then played lacrosse at Brown and now teaches and coaches at Exeter Academy in New Hampshire.

“It forces you to be self-aware and reflective in a way that’s refreshing, and I love the staff I get to work with and I love the student-athletes.”

What those student-athletes draw from the experience, Caldwell added, “is such a deep impact that it’s hard to pinpoint. But if you’re thinking how sports can unify a group of people and how fun life is supposed to be, and how to work with people you don’t necessarily have anything in common with except for you both play lacrosse . . . the diversity is what makes this place special.”

That’s what Rick Townsend, a soccer, basketball and baseball player at St. Andrew’s, finds so appealing.

“You’ve got people here from so many different places and from so many different backgrounds,” said Townsend, a Rehoboth Beach resident attending the soccer portion of camp, “and it’s such an amazing experience to get to know them and learn from them.”

Contact Kevin Tresolini at ktresolini@delawareonline.com. Follow on Twitter @kevintresolini.

Smyrna quarterback Nolan Henderson looks for a receiver against Sussex Tech last season. Henderson recently led Smyrna to victory in the USA Football 7 on 7 Northeast Regional tournament.

Matt Rubincam went to grade school at St. Elizabeth. He has lived near the school for more than 30 years. And he served the Vikings’ boys basketball program in various roles for 19 years.

So it comes as no surprise that Rubincam, 45, has been named St. Elizabeth’s new boys basketball head coach. He replaces Dick Rago, who announced his retirement earlier this summer after compiling a 358-319 record over 30 years.

“It’s like going home,” Rubincam said Tuesday.

The connections were obvious.

“I still have family in the school. I’m still connected to the school,” Rubincam said. “When Dick retired, he actually called me and told me and I thought about it. He thought I should go for it.”

The Salesianum graduate began working at St. E in 1992 as the freshman boys coach. He became junior varsity coach and a varsity assistant the next year, then served as associate head coach of the varsity team until 2011, when he began a five-year tenure as head coach of the Charter of Wilmington boys team.

Rubincam coached the Force to a 36-65 record in the ultra-competitive Blue Hen Flight A. Now, he’s happy to be back where he started.

“It’s a really good program,” Rubincam said. “I’m kind of honored and kind of blessed to take the head coaching job. It’s a good program, it’s a good atmosphere, it’s great kids. St. Elizabeth is a second home to me.”

The Vikings have plenty of talent returning from teams that went 31-12 the last two years and reached the DIAA quarterfinals in 2014-15. The new coach wants them to be able to play at a variety of paces.

“Hopefully, we can win the first boys state championship there,” Rubincam said. “We’re going to be uptempo, but I will run whatever system we’ll need to run to beat the opponent. That could change in any game we play.”

Eagles still flying high

Defending DIAA Division I football champion Smyrna showed that it should be a major contender again this season by edging Middletown 25-24 in a thrilling championship game at the USA Football 7 on 7 Northeastern Regional tournament on July 9 at Middletown.

The 7-on-7 format doesn’t involve linemen or contact, but it does give high school coaches a chance to work with many of their players over the summer.

“It can be fun, and the kids have a blast doing it,” Smyrna coach Mike Judy said. “Anytime the DIAA OKs some get togethers to meet with the kids in a 7 on 7 league or tournament, that’s one more time to try to get better. We can turbo through some reps and try to get as many touches to the football as we can.”

The victory in the one-day tournament qualified the Eagles for the USA Football 7 on 7 National Championship in Hoover, Ala., but the team wasn’t able to manage the logistics necessary to make the trip last week. But Smyrna is also playing in the New Castle County 7 on 7 league this summer, giving returning All-State quarterback Nolan Henderson valuable time to work with a new receiving corps without worrying about a pass rush.

“When there’s nobody breathing down his throat, he can put the ball anywhere he wants it at any time,” Judy said of Henderson. “That’s a big advantage for us.”

Rounding it up

— Red Lion Christian sophomore-to-be Austin Barbin got off to a flying start on Monday at the U.S. Junior Amateur golf tournament, but his finish wasn’t as strong. Barbin, 15, birdied three of his first four holes at The Honors Course in Ooltewah, Tenn., but erased that success with a triple bogey two holes later and finished with a 76. He is tied for 80th, but has 18 more holes to play Tuesday in a bid to reach the low 64 and qualify for match play.

— Padua senior Sarah Brush is one of 52 girls named to the National Soccer Coaches Association of America High School Scholar All-America team. Brush finished with a 4.37 grade-point average while earning first-team All-State honors and helping the Pandas (18-0) win their fifth straight state championship and finish second nationally in the NSCAA’s Top 25 spring rankings.

— The Delaware High School Baseball Coaches Association honored retiring St. Andrew’s coach Bob Colburn prior to a Blue Rocks game at Frawley Stadium on June 29. Colburn, who is stepping down after 55 seasons as coach, was the second recipient (following former Newark football coach Butch Simpson) of a DIAA Lifetime Achievement Award, presented by incoming DIAA executive director Tommie Neubauer. Colburn also was inducted into the Delaware Sports Hall of Fame this spring.

— Tracey McCracken has been named field hockey coach at St. Mark’s. McCracken coached at St. Elizabeth the previous five seasons.

— A.I. du Pont High School is seeking nominations for its next Hall of Fame class. People may be nominated for athletics, academics and/or service to school and community. Email athletic director Mark Alley at mark.alley@redclay.k12.de.us for a nomination form. Nominations must be submitted by Aug. 1.

— Sussex Tech junior Nathan Quillin has been selected to participate in the inaugural Warrior National Prospect Invite lacrosse showcase, being held Tuesday through Friday in Richmond, Va. Dover junior Grace Gast will participate in the girls event.

— Archmere is seeking a head coach for varsity field hockey. For more information, email athletic director Dave Oswinkle at doswinkle@archmereacademy.com or call (302) 798-6632, ext. 798.

Contact Brad Myers at bmyers@delawareonline.com. Follow on Twitter: @BradMyersTNJ

For the first time in Bill DiNardo’s 13 seasons, nine of Salesianum’s 10 regular-season football games will be played against Delaware opponents this fall.

And that makes the longtime Delaware high school coach proud.

“We’ve been working very, very hard within the ranks, and I think it’s a tribute to our program, our administration, that other schools want to play us,” DiNardo said. “Other schools do not see us as a private school threat. It’s a good thing.”

The Sals have no conference affiliation, leaving them 10 games to fill every year. That has been a problem, as they have had to resort to two or often three out-of-state opponents. In 2013, Salesianum took a 668-mile round trip for a game at Stuebenville, Ohio.

“We follow the rules,” DiNardo said. “We are members of DIAA. We follow the same rules with practice and everything that everybody else follows.

“We’re very proud to be part of Delaware. We are a Delaware football team, and we want to play our games in Delaware.”

Wentz keeps throwing in practice despite rib soreness

The final piece of the puzzle fell into place when the Sals scheduled a game at Caravel on Sept. 30. Salesianum had contacted schools from as far away as Canada before discovering that Caravel – another nonconference private school that often has trouble with scheduling – also had a date to fill.

And the Sals won’t even have to cross the state line to play this season. The only out-of-state opponent – Father Judge of Philadelphia – will come to Baynard Stadium for Sallies’ season opener at 7:30 p.m. Sept. 9.

The Crusaders went 6-5 last season, but one of those wins was a 14-7 victory over the Sals. It was Salesianum’s only regular-season loss.

“They outhit us, outplayed us, outcoached us, out-everythinged us,” DiNardo said. “It was a disappointing loss last year, but it really taught everybody that we had to have our ‘A’ game every single game.”

The rest of the schedule is filled by Caesar Rodney, Smyrna, Dover and Sussex Tech of the Henlopen North; Middletown, Concord and William Penn of Blue Hen Flight A; and Division II’s Caravel and St. Mark’s.

STORY: Brad’s gridiron tour: Scouting this year’s teams

The Sals will go into battle with five starters returning on both sides of the ball. All but one starter is back on the offensive line, including tackles Randy Sinnott (6-4, 280) and Dom Marra (6-6, 250), guard Zeb Wright (6-2, 300), center Sean Keating (6-4, 260) and tight end Josh Patrick (6-1, 220). Josh Williams (5-9, 265) and John Cohill (6-1, 240) are competing at the other guard spot.

“They were very big, they were very good last year,” DiNardo said. “They were a big part of our success.”

All of the Sals’ skill players graduated, including a gaping hole left by running back Colby Reeder (2,010 yards, 32 touchdowns), who is now at the University of Delaware.

“You don’t replace Colby Reeder,” DiNardo said. “Colby is a once-in-a-lifetime kid. But we’ll do things more balanced. He absolutely carried the load for us last year.”

Running backs Carson Salvo, Nick Merlino and Liam Mulvena are competing for carries, and Peyton Mullin returns at fullback.

Junior-to-be Zach Gwynn started only one game at quarterback, but it was the DIAA Division I championship game before more than 10,000 fans at Delaware Stadium after senior starter Garrett Cannon was injured in the semifinals against Middletown. Gwynn responded by passing for three touchdowns in the Sals’ 32-26, overtime loss to Smyrna.

“He showed a lot of poise last year,” DiNardo said. “He’s a very talented young man. He’s got a very big upside.”

Remembering Widdoes

Longtime Brandywine and Concord high school coach, physical education teacher and athletic director Jay Widdoes died Aug. 16. He was 90.

Widdoes, a Milford native, served in the Navy during World War II. Credited as one of the founders of high school soccer in Delaware, he also coached, played and officiated wrestling, baseball, basketball and football, and even filled in as a substitute coach and guided Concord to a DIAA field hockey state championship in 1978. He also was an avid golfer.

Visitation will be from 9-11 a.m. Tuesday at Brandywine Valley Baptist Church, 7 Mount Lebanon Road in north Wilmington. The family requests that casual clothing be worn to the visitation and service to follow. A private burial will be held at the Delaware Veterans Memorial Cemetery in Bear. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to Brandywine Valley Baptist Church or PTBoats.org.

Rounding it up

— Scott Barker has been named girls basketball coach at St. Mark’s. Barker, an A.I. du Pont and University of Delaware graduate, has previous coaching experience at A.I., Middletown, Delaware Tech, Avon Grove (Pa.), Wilmington University and with the Delaware Blue Bombers semi-pro team. He has been a men’s assistant coach at Lincoln University (Pa.) the past four seasons.

— Charter of Wilmington is seeking a head coach for boys and girls swimming. Interested candidates may email athletic director Chris Eddy at ceddy@charterschool.org.

— Middletown is seeking a head coach for girls basketball. Email resumes and letters of intent to athletic director Colleen Kelley at colleen.kelley@appo.k12.de.us.

— Class of 2017 high school athletes nationwide may apply for the Wendy’s High School Heisman Scholarship at www.WendysHighSchoolHeisman.com. Deadline is Oct. 3.

Contact Brad Myers at bmyers@delawareonline.com. Follow on Twitter: @BradMyersTNJ

Zach Gwynn returns at quarterback for Salesianum after passing for three TDs in his only start – a 32-26, overtime loss to Smyrna in the DIAA Division I championship game.

New Newark High football coach Barry Zehnder runs his team through drills during practice on Tuesday.

Barry Zehnder doesn’t want to be the next Butch Simpson.

But he does want to carry on some of the traditions that Simpson entrenched while coaching the Newark High football team to 284 wins and nine DIAA Division I state championships over 39 seasons.

Zehnder, 37, was a quarterback, receiver, running back, defensive back and linebacker for the Yellowjackets from 1994-96. Simpson retired at the end of last season, and Zehnder was hired in March as his replacement.

“I don’t feel like I have to live up to coach Simpson,” the new coach said last week. “Obviously, people always replace legends. I feel like I have to live up to the school and the community, by teaching these guys how to do things right.

“Not only carrying on the Newark tradition, but how to be the guys that throw away their trash in the building. How to be the guys that get to class on time. How to be the guys that the teachers and administration go to for things.”

Winning football games would be nice, too. The Yellowjackets, coming off a 5-5 season, open at home against St. Mark’s on Sept. 9.

“We don’t necessarily have that superstar kid,” Zehnder said. “We’ve got a bunch of could-be-good high school football players.

“Are they going to run past you? No. Are they going to knock you down every time? No. But they’re going to do what they need to do to compete and win that play.”

Newark has a returning starter at quarterback in senior Andrew DelPercio. Hard-nosed LB-RB Alex Pollard, WR Mekhi Pressey and WR-DB Isiah Velez will also be among the key contributors.

But the big (as in 6-foot-4, 285 pounds) surprise could be the emergence of two-way lineman Tyreek Booker, a senior who has moved football ahead of basketball on his list of priorities.

“He’s just now realizing football could be his future,” Zehnder said of Booker. “You very well could see him playing at a bigger [college]. The sky is the limit for him.”

The Yellowjackets will run a multiple offense, with variations of the spread, I-formation and shotgun all in the playbook. Zehnder prefers a 3-3-5 defense that keeps it simple to allow for less thinking and more attacking.

After earning his degree from the University of Delaware, Zehnder spent one year as a UD graduate assistant, two years at Widener University, five years at Glasgow and two years at Newark before his only season as a head coach, a 1-9 mark at struggling Christiana in 2011. He then spent four years coaching defensive backs at Middletown before becoming a head coach again at his alma mater.

Simpson is still around, but is keeping his distance.

“We’ve had a few conversations, and he’s always willing to help,” Zehnder said. “He has let me know, ‘If you need me, I’m here.’ But also, I think he feels like if he’s around, eyes gravitate toward him.”

One of Simpson’s traditions was always stopping practice when a former coach or player dropped by. He would introduce them and ask them to tell a story about their time at Newark. Zehnder isn’t about to change that.

“The first person I got to do that with was coach Simpson,” he said. “He showed up to the weight room one day, and I stopped everybody and said, ‘This is coach Simpson.’ That was a special moment for me, because I remember the first time I came back and he introduced me.”

Now, it’s time for Zehnder to put his own stamp on Newark football.

Elsewhere around Flight A

CONCORD could go a long way behind the Roberts brothers. Senior FB-LB Avery Roberts has committed to Nebraska, and junior RB-SS Grahm “Bam” Roberts has the potential to be a similar recruit. The Raiders also have experienced front lines and another explosive runner in junior Brandon Dennis.

MIDDLETOWN is in the state title hunt every year, and the return of split ends Jalen Whitehead, Kenny Edelin and Anthony DelPercio could have the Cavaliers going to the air early and often.

Zachariah Burton’s move from receiver to quarterback could be key for WILLIAM PENN. The Colonials will also need an inexperienced line to mature quickly, but return a running threat in RB Joe Greenwood and could get a boost from RB Angelo Ortiz, a St. Georges transfer.

Senior QB Kenyon Yellowdy, two-way lineman Jackson Truitt and junior HB Derek Thompson lead what could be an explosive offense at APPOQUINIMINK, as the Jaguars look to put together their first winning season in six years.

MOUNT PLEASANT earned its first taste of the postseason since 1981 last year, but the Green Knights lost much of that team to graduation. Lineman Sam Mousley and RB Nyair Small will be among the key players trying to keep the success going.

WR-CB Mahkai Lee is the top returnee at A.I. DU PONT, which will need major contributions from a talented sophomore class to improve on last year’s 4-6 mark.

An experienced senior quarterback always helps, and CHARTER OF WILMINGTON has one in Carter Lamey. The Force also return many other pieces from a 2-8 team looking to improve.

DELCASTLE is working hard for a turnaround under coach Mike Lemon, but it won’t be easy with few experienced players tackling a tough schedule. The offensive and defensive lines appear to be the Cougars’ strength.

Contact Brad Myers at bmyers@delawareonline.com. Follow on Twitter: @BradMyersTNJ.

Mount Pleasant senior Matt Kalin has developed computer ratings for every Delaware high school football team and will attempt to beat the predictions of The News Journal’s Brad Myers this season.

Matt Kalin is a very intelligent young man.

The Mount Pleasant senior has outstanding grades and test scores. His top five college choices are Duke, Maryland, Michigan, Penn and Columbia. He plans to major in math or statistics.

He has become increasingly interested in sports analytics the last couple of years, developing a rating system to predict the outcomes of NFL, Major League Baseball and college football and basketball games.

Now, Kalin wants to take the next step. He wants to take on the Grand Poobah of Delaware high school football predictions.

That’s me, in case you were wondering. Stop laughing.

Kalin emailed me last month to ask if he could develop ratings for Delaware teams and see how his predictions stacked up against mine. So we’re going to give him a chance this fall, starting in today’s News Journal.

“I’ve always really liked math and sports, so I’ve always liked the stats,” Kalin said. “One day, I decided to find a way to rate the teams in the NFL, decide who was actually the best team. That’s what got me into it.”

Kalin said he has had success predicting NFL games the past two seasons. You can see all of his ratings — including for Delaware high school teams — at http://www.kalinratings.com

His calculations were originally based on the Elo system (Google it), which was first used for rating chess. He has since modified to account for margin of victory.

For the initial Delaware high school ratings, he used a combination of preseason ratings from maxpreps.com and last year’s points scored and points allowed with adjustments for Division I and Division II.

That’s too complicated for me, but Kalin claims he can not only predict the final score, but the chance each team has of winning boiled down to a percentage.

My method for predicting games is much more simple. I go to games, talk to coaches and players, study past performances and factor in temperature, wind, rain, relative humidity, barometric pressure, coaches’ and schools’ all-time win-loss records in day games, night games, on artificial turf or grass, how much homework the quarterback was assigned in the last three days and how many chores the kicker had to do this week. Dart boards, coin flips and palm readers are also employed from time to time.

Kalin is strictly a numbers man. If his numbers say Mount Pleasant isn’t going to win, he won’t pick Mount Pleasant to win. That could lead to some interesting conversations with the Green Knights’ football players between classes.

He has attended only one Delaware high school football game — Mount Pleasant’s homecoming two years ago. I go to as many games as anybody, usually three or four per week, at least 40 each season. So it will be interesting to see which method is more accurate — Matt’s cold calculations or my semi-scientific wild guesses.

We only differ on one prediction this week. Matt’s computer says Newark will defeat St. Mark’s 21-17. Brad says St. Mark’s will take the 4.4-mile bus ride (did he factor that?) to Newark and come home with a 17-15 victory.

Come on, Spartans, don’t let me down. I’ve gotta beat this kid.

DFRC Kickoff Classics

Delaware’s 2016-17 high school sports season begins with two football games on Thursday. A.I. du Pont will travel to Sussex Tech and McKean will take on St. Elizabeth at Baynard Stadium in the seventh annual DFRC Kickoff Classics. Both games start at 7 p.m.

A.I. and Sussex Tech are 90 miles apart, but the schools have played an entertaining football series over the last five years. Tech was won four of the five games, including the last three, and all have featured plenty of points. The Ravens won 27-26 last year in Greenville, and are coming off an 8-3 season. The Tigers finished 4-6 last year.

St. Elizabeth defeated McKean 26-6 last year in the only recent game between the schools. The Vikings went 4-6 and the Highlanders were 3-7 last season, but both teams have the ingredients to improve.

The Kickoff Classic get the football season started a day early and raise awareness of the Delaware Foundation Reaching Citizens with intellectual disabilities. Tickets for each game are $5.

Colonials giving back

William Penn has moved Friday’s football home opener against St. Georges to Caravel’s Bob Peoples Stadium to play under the lights with a 7:30 p.m. kickoff and raise funds and awareness for 22 in 22, a program started by former St. Mark’s student Jacob Di Sabatino and his father, Brian.

The program gets its name from the 22 veteran suicides that occur daily, according to a 2012 Department of Veterans Affairs report. The program is designed to raise funds and awareness to try to decrease soldier and veteran suicide.

William Penn’s ROTC program will be involved with the game, and a portion of the proceeds from ticket sales will go to 22 in 22.

Sallies soccer ranked 6th

The defending DIAA Division I champion Salesianum soccer team is ranked sixth nationally in the first USA Today/NSCAA Super 25 of the season. The Sals are also ranked first in Region IV, which includes Delaware, D.C., Maryland, North Carolina, Virginia and West Virginia.

Charter of Wilmington is ranked eighth regionally, and the Sals and Force are ranked 1-2 in Delaware’s Division I by The News Journal.

Salesianum will start the season against Sussex Tech in the annual Delaware Association of Athletic Directors Upstate-Downstate Challenge at 5:30 p.m. Saturday at Dover High.

The Sals will take on Caravel — ranked second statewide in Division II — on Sept. 13. Then Sallies will head for Colorado Sept. 16-17 to meet Fairview, which is ranked fifth nationally, and Boulder High. It will get even tougher Oct. 8 when the Sals play St. Benedict’s Prep (N.J.) — ranked second nationally — at Caravel.

The DAAD Upstate-Downstate Challenge will feature six other games, all at Dover High. Delaware Academy of Public Safety and Security will meet Seaford at 9:30 a.m., followed by Milford vs. Appoquinimink at 11:30, Dover vs. Newark Charter at 1:30 p.m., Caesar Rodney vs. Charter at 3:30, Lake Forest vs. Dickinson at 6:30 and Polytech vs. Middletown at 7:30.

Contact Brad Myers at bmyers@delawareonline.com. Follow on Twitter: @BradMyersTNJ.

Lou Bender, Delaware’s winningest boys basketball coach, died Sept. 14 at the age of 78. Bender coached for more than 35 years before retiring in 2006. He was inducted into the Delaware Sports Hall of Fame in 2008 and the Delaware Basketball Hall of Fame in 2009.

Lou Bender, who guided five Delaware high schools to 470 boys basketball wins and built one of the most remarkable coaching trees in the state’s history, died Sept. 14 in Berlin, Md.

Bender, 78, coached for 35 years before retiring in 2004. He was inducted into the Delaware Sports Hall of Fame in 2008 and the Delaware Basketball Hall of Fame in 2009.

He also mentored many players who went on to become coaches, and was so personable that even referees enjoyed his company.

“He was just the greatest guy in the world,” said Jim Mahoney, who is entering his 27th year as a Delaware high school basketball official. “Never disrespectful to anybody. I never heard one referee in all of my time that he was coaching say a bad word about him. Everyone respected him.”

Bender graduated from Chichester (Pa.) High, then went on to earn a master’s degree at West Chester State before getting started in coaching at Richardson Park Junior High in 1964.

He was head coach at Salesianum from 1968-70. One of his players there — Mike Gallagher — came back to coach the Sals for 23 seasons.

“He spent a great deal of time preparing us for what was going to happen most times in a game, rebounding, playing defense,” Gallagher said. “He got to know every player that he had. He knew them personally, he knew their families, he knew what made them tick.

“He spent a lot of time trying to understand high school-age kids. Part of my development as a coach was because of the way he treated his players. He treated everyone with respect, and he demanded excellence from everyone.”

Bender coached at Delcastle for 17 years, then went to Wilmington College from 1987-89. Then he turned around the A.I. du Pont basketball program from 1990-92, molding another future coach in the process.

“One of the reasons I got into coaching was because of the experience I had playing for him,” Ed Sobocinski said. “When I was at A.I. as a junior, we were a terrible basketball team. I think we were 5-15. The year he came, my senior year, we turned it around and went 15-5 and almost won Flight A. That experience really changed my life.”

Sobocinski became part of his Bender’s staff as he coached for two years at Caravel, then moved on to Hodgson for 10 seasons. Those were some of Bender’s best years, as he guided the Silver Eagles to a 183-65 mark and six 20-win seasons. When Bender retired, Sobocinski became Hodgson’s coach for the next 10 seasons.

“He really was the one who built Hodgson for the success we had,” Sobocinski said. “I was able to just take it over.”

Bender retired with a 470-294 record, a .615 winning percentage, according to noted Delaware high school basketball historian Chuck Durante. His success came from an organized approach that many of his coaching disciples still follow.

“He always had a plan,” Sobocinski said. “He told us, ‘This is what we’re going to do, and this is how we’re going to do it.’ You could be held accountable for what you were supposed to be doing, because you weren’t following the plan. If there is no plan, you don’t even know what you’re doing wrong.”

Bender’s teams went 6-1 in Blue Hen Conference championship games, and he was named Eastern Regional Coach of the Year by the National High School Coaches Association in 1990. Perhaps the only thing to elude him was a state title, as he lost in the championship game with Delcastle in 1982 and Hodgson in 2002.

Sanford coach Stan Waterman, who guided the Warriors to that 2002 title, admired Bender’s ability to adapt his coaching style over the long haul.

“I always had the utmost respect for him as a coach, and as a person,” Waterman said. “He’s certainly one of the best to ever do it in the state of Delaware.”

He even dispensed valuable advice to officials. Mahoney played against Bender’s Salesianum teams at Corpus Christi High School and worked for him as a scout at Delcastle and A.I. When he decided to become an official, Bender knew what to say.

“One of the things he said to me when I first started was, ‘If you can’t explain it, don’t call it,’” Mahoney said. “And I thought, ‘You know what, that really makes a lot of sense.’

“He said, ‘Most of the time when you make a call, a coach is just going to ask for an explanation. So you better be able to explain it to him.’”

In addition to Gallagher and Sobocinski, others who played for Bender and went into coaching included Angelo Rossi (Salesianum), Joe Thompson (Sanford and St. Mark’s), Randy Nowell (Glasgow and Delcastle), Jim Hagen (Delcastle) and Craig Browning (Hodgson).

“I felt honored to coach against him as well as play for him,” Gallagher said. “He had a long tenure at a lot of schools. And regardless of where he was, he built up players. He always had good things to say about them, and he stood up for his players.”

No information on a memorial service has been made available.

NOTE: This article has been changed to correctly reflect coach Bender’s won-loss record.

Contact Brad Myers at bmyers@delawareonline.com. Follow on Twitter: @BradMyersTNJ.

Ed Sobocinski, shown here during a game in 2013, is returning as Hodgson’s boys basketball coach after a two-year hiatus.

Ed Sobocinski missed everyone calling him “coach” throughout school at Hodgson Vo-Tech.

So after a two-year hiatus, the 44-year-old is returning as the Silver Eagles’ boys basketball coach.

Sobocinski, a Social Studies teacher at Hodgson for the past 15 years, stepped away from coaching to spend more time with his young family. He and his wife, Lauren, have a 7-year-old son and a 3-year-old daughter, and Sobocinski said they made some adjustments to allow him to return.

“I really missed the challenge of getting kids to buy into something bigger than themselves,” Sobocinski said Monday. “That is something I love. Teaching a culture of family.”

Hodgson was a perennial state title contender during Sobocinski’s first coaching stint from 2005-14, winning at least one DIAA tournament game every year and reaching the state semifinals four times.

The Silver Eagles struggled without him, going 9-12 and losing in the first round of the state tournament two years ago, then forfeiting their first five games due to an ineligible player on the way to a 5-15 finish last season. Sobocinski built a strong network of fans and former players who supported his teams, and he hopes to rekindle that.

“There’s a history of Hodgson players that all contact each other,” he said. “So a kid who played 10 years ago still communicates with a kid who played five years ago. It’s an incredible family. I don’t know if every high school is like that, but I’m kind of in the middle of all of those kids. It’s a strong group of alumni for our players.”

He also looks forward to reuniting with longtime assistant coach Craig Browning.

“We’re tight like brothers, and now we get to spend four months together every day, talking basketball and trying to build our family again,” Sobocinski said.

Stan Waterman Court

The next time the Sanford boys basketball team takes the floor at the Sanford Sports Center, they will be playing on a court named in honor of their head coach.

Stan Waterman Court will be christened at 4 p.m. Saturday as part of the school’s homecoming festivities. A reception will follow in the Geipel Center for Performing Arts.

“That’s really special to me,” Waterman said Tuesday. “When Mark Anderson, our head of school, first approached me with the idea last spring, I was stunned. I said, ‘This is an honor or recognition that is usually reserved for a legend that has passed on or retired, and I’m not ready to do either one yet.’ It was shocking, but certainly appreciated.”

Waterman, a former Howard High and University of Delaware point guard, has spent 25 years coaching the Warriors, racking up a 486-124 record, six state championships and 23 Independent Conference titles.

In addition, the school has established the Stan Waterman Endowed Fund for Excellence in Coaching, which will be used annually to recognize an exceptional Sanford coach with a monetary award. To support the fund, contact Assistant Director of Development Amy Shirley at (302) 235-6510 or shirleya@sanfordschool.org.

Rounding it up

— The Delaware State University men’s basketball team will hold a free clinic to teach fundamentals from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday at PAL of Wilmington, 3707 N. Market St. Boys and girls players and teams from grades 4-12 are invited. For more information, call Mark Sills at (302) 389-8558 or email marksills3603@comcast.net.

— This year marks the 50th anniversary of the first Middletown-Salesianum football game. To celebrate the rivalry, members of the 1966 Middletown team will be recognized on the field at Cavaliers Stadium before kickoff of this year’s game at 7:30 p.m. Oct. 7. Former players will meet in front of the stadium for a pregame reunion at 5:30. For more information, contact Jim Reynolds at (302) 293-9709.

Contact Brad Myers at bmyers@delawareonline.com. Follow on Twitter: @BradMyersTNJ.

Salesianum’s John Leonard (No. 24) tries to work past Wilmington Charter’s Anthony Barbieri (No. 6) in the first half of Salesianum’s 1-0 win over Wilmington Charter at the Hockessin Soccer Club in Hockessin on Thursday afternoon.

Salesianum’s Gavin Ford (No. 10) cuts behind Wilmington Charter’s Graeme Newcombe (No. 13) as he positions himself for a shot on goal in the first half of Salesianum’s 1-0 win over Wilmington Charter at the Hockessin Soccer Club in Hockessin on Thursday afternoon. Ford scored the only goal of the game on the play.

Salesianum’s Gavin Ford (No. 10) cuts behind Wilmington Charter’s Owen Johansson as he positions himself for a shot on goal in the first half of Salesianum’s 1-0 win over Wilmington Charter at the Hockessin Soccer Club in Hockessin on Thursday afternoon.

Salesianum’s John Leonard (No. 24) traps the ball in front of Wilmington Charter’s Rhys Newcombe (No. 23) in the first half of Salesianum’s 1-0 win over Wilmington Charter at the Hockessin Soccer Club in Hockessin on Thursday afternoon.

Salesianum’s James Strine (No. 9) cuts past Wilmington Charter’s Patrick O’Connor (No. 10) in the first half of Salesianum’s 1-0 win over Wilmington Charter at the Hockessin Soccer Club in Hockessin on Thursday afternoon.

Salesianum’s Gavin Ford (No. 10) traps a cross in front of Wilmington Charter’s Graeme Newcombe (No. 13) in the first half of Salesianum’s 1-0 win over Wilmington Charter at the Hockessin Soccer Club in Hockessin on Thursday afternoon.

Salesianum’s Aidan Kelly (No. 23) fights for position on the ball with Wilmington Charter’s Kevin Erikson in the first half of Salesianum’s 1-0 win over Wilmington Charter at the Hockessin Soccer Club in Hockessin on Thursday afternoon.

Salesianum’s Bryan Hartmann (No. 17) goes up for a header against Wilmington Charter’s Patrick O’Connor (No. 10) in the first half of Salesianum’s 1-0 win over Wilmington Charter at the Hockessin Soccer Club in Hockessin on Thursday afternoon.

Salesianum’s Taylor Witherell (No. 7) goes up for a header against Wilmington Charter’s Andrew Amato (No. 16) in the first half of Salesianum’s 1-0 win over Wilmington Charter at the Hockessin Soccer Club in Hockessin on Thursday afternoon.

Salesianum’s James Strine (No. 9) fights for position on the ball with Wilmington Charter’s Andrew Amato (No. 16) in the first half of Salesianum’s 1-0 win over Wilmington Charter at the Hockessin Soccer Club in Hockessin on Thursday afternoon.

HOCKESSIN – The Charter of Wilmington defense was building a brick wall. It was up to the Salesianum soccer team to break through it.

The Sals finally did it on Gavin Ford’s goal in the 37th minute, then added an own goal in the second half for a 2-0 victory Thursday in a matchup of the state’s top two Division I teams at Hockessin Soccer Club.

“It was a difference maker,” Sallies coach Scott Mosier said of Ford’s score. “Because if it’s 0-0 and it keeps on and keeps on and they keep sitting in and defending properly, like they should, as time wears on you get a little more nervous about scoring that goal.”

The top-ranked Sals, coming off a taxing weekend trip to Colorado, improved to 4-1. The No. 2 Force (4-1) had won their first four games by a combined 21-0, allowing just 12 total shots in the process. They faced 13 from the Sals.

“It’s tough to have this be our first real tough game, to kind of be thrown out there,” Charter coach Jon Gillespie said. “But the guys handled it fine. Next time we meet them down the road, we’ll be ready.”

Sallies struggled to generate much offense until Brendan Hanrahan made a nice run on the right side to set up Casey Kurlej’s drive over the crossbar in the 22nd minute. The Sals finally found the net on a counter late in the first half.

Salesianum transitioned quickly after a Charter attack, with midfielder Jason Blackwell sending a perfectly placed ball through to Ford. The junior forward made a sharp move and sent a 15-yard laser between two defenders just inside the near post for a 1-0 lead.

“I just got a great ball from Jason, took on the first defender, saw an opening and just fired it through,” Ford said.

The Sals created more opportunities in the second half. Blackwell missed wide on a good chance in the 48th minute, and three minutes later Ford dished to James Strine for a strong shot that glanced off a Force defender and into the net for a 2-0 lead.

“It’s actually very similar to basketball,” Mosier said. “They can play zone all they want, but once you get up a couple of goals, sooner or later they have to come out of their zone. They stayed in their zone, they didn’t come out, but it’s a testament to our guys getting a couple of goals with them packed in there.”

Charter goalkeeper Ben McQuillin kept his team close, making a brilliant leaping save on Blackwell’s straight-on blast in the 63rd minute and sprawling to deflect a low shot by Kurlej three minutes later.

The Force’s best scoring chances came late, as Christian Dexter sent a 20-yard drive well over the crossbar in the 74th minute and Kevin Eriksen missed high on a hurried shot off a brief breakaway in the 76th minute.

“I think we can take a lot of positives out of it,” Gillespie said. “We defended well. I think offensively we need to work on a few things, but Sallies is a great team. They played real well today, and hats off to them.”

Contact Brad Myers at bmyers@delawareonline.com. Follow on Twitter: @BradMyersTNJ.

Delaware’s high school field hockey teams love playing on the super-slick, Astro Turf-12 surface at the University of Delaware’s Rullo Stadium, and more than half of them will get their chance in the Turf Bowl this weekend.

The 18th annual event will feature 34 of the state’s 50 teams, including four currently ranked in The News Journal’s top five — No. 2 Delmar, No. 3 Tower Hill, No. 4 Milford and No. 5 Padua.

The three-day festival will have four games on Friday, seven on Saturday and six more on Sunday, all focused on raising awareness of pediatric cancer.

St. Georges will kick things off against Appoquinimink at 3:30 Friday, followed by Mount Pleasant vs. Concord at 5, Brandywine vs. Smyrna at 6:30 and Wilmington Friends vs. Wilmington Christian at 8.

Saturday’s action begins with Newark Charter vs. McKean at 10:30 a.m., followed by Woodbridge vs. Delmar at noon, St. Andrew’s vs. Tower Hill at 1:30, Ursuline vs. Padua at 3, Newark vs. William Penn at 4:30, Caravel vs. Caesar Rodney at 6 and Milford vs. Lake Forest at 7:30.

Sunday’s games will crank up at 12:30 with St. Andrew’s vs. Sanford, followed by St. Mark’s vs. Charter of Wilmington at 2, St. Elizabeth vs. Brandywine at 3:30, A.I. du Pont vs. Tatnall at 5, Delcastle vs. Delaware Military Academy at 6:30 and Dickinson vs. Hodgson at 8.

Football at UD

Delaware Stadium will be busy as well on Saturday with three high school football games.

The annual Red Clay Day will kick off with Dickinson vs. McKean in a Blue Hen Flight B game at 1 p.m. Charter of Wilmington will take on A.I. du Pont in a Flight A matchup at 4, with Division II playoff contenders Delaware Military Academy and St. Elizabeth squaring off at 7. Admission is $5, and is good for the entire day.

Diamond State Classic

Two Delaware teams — host St. Elizabeth and defending DIAA champion Ursuline — will go toe-to-toe with six of the nation’s top girls basketball teams in the 26th annual Diamond State Classic, to be played Dec. 27-30 at the St. E Center.

The four-day event will feature 20 teams competing in four brackets. St. E and Ursuline will play in the Saint Francis Healthcare Cup — the tournament’s eight-team national bracket.

Action kicks off at 9:45 a.m. Dec. 27 with St. Mark’s vs. Wilmington Friends, followed by Cape Henlopen vs. Perryville (Md.) at 11:30 in the opening-round games of the New Castle Insurance Cup.

Then the national bracket rolls out, with Cumberland Valley (Pa.) meeting St. Rose (N.J.) at 1:15 and Monsignor Scanlan (N.Y.) going against Ventura (Calif.) at 3. After the tournament’s opening ceremonies at 4:45 and the annual Special Olympics game at 5:30, Ursuline will tip off against Redondo Union (Calif.) at 6:15 and St. Elizabeth will meet Roland Park Country School (Md.) at 8.

The four-team Delaware Cup will begin on Dec. 28, with Howard taking on William Penn at 12:30 p.m. and Padua playing Institute of Notre Dame (Md.) at 2:15. The four-team First State Orthopaedics Cup will also start later that day, with Caesar Rodney going against Hodgson at 5:45 and Caravel squaring off against Damascus (Md.) at 7:30.

Rounding it up

— William Penn’s annual Friday Night Lights home game will be played Friday, as temporary lights will illuminate Bill Cole Stadium for a 7:15 kickoff against Mount Pleasant. The Colonials are selling advance tickets during school lunches Thursday and Friday from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., and tickets will also be available at the gate.

— The A.I. du Pont boys soccer team snapped a 22-game losing streak with a 3-0 victory over Brandywine on Tuesday.

— Howard High will hold a basketball alumni day from 2-6 p.m. Dec. 3 in the Howard gym. All former Howard boys and girls basketball players and alumni are invited. Cost is $20 per person, which will include basketball games, a social event and food. Deadline to register is Nov. 20. For more information, contact Mark Sills at (302) 389-8558 or marksills3603@comcast.net or Tena Gladney at (302) 571-5770 or tena.gladney@nccvt.k12.de.us.

Contact Brad Myers at bmyers@delawareonline.com. Follow on Twitter: @BradMyersTNJ.

Wilmington Charter (in blue) takes on Middletown on Sept. 23. The Force lost 65-0 and have been outscored 107-7 in their two losses.

The Charter School of Wilmington athletic teams will leave the Blue Hen Conference at the end of the 2016-17 school year and begin competing in the Diamond State Conference the following season.

Charter of Wilmington athletic director Chris Eddy said the move was primarily driven by the school’s struggles in football. Because of the combined enrollment of Charter and co-tenant Cab Calloway School for the Arts, the Force play in Blue Hen Flight A against traditional powers William Penn, Middletown, Newark and Concord. But unlike those powers, the Force struggle to field a deep roster.

“It was a health and safety issue for us,” Eddy said Wednesday. “Football is completely different than any other sport.

“We go into certain weekends thinking, ‘A win for us is if everybody walks back on the bus.’ That’s scary when you think that way. … You can’t have your coach and your players on the bus thinking, ‘Am I going to break my neck? Am I going to get my leg snapped?’ There’s a real safety factor there.”

The Force are 1-2 in football this season, 1-1 in the conference. After opening the season with a 42-7 loss to Delaware Military Academy, Charter of Wilmington rebounded to defeat Delcastle 40-0. But the Force trailed Middletown 53-0 at halftime last Friday and wound up losing 65-0, with the Cavaliers taking a knee on extra-point attempts after two second-half touchdowns.

Charter of Wilmington is 10-43 overall and 6-36 in Blue Hen Flight A football since 2011. Eddy said the Force have only 30-35 players this season, including eighth- and ninth-graders. Most Flight A football programs have at least 60 players.

“We don’t have a [junior varsity] team this year, and we didn’t have one last year,” Eddy said. “I’m losing eight seniors this year, and a lot of them go both ways. And with no JV we will have nobody to replace them except for our eighth- and ninth-graders.”

Charter of Wilmington, which opened in 1996, has been very competitive in Flight A and statewide in almost every sport but football and boys basketball. The Force have won 17 Delaware Interscholastic Athletic Association state championships since 2005 (eight in girls swimming, four in girls cross country, two in girls track and one each in boys swimming, boys cross country and girls soccer).

Story: Athlete of the Week: Gavin Ford, Salesianum soccer

But citing safety issues, Eddy asked the Blue Hen Conference for a two-year waiver from competing against conference schools in football. Conference president Andy Dick, who also serves as athletic director at Dickinson, called a meeting of Blue Hen athletic directors on Sept. 21. After a spirited discussion, Dick said the ADs voted 10-6 against the waiver proposal.

Dick said the athletic directors who voted against the waiver were concerned that if the waiver was approved, other Blue Hen Conference schools may try to opt out of other sports where they have not been competitive, leaving a different number of schools competing in each sport.

“All the ADs in Blue Hen Flight A and Flight B were there, and they asked me a lot of questions,” Eddy said. “It was a great meeting. I told them I respected the meeting, I respected the process in which we held the vote, and I respected their vote. It wasn’t personal, it was business.”

Diamond State expands

Charter of Wilmington decided to leave the conference, but quickly found a new home in the rapidly expanding Diamond State Conference.

The DSC will add four schools – Charter of Wilmington, Red Lion Christian Academy, First State Military Academy and MOT Charter – to its roster for the 2017-18 school year. Longtime Diamond State member Wilmington Christian will transition to the Independent Conference, so the DSC will expand from five schools to eight.

“It’s the compilation of the four schools that are coming in that make it a very interesting conference,” said Archmere athletic director Dave Oswinkle, who doubles as president of the Diamond State Conference. “We’re going to be able to petition DIAA that we have enough teams for a football conference, and in all other sports it will give us a chance to earn automatic bids to state tournaments. And it solidifies the conference with better scheduling for everybody.”

Archmere, Delaware Military Academy, Conrad Schools of Science and Newark Charter will remain in the DSC. For the first time, the league have enough teams to put together an official conference football schedule, with all but Newark Charter and MOT Charter competing on the gridiron.

“We have to send our bylaws and the schools that we are submitting down to DIAA for approval, but there shouldn’t be any reason for dispute because all of them are in good standing with DIAA,” Oswinkle said.

Story:  Delaware High School sports rankings

DIAA executive director Tommie Neubauer said the association’s board of directors will have to approve the new DSC alignment, but he didn’t foresee any complications.

“They just need to file their constitution, which would list their membership,” Neubauer said. “In all of my years, I’ve never seen the board question who is in a conference unless it violated a safety rule, and this isn’t doing that.”

Charter of Wilmington’s enrollment for DIAA classification purposes was 1,471 in 2015, the most recent year DIAA members were classified in Division I and Division II. That number is more than twice the enrollment of all the other current and incoming DSC members, but Oswinkle said the other schools were not concerned about any competitive advantage.

Charter of Wilmington shares its school building with the Cab Calloway, with Cab students allowed to participate on Charter of Wilmington athletic teams. But while Cab supplies about a third of Charter of Wilmington’s total enrollment for DIAA classification purposes, Eddy said only about 15 percent of the athletes on all of the school’s teams are Cab students.

Charter of Wilmington will be the only Diamond State Conference member classified as Division I by DIAA. All of the other schools will compete statewide in Division II.

“We already play them and are competitive with them in most sports, as does DMA, as does Conrad, as does Newark Charter,” Oswinkle said of Charter of Wilmington. “We’re all playing each other anyway, so it doesn’t really affect anything.

“We’re happy to have them,” Oswinkle added. “I think they’re a good school. Obviously, they have a lot of similar qualities to the schools that are in our conference.”

Eddy has already crafted a 2017 Charter of Wilmington football schedule with DSC games against DMA, Conrad, First State Military Academy, Archmere and Red Lion Christian, plus nonconference games against Blue Hen members A.I. du Pont and McKean and Independent Conference foes Tower Hill, Wilmington Friends and Tatnall. He believes the new schedule may encourage more Charter of Wilmington students to play football.

“We’re happy,” Eddy said. “We think overall, for our athletic program, it’s going to be a good move for us.

“The kids at my school, they don’t come out for football because they don’t want to play those big schools. I’ve got a 160-pound kid who might want to play football, but he’s like, ‘I’m not playing right guard at 160 pounds against those teams.’”

Charter of Wilmington’s departure leaves 16 schools in the Blue Hen Conference. The schools with the eight largest enrollments – A.I. du Pont, Appoquinimink, Newark, William Penn, Concord, Middletown, Delcastle and Mount Pleasant – compete in Flight A and in Division I statewide.

The eight smallest schools – St. Georges, Hodgson, Glasgow, McKean, Dickinson, Christiana, Brandywine and Howard – compete in Flight B and in Division II statewide. Those flight and division alignments are subject to change for the next two-year athletic scheduling cycle, based on official enrollment numbers submitted by each school on Friday and certified by the Delaware Department of Education.

Charter of Wilmington isn’t the only school excited to be a part of the expanding Diamond State Conference. First State Military Academy and MOT Charter will be joining an athletic conference for the first time, which will make scheduling in all sports easier by providing a number of guaranteed opponents. Red Lion Christian Academy is rejoining the conference it left in 2010.

“It’s going to be a big help,” Red Lion Christian athletic director Domenic Bonvetti said. “It’s probably going to cut my workload in half. We won’t have to reach out to as many schools and constantly work to get games.

“Now we can have meaningful battles with other schools within the conference. We can create friendly rivalries, win conference championships … those are all positive things.”

Contact Brad Myers at bmyers@delawareonline.com. Follow on Twitter: @BradMyersTNJ