GAVIN FORD, junior, Salesianum soccer

THE WEEK: Scored the first goal in the 37th minute as the top-ranked Sals downed No. 2 Charter of Wilmington 2-0 in an early season showdown last Thursday.

THE GOAL: Salesianum transitioned quickly after a Charter attack, with midfielder Jason Blackwell sending a perfectly placed ball through to Ford. He made a sharp move and sent a 15-yard laser between two defenders just inside the near post. “We were working on counters all week. Coach had enforced that really hard,” Ford said. “I got through, beat the first guy, took on the second, found a gap and just fired it through.”

THE COACH SAYS: “He’s that offensive guy that can put the ball in the net,” Salesianum coach Scott Mosier said. “Those are rare to find, probably in every sport… Having that guy that can dribble players and beat players and go to goal is really important for us, and he does that.”

THE STRENGTH: “I like to dribble a lot,” Ford said. “That’s mostly what I work on during practice. I focus on one-on-ones.”

THE MOVES: “The best part of his game is taking players on, for sure,” Mosier said. “… In the attacking third when there’s a big crowd around, he can beat guys and create mismatches and draw second and third defenders. Then he can either score, or he can pass it to somebody where a defender left.”

THE HEAT: Salesianum has won six consecutive state championships, which makes every game a big game. “That leads to some pressure, because we get everyone’s best game,” Ford said. “They always want to beat us.”

THE ELUSIVENESS: “He has that quality that is unique from a lot of other players,” Mosier said. “He’s not big, but not as messy. Being quick on the soccer field is more important than being big… Gavin has an uncanny knack to make people miss.”

THE CLASSROOM: Ford’s favorite subject is Math. “I’m pretty good with numbers,” he said.

THE FUTURE: Ford hopes to continue his soccer career at the collegiate level. “I haven’t looked anywhere yet, but that’s a goal of mine, hopefully to play Division I soccer,” he said.

Send Athlete of the Week nominations to bmyers@delawareonline.com. Follow on Twitter: @BradMyersTNJ

Salesianum soccer player Gavin Ford poses for a portrait at Salesianum School on Monday afternoon.

Salesianum soccer player Gavin Ford poses for a portrait at Salesianum School on Monday afternoon.

Salesianum soccer player Gavin Ford poses for a portrait at Salesianum School on Monday afternoon.

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

Milford High School running back David Bowman poses for a portrait at the Milford football stadium on Monday afternoon.

DAVID BOWMAN, junior, Milford football

THE WEEK: Rushed 16 times for 138 yards and two touchdowns and caught two passes for 82 yards and another score as the Buccaneers, ranked second statewide in Division II, downed Conrad 42-13 on Friday night.

THE FIRST ONE: Bowman’s first TD came on a 29-yard run just 2:07 into the game. “It was a 28 toss,” he said. “I caught the ball, my H-back made a good block and I saw a hole. I hit it, and after that I was just looking for the end zone. I only got touched once.”

THE BLOCKER SAYS: “I can put all of my trust in him,” Milford fullback Dominyc Hovington said. “I know if I get that one good block, he’s going to score a touchdown. He’s definitely, in my opinion, one of the best running backs in the state of Delaware.”

THE CATCH: Bowman later scored on a 22-yard run, then caught a pass from William Kimmel and took it 77 yards for a 28-0 Milford lead. “I saw him looking to the right, and I was hoping he was going to look my way,” Bowman said. “Once he threw it, I made a cut to the right and I saw another lane. So I hit that and kept going.”

Milford High School running back David Bowman poses for a portrait at the Milford football stadium on Monday afternoon.

THE COACH SAYS: “To have a kid who’s as versatile as D.J., you see he can catch and run, take it out of the backfield, his ability to elude tacklers, to make cuts,” Milford coach Shaun Strickland said. “He’s a great all-around running back.”

THE SIZE: Bowman is only 5-foot-5, 155 pounds, but he says, “I really don’t think about that. I work in the weight room constantly. Most of the hits, it doesn’t bother me.”

THE DEFENSE: Bowman also contributes on the other side of the ball, playing a key role on a defense that has allowed just 13 points all season. “He’s a very good defensive back. In my opinion, he’s one of the better ones that you’ll see,” Strickland said. “He’s just a kid who works hard, has a nose for the football, knows what he’s looking at.”

Milford High School running back David Bowman poses for a portrait at the Milford football stadium on Monday afternoon.

THE CLASSROOM: “My favorite class right now is Physics,” Bowman said. “We do a whole bunch of labs, and it’s fun. That’s what I like doing, messing with motion.”

THE FUTURE: Bowman hopes to continue playing football in college. “It’s always been my dream, since I was young,” he said. “People always told me I’m too short, but I just work hard and keep going, see if I can make it.”

Send Athlete of the Week nominations to bmyers@delawareonline.com. Follow on Twitter: @BradMyersTNJ.

The Padua volleyball team celebrates its 3-0 sweep at Delaware Military Academy last Thursday, a win that pushed the Pandas to No. 1 in The News Journal rankings.

FOOTBALL

THE NEWS JOURNAL/DELAWAREONLINE RANKINGS

DIVISION I

1. Smyrna (4-0) 1

2. Middletown (4-0) 2

3. Concord (4-0) 3

4. Salesianum (3-1) 4

5. Sussex Central (3-1) 5

6. William Penn (3-1) 6

7. Cape Henlopen (3-1) 8

8. Appoquinimink (2-2) 7

9. Sussex Tech (2-2) 9

10. Newark (1-3) 10

DIVISION II

1. Woodbridge (4-0) 1

2. Milford (4-0) 2

3. St. Mark’s (4-0) 3

4. St. Georges (3-1) 4

5. Glasgow (4-0) 5

6. Wilmington Friends (3-1) 6

7. Del. Military Academy (3-1) 8

8. Tatnall (3-1) 9

9. Delmar (2-2) NR

10. Laurel (2-2) 7

FOX SPORTS 1290/DIFCA COACHES’ POLL

DIVISION I

1. Smyrna (1)

2. Middletown (2)

3. Concord (3)

4. Salesianum (4)

5. William Penn (5)

6. Sussex Central (6)

7. Appoquinimink (7)

8. Cape Henlopen (8)

9. Sussex Tech (9)

10. Newark (10)

DIVISION II

1. Woodbridge (1)

2. St. Georges (2)

3. Glasgow (3)

4. Milford (6)

5. St. Mark’s (4)

6. Tatnall (9)

7. Del. Military Academy (NR)

8. Wilmington Friends (NR)

9. Archmere (10)

10. Howard (NR)

VOLLEYBALL

1. Padua (7-0) 2

2. Del. Military Academy (3-2) 1

3. Archmere (7-0) 3

4. Ursuline (5-1) 4

5. St. Mark’s (3-3) 5

BOYS SOCCER

DIVISION I

1. Salesianum (7-1) 1

2. Charter of Wilmington (4-1-1) 2

3. Appoquinimink (6-0) 3

4. Polytech (6-0) 4

5. Sussex Central (4-0) 5

DIVISION II

1. Indian River (4-0) 1

2. St. Mark’s (4-0-1) 2

3. Newark Charter (6-0) 3

4. Archmere (5-2) 5

5. Del. Military Academy (4-1-2) 4

FIELD HOCKEY

1. Cape Henlopen (3-1) 1

2. Delmar (6-0) 2

3. Tower Hill (7-0) 3

4. Milford (7-0) 4

5. Padua (6-0) 5

BOYS CROSS COUNTRY*

DIVISION I

1. Salesianum 1

2. Charter of Wilmington 2

3. Sussex Tech 3

4. Concord NR

5. Appoquinimink NR

DIVISION II

1. Tatnall 1

2. Del. Military Academy 4

3. Newark Charter 2

4. St. Andrew’s 3

5. St. Mark’s 5

GIRLS CROSS COUNTRY*

DIVISION I

1. Padua 1

2. Charter of Wilmington 2

3. Smyrna 3

4. Caesar Rodney 4

5. Middletown 5

DIVISION II

1. Tatnall 1

2. Newark Charter 2

3. Del. Military Academy 4

4. St. Andrew’s 3

5. Ursuline NR

* – rankings supplied by N5CTA

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

MIDDLETOWN – Joe Scarpinato barely missed on his first two scoring opportunities Tuesday.

He didn’t miss the third one.

Scarpinato converted a slick pass from Derek Fisher in the 30th minute, and the Appoquinimink defense made it stand up the rest of the way for a 1-0 home victory over Charter of Wilmington.

This matchup has decided the Blue Hen Flight A boys soccer title annually since 2012, with the Jaguars winning each of the last four years. But the Force won the last time these teams played — 2-1 in the DIAA Division I semifinals last fall — so revenge was sweet for Appo.

“It’s probably the best game we’ve played so far,” Jaguars coach Adam Bear said. “We were able to possess the ball, got some opportunities. I’m very proud of them. It’s a younger team this year, but they’re finally starting to come together.”

Appo appeared to be coming together for a goal several times early. Scarpinato slid a shot past charging Force keeper Ben McQuillin in the 15th minute, only to see it roll across the goal mouth and go wide.

Three minutes later, Matt Meadows delivered a beautiful cross to Scarpinato, who lunged forward and unleashed a fierce header that just missed the far post.

“I had a diving header like that last game [against Caravel] and it didn’t work out,” Scarpinato said. “I’m going to get one this season. I know it’s coming, I’m feeling it. It was good stuff from my teammates to set me up.”

Scarpinato set up a close-range shot in the 28th minute, but Nathaniel Chalmers tangled with a defender and couldn’t get much on it to lead to an easy save for McQuillin.

The Jaguars (7-0, 5-0 Flight A), ranked third statewide in Division I, finally broke through two minutes later. Meadows crossed it to Fisher, who instantly sent it to Scarpinato just 8 yards from the goal. McQuillin got a hand on his shot, but it still trickled into the net.

“It made me more confident I was going to get one,” Scarpinato said of his first two misfires. “The more chances you get, the better opportunities you have. I just buried that one, the last one I had.”

Meadows’ pass put Fisher in a good position to fire, but he spotted his teammate for an even better shot.

“The cross came in, and I just knew I had to settle and try to at least get one on frame,” Fisher said. “I ended up getting it to Joe over here, and he put it away. It was a good goal.”

But the second-ranked Force (4-2-1, 3-1) still had 50 minutes to equalize, and Charter had its chances. The best first-half opportunity came in the 34th minute, when Kevin Eriksen sent a well-placed cross by Roy Lee over the crossbar.

A close-range header by Michael Mattamira turned into an easy save for Jaguars keeper Jason Sommer in the 62nd minute. The Force continued to press the attack, but Eamon O’Connor couldn’t convert a nice pass from Eriksen in the 67th minute.

Eriksen was awarded a 25-yard free kick in the 75th minute, but Sommer was perfectly positioned to cradle it and preserve the shutout.

“That was a tough one for us,” Charter coach Jon Gillespie said. “It taught us that we’ve got a lot to work on. We’re not really there as a team yet.

“Appo wanted it more today. They definitely put the effort in and got the goal, and they defended well and held off our last couple of chances.”

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

Appoquinimink’s Erik Wellings (No. 3) cuts the ball past Charter’s Nolan Constantine (No. 15) in the second half of Appoquinimink’s 1-0 win over Charter School of Wilmington at Appoquinimink High School in Middletown on Tuesday afternoon.

Appoquinimink’s Matthew Meadows works the ball through the box as he’s pursued by a group of defenders in the second half of Appoquinimink’s 1-0 win over Charter School of Wilmington at Appoquinimink High School in Middletown on Tuesday afternoon.

Appoquinimink’s Erik Wellings heads the ball into the back of the head of Charter’s Nolan Constantine in the second half of Appoquinimink’s 1-0 win over Charter School of Wilmington at Appoquinimink High School in Middletown on Tuesday afternoon.

Appoquinimink’s Derek Fisher (left) chases the ball down the sideline with Charter’s Jacob Ogrodnik (right) in the second half of Appoquinimink’s 1-0 win over Charter School of Wilmington at Appoquinimink High School in Middletown on Tuesday afternoon.

Charter keeper Ben McQuillin makes a diving save in the second half of Appoquinimink’s 1-0 win over Charter School of Wilmington at Appoquinimink High School in Middletown on Tuesday afternoon.

Charter’s Graeme Newcombe (No. 13) fights the ball away from Appoquinimink’s Jose Hilario (No. 14) in the second half of Appoquinimink’s 1-0 win over Charter School of Wilmington at Appoquinimink High School in Middletown on Tuesday afternoon.

Appoquinimink’s Joseph Scarpinato (right) heads the ball over Charter’s Patrick O’Connor in the first half of Appoquinimink’s 1-0 win over Charter School of Wilmington at Appoquinimink High School in Middletown on Tuesday afternoon.

Charter’s Andrew Amato (No. 16) and Appoquinimink’s Seth Hubbard (No. 17) fight for the ball in the first half of Appoquinimink’s 1-0 win over Charter School of Wilmington at Appoquinimink High School in Middletown on Tuesday afternoon.

Appoquinimink’s Joseph Scarpinato (No. 10) and Charter’s Nolan Constantine (No. 15) fight for the ball in the first half of Appoquinimink’s 1-0 win over Charter School of Wilmington at Appoquinimink High School in Middletown on Tuesday afternoon.

Appoquinimink’s Matthew Meadows (No. 22) works the ball through Charter defenders in the second half of Appoquinimink’s 1-0 win over Charter School of Wilmington at Appoquinimink High School in Middletown on Tuesday afternoon.

It was November 2013 and the Atkinson family, like most, was preparing for Thanksgiving.

But Colby Atkinson, then a 14-year-old freshman at Smyrna High School, was tired and listless. He had not been feeling well over the course of a week, culminating in a three-day stretch when his body couldn’t cool down, even though he was not running a fever.

Before that, Atkinson had been a healthy teen. He played football at Smyrna High and baseball in Smyrna Clayton Little League. He was an honors student. Only months earlier, he had been in New York playing in a baseball tournament.

But Colby could not shake this illness. Little did he know his life on and off the field would never be the same.

Colby has spent the last three years battling T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia and the side effects from a bone marrow transplant. His fight inspired his family, friends and community. All the while, Colby kept sports close to his heart.

Colby Atkinson talks with a teammate at Smyrna High football practice last week.

A hero every day

As the Atkinsons kept hitting traffic on the drive down to Baltimore, Colby was becoming worried they weren’t going to make it to Camden Yards in time to watch batting practice.

To celebrate his 16th birthday, his parents planned a trip to see his favorite team, the Orioles, on Aug. 12, 2015. But there was a surprise twist: Colby’s mother, Virginia, had set it up so Colby could meet his favorite player, Orioles third baseman Manny Machado. Colby was speechless after introducing himself to Machado, who gave him a few personal items.

Colby’s younger brother Shaun, now 12, was in the dugout, too. Virginia noticed that Shawn, normally talkative, had quietly taken in the scene and let Colby have his time with Machado.

STORY: Miller, Appoquinimink power past Middletown

“Well, it’s not every day Colby gets to meet his hero; I get to see mine every day,” Shawn told his mom.

“Sports have given him the motivation to keep moving,” said Virginia, who is a math specialist at Smyrna High.

While at Nemours/Alfred I. duPont Hospital for Children, Colby would go to the hospital gym and play catch as part of his therapy. Getting back on the baseball field motivated Colby.

He returned to baseball in spring 2015, one year and a day after a bone marrow transplant that saved his life. Still, it’s difficult for Colby to run because both of his Achilles tendons had to be surgically lengthened due to the impact cancer treatment and complications had on his muscles. He pitches and plays first base for his Smyrna Clayton Little League team and has a designated runner when he hits.

Colby Atkinson bats for Smyrna Clayton Little League in April 2015. It was his first baseball game after his bone marrow transplant.

Colby struggled to explain how much sports and his teammates have meant to him the last three years.

“They’re there for me always,” Colby said. “They’re family.”

‘No clue’ it was cancer

It never crossed any of the Atkinsons’ minds that there was something seriously wrong with Colby. His parents believed he had a virus that would run its course.

But when he still wasn’t feeling better after two visits to the family’s doctor, Colby was taken to a local LabCorp to have his blood drawn and analyzed. The next day, the Atkinson’s doctor called Colby’s dad Bill and simply told him Colby needed to be taken to the emergency room at A.I. because, the family was told, his “numbers” were high. Virginia, Colby’s mom, immediately left school in the middle of planning a quiz to meet Bill and Colby and head to the hospital.

Virginia could not have imagined that when she walked out of the school on Dec. 3, 2013, she wouldn’t return for 13 months.

“Cancer did not pop into my head whatsoever,” Virginia said. “I had no clue.”

STORY: Brown adds even more firepower to Smyrna backfield

Virginia was eventually pulled into a room with a doctor and a few nurses to be given the results as Bill kept Colby company. Colby had been diagnosed with leukemia. His white blood cell count was 76 times the normal range of 5,000-10,000 per mcL.

Virginia shared the diagnosis with Bill and together they broke the news to Colby.

“I looked over at my parents and I saw my mom was getting ready to cry,” Colby said.

Said Virginia: “Colby is so stoic, almost to a fault where doctors feel he’s detached, but that’s his coping mechanism is he’s never really been one to show emotion. He didn’t get upset at all. He was just like, ‘OK, so do I have to take chemo and can I play baseball?’ That’s all he was worried about.”

Potential on the football field

Colby was making a name for himself as a left tackle on Smyrna’s freshman football team in 2014.

Mike Judy, then the offensive line coach and assistant for the varsity team, knew of Colby and his budding ability.

“He was kind of ‘the guy,'” Judy said. “He was the guy who was going to be the next real good one, along with his teammates and that freshman class.”

Although he’s not able to play football anymore, Colby found a way to be part of the team.

Before this season, he approached Judy, now Smyrna’s head coach, about being a volunteer student coach. After Judy cleared it with athletic director Bill Schultz, Colby joined the staff. He helps in meetings, films practices when needed and isn’t afraid to offer technique tips to the offensive linemen.

Unless he has a doctor’s appointment or it’s too hot outside, Colby is at practice every day. He can be spotted on Smyrna’s sidelines during games wearing an Eagles jersey with the No. 59, his number from freshman year.

“It means a lot. It’s fun,” Colby said of his role.

Judy said Colby is part of every offensive meeting and has become a student of the game. Judy has been impressed with how his protege has handled working with guys who are his friends and his own age.

Colby considers being part of the team that won the DIAA Division I state title last season as a bright spot in the midst of his difficult personal journey, attending the games last year to support his team.

“I try not to dwell on what has happened; I try to stay in the present and focus on what’s now,” Colby said.

Long wait for remission

After his leukemia diagnosis, Colby was immediately admitted into A.I.’s pediatric intensive care unit, where he would spend the next 10 days.

An initial biopsy showed that 95 percent of his bone marrow was cancer cells. To combat the problem, Colby needed blood transfusions – he’s had 163 since his diagnosis – which included platelet, red blood cell and plasma transfusions.

Colby would spend the next five weeks in the hospital receiving treatment. Many of his friends and teammates were unable to visit as that part of the hospital required visitors to be at least 16 years old. To pass the time, Colby played video games – often with his friends online – watched TV, had physical therapy or occupational therapy and attended school in his hospital room each day.

In the following five months, Colby would go home for two weeks and then return to the hospital to spend two weeks receiving treatment. Most kids who have this type of leukemia – the most common childhood cancer – go into remission after the first month, according to the American Cancer Society.

However, months came and went without Colby going into remission.

Finally, on March 31, 2014, Colby’s biopsy showed no signs of cancer in his bone marrow. He was in remission.

“Thankfully that day we got the phone call because honestly, I don’t think his body could have handled another month of the chemo they were giving him,” Virginia said. “It had taken its toll on him.

Still, Colby’s battle wasn’t over yet, though. The Atkinsons knew months before he was declared cancer free that Colby would need a bone marrow transplant. Doctors said that without a transplant, Colby’s leukemia would definitely return.

An example of true toughness

Colby’s experience with cancer has helped put football in perspective for him and his teammates.

“These young guys, his classmates, they don’t know what ‘tough’ is,” Judy said. “He’s an example of toughness. That’s tough. It’s given us such a boost to see him continue to fight and get better and find a way to live the new normal for him. It’s been awesome to see.”

Colby treasures the support of his community and teammates.

“It’s meant a lot to me,” Colby said.

Colby Atkinson looks out over the field as members of the Smyrna High School football team practice last week.

Smyrna held its first annual Be Bold, Go Gold event at the school’s football game on Sept. 29. The event honored seven local residents, including Colby, whose lives have been affected by pediatric cancer. It raised $2,000 for childhood cancer research through the B+ Foundation.

“The support that he’s received from his friends and community has really been a source of inspiration and strength for our family,” Virginia said.

Smyrna senior linebacker Josh Hutchinson said it has been tough to watch what his longtime friend has endured. Colby’s mom kept Hutchinson in the loop on how Colby was doing during his time in the hospital. Hutchinson said he gets to see a side of Colby that not many do, describing him as a quiet, funny guy who’s always playing jokes.

“Whenever I came over, there was always positive energy around him the whole time,” Hutchinson said. “We talk about fighting against adversity every day we’re out here. If anything, Colby’s fight is an example of that.”

Life-saving match

Colby’s parents and younger brother Shaun, then 9, spent part of Christmas Eve 2014 in the outpatient clinic at A.I. They each had their blood drawn for human leukocyte antigen (HLA) typing to see if any of them were a good bone marrow match.

Of the markers they examine to determine a match, Virginia had 9 out of 10. There were two other matches from the Be The Match Registry, part of the National Marrow Donor Program. Like Virginia, the two matches were 9 out of 10 and the mismatch in all three candidates was for the same marker. So, it was decided that she would be the donor for her son.

On April 17, 2014, Colby received the bone marrow transplant. Virginia had made a two-minute video to show Colby on his transplant day, featuring clips of friends and teachers at Smyrna showing their support for Colby and offering encouraging words.

During the transplant, which is similar to receive a blood transfusion, Colby played video games with his dad and even got to push some of the cells into his body.

“My cells going into him knowing that was going to bring life back to him, I cannot even express the emotion,” Virginia said.

Added Colby: “I can’t use words to describe what it meant.”

Now, the Atkinsons celebrate April 17 as Colby’s rebirth day. They have a small get together each year with family and eat cake, much to Colby’s delight.

Although he was discharged from the hospital on June 7, 2014, his road to recovery wasn’t complete.

A month after his transplant, Colby developed Graft Versus Host Disease (GVHD) There’s no set protocol to treat GVHD because it varies patient to patient and depends on how their body responds. If unchecked, GVHD can damage organs and lead to serious infections.

The side effects from the GVHD treatment, such as not being able to sweat, have been the most difficult part of the last three years, Colby said. It’s prevented him from being able to attend football practice when temperatures are too high.

Living a full life

Colby’s day-to-day life is pretty typical for a senior in high school, with a couple of exceptions.

His daily routine includes taking eight pills, including one to treat GVHD. He attends physical therapy three times a week to work on stretching and range of motion. Colby had to be completely revaccinated after the bone marrow transplant. His immune system still isn’t 100 percent, but it’s strong enough that his parents aren’t worried about him catching something at school.

Virginia and Bill’s hopes for Colby are the same as many parents’ dreams for their children. They want him to be able to do what he wants to in life. Colby plans to go to college next year. He’s unsure what he wants to study. He’s maintained an A average and is taking Advanced Placement classes this year.

“My outlook is that he’s going to live as full a life as possible,” Virginia said. “His just has some more twists and turns to it.”

Amid everything he has gone through, Colby has learned that you’re always stronger than you think you are. Believing he could overcome the cancer helped fuel Colby during the hours, days and weeks worth of chemotherapy, transfusions and physical therapy. At 17, Colby has already endured more pain, challenges and triumph than many people experience in a lifetime.

“Even through your darkest times, you can make other people happy, make yourself happy,” Colby said. “There’s always a light at the end of the tunnel when everything will get better sooner or later.”

Contact Meghan Montemurro at mmontemurro@delawareonline.com. Follow her on Twitter at @M_Montemurro. 

Colby Atkinson watches as Smyrna High linemen run through drills during practice last week.

Colby Atkinson watches as lineman on the Smyrna High School football team line up for drills at practice on Wednesday afternoon.

Colby Atkinson watches as lineman on the Smyrna High School football team line up for drills at practice on Wednesday afternoon.

The Middletown-Salesianum football rivalry started in 1966 as a tiny farm town taking on the Catholic school giants.

Fifty years later, the Middletown players who had a hand in that 14-13 victory will be honored on the field at Cavaliers Stadium before Friday’s 7:30 p.m. kickoff. Then they will watch the continuation of an annual game that has changed dramatically, but still burns just as hot.

“It goes back three generations,” said Bill DiNardo, who has seen both sides as former coach at Middletown and current coach at Salesianum. “I don’t know if there’s a fiercer rivalry in the state of Delaware.”

Middletown has mushroomed into a city, with enrollments at both Middletown and crosstown rival Appoquinimink among the top dozen high schools in Delaware. So now this rivalry is just two consistently good football teams, producing some of the state’s best games year after year.

“Things have gone back and forth. You have your ups and downs with it,” Cavaliers coach Mark DelPercio said. “We’ve played some great games. They’ve had some runs, we’ve had some runs. It’s been a great battle, not just recently, but over the years.”

Salesianum has had the upper hand lately, winning the last five meetings. That includes 20-6 during the regular season and 27-21 on a last-second, goal-line stand in the semifinals of the DIAA Division I playoffs last year.

But Middletown (4-0), ranked second statewide in Division I, may have the upper hand this time. The Cavaliers have allowed just six points all season, an inconsequential touchdown late in a 43-6 win over Delcastle last week.

“They’re going to come at you from every which way,” DiNardo said of the Cavaliers’ defense. “They’re going to come at you with the intention of disrupting and destroying. They’re really good.”

Middletown’s offense is really good, too. Sophomore Drew Fry has already thrown 17 touchdown passes in his first season as a starter.

“They throw the ball very well. They spread you out, and they are very good offensively,” DiNardo said. “The kid, Fry, he doesn’t act like a sophomore. He acts like his dad was an All-State quarterback and a college quarterback. He’s a very polished kid.”

DiNardo should know. Drew’s father, Dale Fry, was a senior quarterback at Middletown in 1988 — DiNardo’s first year there — and went on to play at the University of Delaware.

The fourth-ranked Sals (3-1) struggled against the pass in a 60-26 loss at top-ranked Smyrna two weeks ago, and the Cavaliers hope to test them with a similar approach.

“Obviously, throwing the football has been one of our strengths this season,” DelPercio said.

But the Salesianum offense has something that concerns DelPercio, and it’s a big something. With guards Zeb Wright (6-foot-2, 305 pounds) and Josh Williams (5-10, 255), tackles Randy Sinnott (6-5, 290) and Dom Marra (6-6, 275) and center Sean Keating (6-2, 265) across the front, the Sals’ offensive line looks like it could be playing at the next level.

“They look like a college offensive line,” DelPercio said. “Not just big, but tall. They’re not fat. They’re 6-foot-4, 280- or 290-pound guys.”

And last week, the Sals added to the battering power by moving Josh Patrick (6-2, 225) from tight end to running back. He responded with eight carries for 105 yards and three touchdowns in a 36-12 victory over Caravel.

“We just felt that he would give us a little extra push,” DiNardo said. “We felt that with an offense that had been inconsistent, he would give us a big body. He’s the fastest kid on the team; he’s the strongest kid on our team.”

DiNardo said the move also kept fellow running backs Nick Merlino and Carson Salvo fresher. And the Sals also have an effective passing game, with junior Zach Gwynn often targeting receiver Michael Drake.

“Their quarterback throws the ball well,” DelPercio said. “He’s got a good arm, he’s got good size. You can’t take their passing game for granted.”

You can’t take anything for granted in a Middletown-Sallies game. The schools have combined for 14 state football championships (seven each), and from 2005-13 they took seven of the nine Division I titles (four for the Sals, three for the Cavaliers).

“This is a big test for us to see where we are, to see how we match up, to see how we respond against a great football team,” DiNardo said. “And I know it’s a great test for them. They haven’t seen anything like us to this point.”

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

Middletown’s Kedrick Whitehead (3) falls on his own fumble for a touchdown during last year’s DIAA Division I state semifinal.

St. Mark’s Matthew Theodorakis (No. 15) cuts past St. Elizabeth’s Benjamin Bryan (No. 18) in the first half of St. Mark’s 2-1 win over St. Elizabeth’s at St. Mark’s High School on Thursday afternoon.

MILL CREEK – The St. Mark’s boys soccer team has yet to lose a match this season, but that doesn’t mean they feel they’ve played up to their standards.

So when an early two-goal lead became a 2-1 nail-biter of a win over Catholic Conference foe St. Elizabeth on Thursday afternoon, the Spartans were less than pleased with their efforts in running their record to 5-0-2 in the 2016 season.

“We’ve got to do a better job of finishing teams off,” Spartans head coach Dan Swasey said.  “We got off to a good start, but we got complacent in the second half.”

“It’s what we’ve done all year,” said senior forward Chris Ludman, who scored St. Mark’s first goal off a corner kick with 33:40 to go in the first half. “It’s always nice to get off to a good start, but we still haven’t played a full 80 minutes of soccer yet this season.”

Ludman’s goal came off of a corner kick from Ryan Donovan that eluded the grasp of Vikings goalkeeper Ethan Downs, landing directly in front of Ludman on the left side, who deposited the ball in the net.

Just about five minutes later, Michael Scalia took a pass from Colin O’Brien and zipped the ball under Downs’ diving save attempt for an early 2-0 St. Mark’s lead.

“It’s a confidence booster,” Scalia said of the quick start. “But we need to keep the intensity up going forward.”

Intensity wasn’t a problem for the persistent Vikings (3-5) as they kept plugging away until Martin Newswanger beat Eric Ludman to the left corner on a penalty kick with 16 minutes to go in the game to tighten things up at 2-1.

“Anxious,” Swasey said of his mood when St. E pulled to within a goal. “They have a really good team over there and we knew they were going to make a run at us.”

That goal was close as the Vikings would get as the Spartans managed to keep their unbeaten record alive, but not without some lessons learned.

“It’s a win,” Swasey said. “We’ll watch the video, learn from this and get better for the next game.”

“We have potential,” Scalia said. “We just need to stay calm and play with total team effort.”

Ethan Downs stopped eight shots for St. Elizabeth on the afternoon.

St. Mark’s Christopher Ludman puts a shot on goal in the first half of St. Mark’s 2-1 win over St. Elizabeth’s at St. Mark’s High School on Thursday afternoon.

St. Elizabeth goalkeeper Ethan Downs punches the ball away from St. Mark’s Seth Bialecki in the first half of St. Mark’s 2-1 win over St. Elizabeth’s at St. Mark’s High School on Thursday afternoon.

St. Elizabeth goalkeeper Ethan Downs punches the ball away on a corner kick as St. Mark’s Christopher Ludman (left) and Seth Bialecki crash into him in the first half of St. Mark’s 2-1 win over St. Elizabeth’s at St. Mark’s High School on Thursday afternoon.

St. Mark’s Seth Bialecki heads the ball over a group of players in the first half of St. Mark’s 2-1 win over St. Elizabeth’s at St. Mark’s High School on Thursday afternoon.

St. Mark’s Colin O’Brien (No. 4) and St. Elizabeth’s Robert Miller (No. 17) chase down the ball in the first half of St. Mark’s 2-1 win over St. Elizabeth’s at St. Mark’s High School on Thursday afternoon.

St. Elizabeth’s Kevin Marchioni heads the ball as teammate Austin Figliola (No. 24) and St. Mark’s Ryan Donovan look on in the first half of St. Mark’s 2-1 win over St. Elizabeth’s at St. Mark’s High School on Thursday afternoon.

St. Mark’s Michael Scalia shoots and scores a goal in the first half of St. Mark’s 2-1 win over St. Elizabeth’s at St. Mark’s High School on Thursday afternoon.

St. Mark’s Peter Coker II (No. 13) lines up the ball next to St. Elizabeth’s Chase Dunlap (No. 23) in the first half of St. Mark’s 2-1 win over St. Elizabeth’s at St. Mark’s High School on Thursday afternoon.

Archmere’s Nicole Kelly (left) and Jade Bryant converge on the ball against St. Mark’s on Sept. 27. The Auks defeated two ranked teams – DMA and Ursuline – last week to move up to No. 1 statewide.

FOOTBALL

THE NEWS JOURNAL/DELAWAREONLINE RANKINGS

DIVISION I

1. Smyrna (5-0) 1

2. Middletown (5-0) 2

3. Concord (5-0) 3

4. Salesianum (3-2) 4

5. William Penn (4-1) 6

6. Cape Henlopen (4-1) 7

7. Sussex Central (3-2) 5

8. Sussex Tech (3-2) 9

9. Appoquinimink (2-3) 8

10. Dover (2-3) NR

DIVISION II

1. Woodbridge (5-0) 1

2. Milford (5-0) 2

3. St. Georges (4-1) 4

4. Glasgow (5-0) 5

5. Del. Military Academy (4-1) 7

6. St. Mark’s (4-1) 3

7. Wilmington Friends (4-1) 6

8. Tatnall (4-1) 8

9. Caravel (2-3) NR

10. Howard (2-3) NR

FOX SPORTS 1290/DIFCA COACHES’ POLL

DIVISION I

1. Smyrna (1)

2. Middletown (2)

3. Concord (3)

4. Salesianum (4)

5. William Penn (5)

6. Cape Henlopen (8)

7. Sussex Central (6)

8. Sussex Tech (9)

9. Appoquinimink (7)

10. Dover (NR)

DIVISION II

1. Woodbridge (1)

2. St. Georges (2)

3. Milford (4)

4. Glasgow (3)

5. Del. Military Academy (7)

6. Tatnall (6)

7. St. Mark’s (5)

8. Wilmington Friends 8)

9. Howard (10)

10. Delmar (NR)

VOLLEYBALL

1. Archmere (9-0) 3

2. Padua (8-1) 1

3. Tower Hill (7-1) NR

4. Del. Military Academy (4-3) 2

5. Ursuline (6-2) 4

BOYS SOCCER

DIVISION I

1. Salesianum (7-1-1) 1

2. Appoquinimink (8-0) 3

3. Charter of Wilmington (4-2-1) 2

4. Polytech (7-0) 4

5. Sussex Central (5-1) 5

DIVISION II

1. Indian River (6-0) 1

2. Newark Charter (7-0-1) 3

3. St. Mark’s (5-1-2) 2

4. St. Andrew’s (6-0-1) NR

5. Archmere (6-3) 4

FIELD HOCKEY

1. Cape Henlopen (4-2) 1

2. Delmar (8-0) 2

3. Tower Hill (8-1) 3

4. Milford (8-0) 4

5. Padua (8-0) 5

BOYS CROSS COUNTRY*

DIVISION I

1. Salesianum 1

2. Charter of Wilmington 2

3. Sussex Tech 3

4. Concord 4

5. Caesar Rodney NR

DIVISION II

1. Tatnall 1

2. Del. Military Academy 2

3. Newark Charter 3

4. St. Andrew’s 4

5. St. Mark’s 5

GIRLS CROSS COUNTRY*

DIVISION I

1. Padua 1

2. Charter of Wilmington 2

3. Smyrna 3

4. Middletown 5

5. Caesar Rodney 4

DIVISION II

1. Tatnall 1

2. Newark Charter 2

3. St. Andrew’s 4

4. Del. Military Academy 3

5. Ursuline 5

* – rankings supplied by N5CTA

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

Appoquinimink’s Joseph Scarpinato (8) , seen in this file photo, scored a goal as the Jaguars remained undefeated with a 3-1 win over Newark.

NEWARK – Appoquinimink was cruising along with a one-goal lead midway through the first half when Newark suddenly tied the game on the counterattack in a battle between undefeated teams in Blue Hen Conference Flight A boys’ soccer action Tuesday evening.

That goal seemed to wake up the Jaguars as they regained their edge, retaking the lead less than three minutes later on a Matt Meadows goal, and they withstood any Yellowjacket challenge the rest of the way for a 3-1 victory.

“We had to keep up the aggression and keep up the chances because if we fell back, they would keep scoring, and we couldn’t keep falling back,” Meadows said.

Second-ranked Appoquinimink (9-0 overall, 6-0 Flight A) took the lead in the game’s 15th minute when Meadows scored on free kick feed from Hadi Basma,  but that lead was short-lived when Gimel Djan launched a long-range shot that found the back of the net for Newark to tie the game at 1-1.

The Jaguars responded by going back on the attack and playing in Newark’s side of the field, and in the 24th minutes, they were awarded a free kick, which Basma took.

Just like the first goal, Basma delivered the ball to the near post around the top of the goalie area, and Meadows was in the right spot and put the ball into the net to give Appoquinimink the lead back at 2-1.

“We got a goal in the next 5-10 minutes to go ahead. They were a little frustrated in themselves because they didn’t give up that many shots, so you could see that they were upset at that goal,” Jaguar head coach Adam Bear said. “Playing here and playing Newark is always a difficult game for us. Giving them a little some of that momentum hurt a little bit, but we were able to respond, which is a good thing.”

After Newark (6-1-2, 4-1) had a strong start to the second half and just missed a couple of changes to get the equalizer, the Jaguars added a much-needed insurance goal when Joseph Scarpinato scored on a deflection, and Appoquinimink held on from there and put themselves in position for a fourth straight conference title.

“Both teams were undefeated, and this probably settles the conference championship. For our seniors, we’ve won three straight and wanted to make it four for them,” Bear said. “We had a good win against Charter the other week, and we just had to stay focused tonight. They were able to. Historically, we’ve been able to stay focused in the conference.”

Archmere girls volleyball coach Mary Pat Kwoka talks with her team during a timeout in a DIAA tournament semifinal match against Padua last season.

Boys soccer and girls volleyball have little in common. But Archmere athletic director Dave Oswinkle knows why two of the Auks’ coaches were able to celebrate milestones last week.

“If you’re looking for structure and system, stuff like that, both of them give it,” Oswinkle said. “That’s the reason they have the records that they have over the years they’ve been coaching. They believe in structure and building programs.”

It was a memorable week at Archmere, as boys soccer coach Bob Bussiere reached 400 career victories with a 7-2 win over Conrad on Oct. 4, and girls volleyball coach Mary Pat Kwoka hit 300 career wins with a 3-0 victory over Ursuline last Friday.

“They don’t waver much from where they are,” Oswinkle said. “They realize the personnel they have, and they adapt to the personnel that they have. They set up a system that works with the kids.”

Working with kids is what it’s all about for both coaches.

“Every win is special,” Kwoka said. “Every time I win, I’m excited about the win. The players have been tremendous, the parental support, the administrations that I’ve worked for … it’s a true team effort. It’s just fun being a head coach, and it’s great being a head coach at Archmere.”

Hitting a win total with a couple of zeroes on the end is pretty nice, too.

“I’m really proud of it,” Bussiere said. “I was talking to my team about it on Wednesday, the day after, and I said, ‘I’ll be honest with you, the 400 wins is really nice.’

“I think it’s an indication of two things. One, the quality number of soccer players that I’ve had over the years. Archmere is the fourth high school that I’ve coached. It’s not like I’ve been in one place all this time. But the other thing is the relationships that you form, the friendships, and how this sport has provided me with some of my best friends.”

Those friendships endure, which is even more rewarding.

“I’m in a stage now in my career where I go to player weddings and baptisms, things like that,” Bussiere said. “I’ve stayed in touch with these kids, even though they’re not kids anymore. Between that and the number of former players who are now in coaching, it’s the relationships that I’ll always remember, not the number of wins.”

Both coaches have made a few stops. Bussiere began his career in 1981 at New Rochelle High in New York, guiding the Huguenots to a 26-0 season and state title in 1986. The following year, he moved to Delaware, began coaching at Caravel and went 2-13 in his first season in the First State.

He moved to Glasgow in 1992 and took the Dragons to the summit with a state title in 1995. Then he came to Archmere in 2005.

Kwoka won a state title in her first year of coaching, at Ursuline in 1991. She moved to St. Elizabeth the following year and went 2-14, which was two more wins than the Vikings earned the previous season.

She stayed at St. E for 11 seasons before coming to Archmere, where she has been the last 11 years. Kwoka, proud to have assistant coach Nancy Melvin at her side the entire time, has coached eight teams to Delaware’s Final Four and won her second state title with the Auks in 2014.

Bussiere’s record now stands at 401-186-57. Kwoka’s current mark is 301-131. Both have been through peaks and valleys, leading athletes with varying skills at different schools.

“That’s the fun part of coaching,” Kwoka said. “Every year is a different group of players. So you have to figure out what their strengths are, what their weaknesses are. As a coach, you try to accentuate their positives and try to remove as many negatives as you can.”

Kwoka’s volleyball team is riding high this season, moving to No. 1 in The News Journal’s statewide rankings after 3-0 sweeps of Delaware Military Academy and Ursuline last week. Archmere improved to 10-0 with a 3-1 victory over St. Elizabeth on Tuesday.

Junior Lexi Kelly is a fearsome middle hitter, and her sister, Nikki, and Amy Thomson anchor the block. Senior setters Kaylie Leclerc and Tori Mock keep the offense flowing, and captain Grace Merritt provides versatility. Sophomores Faith Merritt and Jade Bryant have stepped into bigger roles, sophomore Sydney Niumataiwalu has made the transition to libero and freshmen Julia Kochie and Mackenzie Popp have made an immediate impact.

“One of our strengths is that we’re a team,” Kwoka said. “Everybody has to do their part for us to be successful. One day it’s going to be this player, the next day it’s going to be another player.”

The Auks have also received a valuable contribution from senior Zoe Akoto, a leader despite missing the entire season due to a knee injury.

“She had a shot at being an All-State player,” Kwoka said. “Her mental focus and her preparation, even though she’s not on the court, has helped our team in an amazing way.”

Bussiere’s soccer team is also churning out another successful season, moving to 7-3 with a 4-0 victory over St. Elizabeth on Tuesday.

“I was really excited to work with this group. It’s just a group of some quality, quality people,” Bussiere said. “We do have some talent on the team, as well. I really enjoyed coaching them last year, and I knew the vast majority of them were returning this year.”

Senior midfielder Sean Murray, a four-year starter, and senior forward Liam Delaney hold everybody together as the Auks’ captains. Bussiere also lauded seniors Charlie Walters, Michael Fiorile and Reid Niermann, saying, “They understand their roles on the team; they understand where they fit in.”

And of course, the buck hopefully stops with senior goalkeeper Blake Parker.

“He has been a very, very key player for us, this season and last season,” Bussiere said. “He’s played very, very well.”

But Bussiere believes his Auks – and their coach – have more inside. All three of their losses have come by one goal, to Division II state title contenders Newark Charter, St. Mark’s and St. Andrew’s. Bussiere believes the Auks can be a contender, too.

“In my mind, we haven’t come close to reaching our full potential,” he said. “Actually, I’ve been a little disappointed with my performance this season. But we’ll get it right, and I know we’ll reach the level we need to reach to compete in the state tournament.”

That’s how you pass a milestone, and start heading for the next one.

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

The Charter School of Wilmington boys soccer team had its magic working on the road, beating Delcastle 6-0 on Thursday afternoon.

The Cougars entered the contest with a better record, but they struggled to match up with the Charter players, who constantly snatched the ball away on defense and strung passes together, sometimes without looking. The Force (6-2-1) have outscored their opponents this season 31-3.

Charter goalkeeper Ben McQuillin makes a diving save to preserve a shutout shared with teammate Matty Bowen in the second half of Charter’s 6-0 win at Delcastle Thursday.

“Our defense and goalkeeper have been outstanding all year,” Charter head coach Jon Gillespie said. “It’s a wall and they play extremely well back there. They don’t allow any easy shots. Delcastle’s a good team so it was nice to get it against a team that’s had a really good season.”

Charter dominated in shots on goal, 12-2, with both of Delcastle’s shots coming in the final 20 minutes of match. Incredibly, six different players hit the back of the net for the victors, and even the defense got in on the act.

The Force got on the board in the fourth minute, as senior captain Kevin Eriksen took a kick from classmate Michael Mattamira and slammed it home. Eriksen said the team prides itself on setting up shots from the sideline.

“Early in the season, we saw a lot of success from those and we’ve started to recognize that,” he said. “We’ve been working hard day in and day out, and it’s finally coming together. I think we’re improving every game.”

Charter threatened several more times in the first, and it paid off in the 29th minute on a corner kick. The ball sailed well past the goal, and junior defender Rhys Newcombe headed it back the other way. Fellow back Owen Johansson read the ball perfectly and headed it into the net.

The Force wasted little time doubling their halftime lead in the second session, as Mattamira and Eamon O’Connor joined the scoring parade. Midfielder Patrick O’Connor assisted both goals, though one was unintentional as his attempt clanged off the crossbar and deflected right to O’Connor. Gillespie said those were the key goals in the game.

“We preached about that because (the Cougars) have done a good job coming back against a couple teams this year. 2-0 is not enough,” he said.

Charter’s stingy defense kept Delcastle (6-3) off the board as the clock wound down, while the offense scored twice more in the final five minutes to make it a blowout.

Before this game, the Cougars had allowed more than two goals just once — a 4-1 loss to Appoquinimink back on Sept. 13.

Following a tough stretch of three games that resulted in two losses and a tie, Charter is back on the shutout train, piling up 10 goals against Mount Pleasant and Delcastle. The team hopes to ride that success right into the state playoffs.

“We had problems scoring goals, and we’re working our way out of that funk,” Gillespie said. “We had a really good first half and an outstanding second half. It was a lot of stuff we’ve been working on in practice.”

Charter’s Christian Dexter gets a goal late in the second half of Charter’s 6-0 win at Delcastle Thursday.

Delcastle’s Josh Vasquez (left) and Charter’s Christian Dexter tangle in the second half of Charter’s 6-0 win at Delcastle Thursday.

Charter’s Michael Mattamira (top) is denied on a chance alone in front of the net by sliding Delcastle keeper Andres Trujillo-Cruz in the second half of Charter’s 6-0 win at Delcastle Thursday.

NEWARK – Salesianum was the stronger team in the first half of a midseason test between the top two boys’ soccer teams in Division I with host Appoquinimink, taking a two-goal lead into halftime.

The Jaguars were the more assertive team in the second half, scoring midway through the half, but Sallies made a schematic adjustment in the final minutes to hold off Appoquinimink for a 2-1 victory Saturday.

“Not really a statement, but a good evaluation for our guys that if we don’t play our best and the play we’re playing against plays with a lot energy like Appo did, we could be beat by anybody,” Salesianum head coach Scott Mosier said. “We’ve been coasting along a little bit, and it was good to play an intense game. It was good by Appo to give us a game. They played really well.”

The top-ranked Sallies (9-1-1) controlled the ball from the start, playing on the second-ranked Jaguars’ side of the field, and that led a corner kick in the eighth minute. After James Strine received a short pass from the corner, he crossed it Jack Hartmann, who rocketed a shot from 20 yards out into the net to give Salesianum a 1-0 lead.

It took Sallies 24 minutes to get on the board again with this goal coming on the counter. After Salesianum won the ball, Jason Blackwell played the ball wide to Gavin Ford, and Ford and Jack Leonard passed to each other a couple of times before Leonard scored by going to the far side of the net to double its advantage.

“I thought we were pretty busy. We were passing and moving and getting it back, creating opportunities for us. Some were finished, and some weren’t,” Leonard said of Salesianum’s strong first half. “If we played that way the whole game, the outcome would have been different.”

After Appoquinimink (9-1) made a couple of changes with its lineup for the second half, it played with a more energy, leading to improved play, and the Jaguars capitalized on it in the 58th on a Joe Scarpinato goal to make it 2-1.

“We changed a few players’ positions, but we didn’t make too many adjustments. We just played with a little more confidence,” Appoquinimink head coach Adam Bear said. “It wasn’t effort. We played with confidence, and we were able to create more opportunities in the second half.”

The Jaguars continued to push the action after Scarpinato’s goal, but Sallies played a defensive scheme to prevent Appoquinimink from getting quality chances, which proved to be successful as they did not allow a goal and hold on for the win.

Appoquinimink goalkeeper Jason Sommer looks down at the ground after allowing a second goal to Salesianum. Salesianum defeats Appoquinimink 2-1 at Appoquinimink Saturday.

Salesian goalkeeper Gavin Campbell makes a save against Appoquinimink. Salesianum defeats Appoquinimink 2-1 at Appoquinimink Saturday.

Salesianum’s Taylor Witherell, left, and Appoquinimink’s Joseph Scarpinato fight for control of the ball. Salesianum defeats Appoquinimink 2-1 at Appoquinimink Saturday.

Appoquinimink’s Hadi Basma uses his body to block a shot by Salesianum’s Bryce Wallace. Salesianum defeats Appoquinimink 2-1 at Appoquinimink Saturday.

Salesianum midfielder Bryan Hartmann scores from 25 yards out to give Salesianum a 1-0 lead over Appoquinimink. Salesianum defeats Appoquinimink 2-1 at Appoquinimink Saturday.

NAOMI BOWSER, junior, Smyrna cross country

THE WEEK: Won a quad meet at Dover’s Schutte Park with a course-record time of 19:06 last Wednesday. Ran a personal-best 18:42.93 to finish third in the Joe O’Neill Invitational last Friday at Bellevue State Park.

THE SEASON: Bowser has also finished second at the Lake Forest Invitational, seventh in the Varsity E race at the Six Flags Wild Safari Invitational, second among juniors at the White Clay Creek Classic, first among Delawareans at the Salesianum Invitational and first at the University of Delaware Invitational (19:25.19).

Smyrna High School cross country runner Naomi Bowser has lowered her personal record three times in the last two weeks.

THE WIN AT UD: Bowser didn’t feel right during the UD race, but wound up winning by more than a minute and setting a personal record, which she has lowered again twice in the last week. “I thought my time was going to be really bad,” she said. “I was just waiting to see my time at the finish line and be really disappointed, but when I saw what it was I was like, ‘Wow.’”

THE WORK: Bowser has lowered her best time by more than 2½ minutes this season. “The workouts we do have really been helping me,” she said. “We’ve been doing fast sprints, and we’ve been doing mile repeats, but we have to do 6 miles instead. So it makes the 3 miles seem so much quicker. I don’t realize how fast I’m going.”

THE COACH SAYS: “Naomi is a textbook athlete,” Smyrna cross country coach John Haller III third. “She does everything that she’s supposed to. She is on time, she’s the last to leave. She’s just the type of personality and the type of kid that everyone loves.”

THE VERSATILITY: Bowser plays basketball in the winter and pole vaults in the spring. She believes each sport helps her overall performance. “You work different muscle groups, and your body doesn’t get tired,” she said. “If you do the same run every single day, those muscles are going to wear down and not be as strong.”

THE CLASSROOM: “I like to learn about history,” Bowser said. “I like how it’s a story… It’s more interesting than the other subjects.”

THE FUTURE: Bowser plans to go to college and study to be an occupational therapist. She has yet to decide on a destination.

Send Athlete of the Week nominations to Brad Myers at bmyers@delawareonline.com. Follow on Twitter: @BradMyersTNJ

THE WEEK: The senior reached 1,000 career digs with 35 in a 3-0 loss to top-ranked Archmere last Tuesday. Added 41 digs in a 3-0 victory over Cherry Hill (N.J.) East on Saturday.

THE MILESTONE: “They told me that I was really close,” Longueira said. “I had like 30 left, but I had no idea when I was going to hit the thousand. I looked over to the side of the court and my coach told me I got it. I was surprised.”

THE DIG: Longueira’s primary role is to dig out the opponent’s kill attempts and keep the ball alive for the DMA offense to swing into motion. “It all starts with a dig,” she said. “All the responsibility is on me for the first pass so the hitters can get their kills and the setter can get her assist.”

THE COACH SAYS: “They rely on her a lot, and they trust her a lot to get almost every ball that comes back there,” DMA coach Sydney Cook said. “Anything that comes past that 10-foot line, they expect her to be able to get it up.”

THE SATISFACTION: “It makes me really happy, knowing that they can’t get a kill on me,” Longueira said. “That’s my main goal, to make sure they don’t get a lot of kills.”

THE QUIET LEADER: “I think a lot of people underestimate her,” Cook said. “I think they think, ‘Well, she’s kind of quiet.’ She may not be the loudest libero out there, but [opponents] can get pretty frustrated, because she does read [offenses].”

THE PAIN: Blocking the other team’s top hitters doesn’t come without a physical price. “I’ve gotten used to it,” Longueira said. “It doesn’t hurt as much anymore. But at first, it hurts a lot.” She said most of the hits go off her knees.

THE CLASSROOM: Longueira said her favorite subject is English. “I just like writing,” she said. “I can go on and on about writing.”

THE FUTURE: Longueira hopes to continue her volleyball career in college. She has received some recruiting interest, but has yet to decide on a destination.

Send Athlete of the Week nominations to bmyers@delawareonline.com. Follow on Twitter: @BradMyersTNJ

Delaware Military Academy volleyball senior Kirsten Longuiera, is the Athlete of the Week.

Delaware Military Academy volleyball senior Kirsten Longuiera, is the Athlete of the Week.

Delaware Military Academy volleyball senior Kirsten Longuiera, is the Athlete of the Week.

Delaware Military Academy volleyball senior Kirsten Longuiera, is the Athlete of the Week.

Predictions by News Journal high school sports reporter Brad Myers and Mount Pleasant student/analytics guru Matt Kalin.

THURSDAY’S GAME

Christiana vs. Howard at Baynard Stadium, 7. MYERS PICK: Howard 46-6. KALIN PICK: Howard 40-3.

FRIDAY’S GAMES

St. Elizabeth at A.I. du Pont, 7. MYERS PICK: St. Elizabeth 41-28. KALIN PICK: A.I. du Pont 31-28.

Delcastle at Appoquinimink, 7. MYERS PICK: Appoquinimink 49-6. KALIN PICK: Appoquinimink 48-14.

Cape Henlopen at Caesar Rodney, 7. MYERS PICK: Cape Henlopen 34-13. KALIN PICK: Cape Henlopen 37-13.

Silver Oak Academy (Md.) at Caravel, 7. MYERS PICK: Caravel 42-6. KALIN PICK: Caravel 28-10.

Brandywine at Dickinson, 7. MYERS PICK: Brandywine 33-14. KALIN PICK: Brandywine 21-10.

Salesianum at Dover, 7. MYERS PICK: Salesianum 41-13. KALIN PICK: Salesianum 40-14.

Woodbridge at Indian River, 7. MYERS PICK: Woodbridge 43-10. KALIN PICK: Woodbridge 31-6.

Glasgow at Lake Forest, 7. MYERS PICK: Glasgow 34-8. KALIN PICK: Glasgow 37-13.

Hodgson at McKean, 7. MYERS PICK: Hodgson 34-8. KALIN PICK: Hodgson 31-6.

Charter of Wilmington at Newark, 7. MYERS PICK: Newark 27-12. KALIN PICK: Newark 27-17.

Delaware Military Academy at Red Lion Christian, 7. MYERS PICK: DMA 54-6. KALIN PICK: DMA 38-13.

Delmar at Seaford, 7. MYERS PICK: Delmar 41-6. KALIN PICK: Delmar 44-14.

St. Georges at St. Mark’s, 7. MYERS PICK: St. Georges 19-17. KALIN PICK: St. Georges 21-13.

Polytech at Sussex Tech, 7. MYERS PICK: Sussex Tech 47-8. KALIN PICK: Sussex Tech 45-13.

Laurel at Milford, 7:30. MYERS PICK: Milford 34-15. KALIN PICK: Milford 34-17.

SATURDAY’S GAMES

William Penn at Concord, 10:30 a.m. MYERS PICK: William Penn 20-17. KALIN PICK: William Penn 29-28.

Middletown at Mount Pleasant, 10:30 a.m. MYERS PICK: Middletown 48-7. KALIN PICK: Middletown 35-10.

Archmere at Conrad, 11 a.m. MYERS PICK: Archmere 27-21. KALIN PICK: Conrad 27-20.

Smyrna at Sussex Central, 1. MYERS PICK: Smyrna 56-22. KALIN PICK: Smyrna 40-27.

Tatnall at Wilmington Friends, 2:30. MYERS PICK: Friends 34-30. KALIN PICK: Friends 31-24.

St. Andrew’s at Tower Hill, 7. MYERS PICK: Tower Hill 48-6. KALIN PICK: Tower Hill 45-0.

Myers last week: 19-4. Overall: 113-26 (.813)

Kalin last week: 19-4. Overall: 109-30 (.784)

Listen to Brad Myers on the Henlopen High School Football Fix with Mike Bradley at 8:20 a.m. Friday on WGMD-FM (92.7) or www.wgmd.com. Contact Brad at bmyers@delawareonline.com. Follow on Twitter: @BradMyersTNJ

Teammates congratulate St. Georges running back Brian Benson (5) after he scored on a 75-yard run at Hodgson last Saturday. Both Brad Myers and Matt Kalin are picking the Hawks to win a close game at St. Mark’s on Friday night.

GEORGETOWN – The Sussex Central boys soccer team thought this could be a special season.

It became very special in the 93rd minute on Thursday night.

Dalendy Dupervil scored three minutes into the second overtime period as the Golden Knights clinched the Henlopen North championship with a 1-0 home victory over previously undefeated Polytech.

“They believe every game, they’re going to win,” Sussex Central coach Kevin Cash said of his team. “… They have faith in each other. They never stop.”

Dupervil never stopped, pouncing on a golden opportunity after a bouncing ball eluded the Panthers’ goalkeeper for a split second.

“I worked so hard for it, and I made it,” the senior forward said. “I’m so proud of myself, so proud of the team. I’m just thankful I made it.”

The Golden Knights (9-1, 5-0), ranked fifth statewide in Division I, are in their first season back under Cash, who returned after coaching Georgetown Middle School to a 54-0-1 record in five years. The winning is continuing in high school, only interrupted by a 1-0 loss to Indian River on Oct. 4.

“Pretty much all of these boys played for me at the middle school, so they know me and I know them,” Cash said. “I love them all to death.”

Sussex Central built an 18-8 advantage in shots over fourth-ranked Polytech (9-1, 2-1), but neither team generated many quality chances. In the first half, Tyler Imprescia’s header off a Marco Maddalena corner kick sailed just wide for the Panthers, and Yunior Cruz’s header off of a Kel Ordonez Garcia corner zipped over the crossbar for the Golden Knights.

Central’s Christian Castillo missed high on a 25-yard free kick in the 50th minute, and the Golden Knights managed to deflect Maddalena’s free blast from 19 yards in the 65th minute.

“We were patient,” Central midfielder Isaiah Jean Baptiste said. “We knew it was going to be a tough battle. Polytech was undefeated, but we knew we could beat any team. We can compete with anybody.”

In the first overtime, a leaping header by Maddalena sailed wide in the 84th minute, and Jean Baptiste was stuffed from close range two minutes later.

“If we walked out and played them 10 times, we’d probably win five and they would probably win five,” Cash said of the even matchup.

The critical sequence came early in the second OT, when a hustling Dupervil got an unexpected opportunity. He cashed in to set off a wild celebration.

“That’s the same way IR scored against us,” Cash said. “I told the boys it’s going to be whichever team makes the first mistake of this half, they’re going to be the ones who lose.”

The Golden Knights still have five regular-season games remaining, against Delmar, Milford, Dover, St. Mark’s and Lake Forest. Then it’s on to the postseason, as the conference title ensures them a bid in the DIAA Division I Tournament.

“It feels amazing,” Jean Baptiste said. “I just knew from the beginning we could do great things like this. Winning the game like this and winning the Henlopen North championship means everything for us.”

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

Polytech’s Marco Maddalena (7) center, runs after the ball during the first half of play against Sussex Central.

Polytech’s Marco Maddalena (7) and Sussex Central’s Kel Ordonez Garcia (9) battle for the ball during the first half of play.

Polytech’s Bryce Wahinya (14) keeps the ball in play in the first half against Sussex Central.

Polyptych’s Kyle Wentling (18) chases after Sussex Central’s Dalendy Dupervil (10) during the first half of play.

Polytech’s Joshua Wingfield (2) kicks the ball over the head of Sussex Central’s Yunior Cruz (6) during their game at Sussex Central High School.

Sussex Central’s Isaiah Jean Baptiste (7) battles for possession during their home game against Polytech.

Polytech’s Benjamin Kaplan (12) and Sussex Central’s Isaac Flores (22) chase after the ball in the first half of play.

Sussex Central’s Fredi Morales Perez (12) and Polytech’s Bryce Wahinya (14) jump up for a head ball during the first half of play.

Sussex Central’s Yordan Morales Perez (11) and Polytech’s Kyle Wentling (18) battle for the ball near the sidelines during their game at Sussex Central High School.

Polytech’s Kyle Wentling (18) and Sussex Central’s Fredi Morales Perez (12) battle for possession of the ball.

Sussex Central’s Yordan Morales Perez (11) and Polytech’s Ian Gibson (19) battle for the ball during their game at Sussex Central High School.

Sussex Central’s Yunior Cruz (6) heads the ball away from Polytech’s Bryce Wahinya (14) in their game at Sussex Central High School.

Sussex Central’s Junior Cruz (6) runs down the field in their win over Polytech.

Polytech’s Bryce Wahinya (14) tries to gain control of the ball in their game against Sussex Central.

Polytech’s goalie Noah Lust (23) grabs the ball in the air before Sussex Central’s Isaiah Jean Baptiste (7) could get his head on it during their game at Sussex Central High School.

Sussex Central’s Christopher Ramirez (8) jumps over Polytech’s Tyler Imprescia (5) in their 1-0 win.

Sussex Central’s Yunior Cruz (6) and Polytech’s Bryce Wahinya (14) battle for the ball in their game at Sussex Central High School.

Sussex Central’s Yordan Morales Perez (11) jumps in the air for the ball in their win over Polytech.

Sussex Central’s Jose Gonzalez Lopez (3) and Polytech’s Zachary Maheu (3) go after the ball in their game at Sussex Central High School.

Sussex Central celebrates after scoring the winning goal in over time to defeat Polytech.

Sussex Central’s Dalendy Dupervil (10) goes for a shot in their 1-0 win over Polytech.

Sussex Central’s Yunior Cruz (6) and Polytech’s Bryce Wahinya (14) battle for the ball at mid field in their game at Sussex Central High School.

Sussex Central’s Dalendy Dupervil (10) goes passed Polytech’s goalie, Noah Lust (23), for the winning over time goal during their game at Sussex Central High School.

Sussex Central’s Dalendy Dupervil (10) goes for ball in their 1-0 win over Polytech.

Senior, soccer

THE WEEK: Played a solid midfield game as the fourth-ranked Golden Knights edged Polytech 1-0 in double overtime to clinch the Henlopen North title last Thursday. Sussex Central (10-1) also defeated Sussex Academy 1-0 last Tuesday and Delmar 6-1 on Saturday.

THE SHOWDOWN: Sussex Central and Polytech were scoreless until the Golden Knights’ Dalendy Dupervil booted home a loose ball in the 93rd minute. “It was pretty intense,” Jean Baptiste said. “It was, I’d say, the best game of our season. It was very hard fought. Polytech, we show respect to them. We knew what they were coming in. They blew out teams, they were undefeated, but we knew we could beat any team.”

THE COACH SAYS: “I made him a preseason captain, and he’s not let me down one bit,” Sussex Central coach Kevin Cash said of Jean Baptiste. “At practice is where you truly see his leadership. When I need the boys together, he’s my example. He demonstrates. When boys are slacking off, he’s the one that gets them back moving. He’s a true motivator.”

THE LEADERSHIP: “I’m good at encouraging teammates,” Jean Baptiste said. “I know what everybody should be doing, and I give 100 percent out there. I use my speed, I use my aggressiveness and my technical skills to provide for my team and help us win.”

THE STRENGTH: “Speed,” Cash said, when asked about the strongest part of Jean Baptiste’s game. “His speed and his knowledge of reading the game, understanding the game, and understanding that I have teammates. He’s a very unselfish player.”

THE VERSATILITY: As a midfielder, Jean Baptiste has responsibilities on both offense and defense. “I don’t want them to score, and at the same time I want to score,” he said. “I just want to be everywhere to help this team.”

THE CLASSROOM: “My favorite class is AP Statistics. I like math,” Jean Baptiste said. “My dad was an accountant, and he’s always good with numbers, and I just like numbers. Everything makes sense in that class.”

THE FUTURE: Jean Baptiste plans to attend Penn State and major in Accounting. He plans to try out for the soccer team, or perhaps play on a club team.

Send Athlete of the Week nominations to Brad Myers at bmyers@delawareonline.com. Follow on Twitter: @BradMyersTNJ

Isaiah Jean-Baptiste captain of the Sussex Central High School soccer team.

Isaiah Jean-Baptiste captain of the Sussex Central High School soccer team.

Isaiah Jean-Baptiste captain of the Sussex Central High School soccer team.

Isaiah Jean-Baptiste captain of the Sussex Central High School soccer team.

Isaiah Jean-Baptiste captain of the Sussex Central High School soccer team.

Isaiah Jean-Baptiste captain of the Sussex Central High School soccer team.

Isaiah Jean-Baptiste captain of the Sussex Central High School soccer team.

Isaiah Jean-Baptiste captain of the Sussex Central High School soccer team.

Isaiah Jean-Baptiste captain of the Sussex Central High School soccer team.

Isaiah Jean-Baptiste captain of the Sussex Central High School soccer team.

Sussex Central’s Isaiah Jean Baptiste (7) battles for possession during their home game against Polytech.