Coming from a family of linemen, that spans multiple generations, I'm well-versed in the philosophy that football is won in the trenches. Essentially that is true, however, in some contests, that can play an even bigger role. That indeed may be the case when the Spartans take on Cape Henlopen Friday night. While they are not exactly regular dance partners, the teams have met sixteen times throughout the years. The most recent took place in the 2012 postseason. Won 21 - 7 by Saint Mark's, it was the first playoff game held at The Graveyard,, and wasn't decided until late in the fourth quarter. Coach Bill Collick's Vikings had pulled to within seven before DeAndre Davis put it away with a 35-yard punt return. Their initial meeting in 1978 was in the postseason as well. The Spartans won the contest 20 - 6 capturing their third state championship. Cape Henlopen got their revenge the following year with a 12 -0 win en route to their first state title. The contest was the last for Saint Mark's Don Burawski, who would retire from coaching. Eight of the first ten contests between the programs were close games. The Spartans won five of their more recent meetings handily between 2001 and 2008, while Cape Henlopen was experiencing a down period. The series between the programs has had its share of memorable moments and milestone games, despite the lopsided record (Saint Mark's leads 14 - 2). Coming off three consecutive wins, the Spartans will be hosting their second straight contest. The game will bring an end to the first half of the season, and mark the beginning of what looks to be the tougher portion of their schedule. Just as it was in 2012, Cape Henlopen is on an upswing under a second-year coach.
Former NFL defensive end, Mike Fredrick took over as Head Coach of the Vikings last year, guiding them to a 4 - 7 record. It was an immediate improvement coming off the previous season's 1 - 9 mark. And all signs point to a continuation of that success in 2023. Cape Henlopen opened with three straight wins before falling to Hodgson Vo-Tech last week. Losing to the Silver Eagles is one thing, they're a quality squad off to a good start. It would appear though. that the Vikings underperformed, contributing to the lopsided result. All teams have off games, Cape Henlopen just picked the wrong opponent to do so. The Vikings have a core of veteran players but are also youthful in key positions. Freshman quarterback Jameson Tingle is a talented passer and runner who will only get better with experience. Cape leans heavier toward the ground game, but when they do pass, Lucas Stevenson and Lamar McCoy are the primary targets. Running the ball is the Viking's bread and butter, and Maurki James is their bell cow. James has rushed for 475 yards and six touchdowns and has gotten the ball 71 times out of the team's 109 running plays. Cape Henlopen is by no means a one-horse show. They spread the ball around with ten different players being involved in both phases of their attack. Senior Saul Garcia-Carrasco anchors both their offensive and defensive lines. Quardell Richards, Jukai Payne, Jayden Messick, Brenn Scott, Maurki James, Sal Sartori, and Tremaine Batson form the core of their defense. Kicker Wilson Ingerski is a perfect 17 fo17 on extra points. Like every team, the Vikings have their strengths and weaknesses. but look to be solid in all three phases of the game. I would expect Cape Henlopen to bring a much better effort to The Graveyard, than they did last week. It's one thing to lose to a good team, and another to underperform, and get your backside handed to you. To win running the ball, you need to dominate on the line. The Vikings can pass, but the key to their success has been on the ground. To beat a team like that you need to win the battle in the trenches.
The Spartans found themselves trailing fifteen seconds into the contest when Caesar Rodney's Elijah Odom returned the opening kickoff 60 yards for a touchdown. It turned out to be a bump in the road for Saint Mark's, who went on to win the game 35 - 6. However, had it not been for the efforts of the defense things may have played out much differently. The Spartan offense got off to a slow start and wouldn't score the equalizer until midway through the second quarter. Which in itself, wasn't an issue. What could have been though, was that almost the entire opening frame was played in Saint Mark's end of the field. Coming off three straight losses, taking an early lead, and having multiple opportunities to add to it, is a dream come true for an upset-minded road team. Caesar Rodney's inability to capitalize was in part due to their own miscues and in Saint Mark's ability to make plays at key moments. After the opening special teams tally, the teams would trade quick three and outs. On their second possession, the Spartan offense started moving the ball, only to have a penalty derail the drive. The Riders followed with a long Julius Timmons to Maxwell Viddy pass that set them up in the Saint Mark's red zone. They would come up empty-handed after four incomplete passes but would get another chance two plays later. At the end of a second straight run, that had given the Spartans some breathing room, they turned the ball back over with a fumble. Caesar Rodney went to work, putting together a sustained drive with a mix of short passes and runs. Saint Mark's defense would stiffen and shut it down to end the quarter, and essentially the Rider's upset bid. As if a light switch had been flipped the Spartan offense came to life with a twelve-play scoring drive that consumed 6:10 off the clock. Keigan Barnes did most of the damage with six carries. A nice pass from James Campbell to his brother Jude put them in striking distance, with runs by Caleb King finishing it off. Caesar Rodney would look to answer, but a penalty and sack led to a turnover on downs. Saint Mark's offense picked right back up where they had left off in their previous drive. After two nice runs by Keigan Barnes, James Campbell found Logan Klein in the endzone for a 26-yard score. The two would connect again on the two-point conversion for a 14 - 6 lead. With 1:33 left in the half, the Riders would push for the equalizer only to be thwarted by a Massimo Paoli interception.
Though the Spartans only led by eight points coming out of the intermission, the tide had turned. Following a nice return on the kickoff Saint Mark's would strike again. Chewing up the clock with runs by Tahj Johnson, Barnes, and King the Spartans moved methodically down the field. After a pass to Logan Klein, and another short run, James Campbell sprinted 31 yards for the score. Things would take an unusual twist, with three turnovers over the next eight plays. Trailing 20 - 6, Caesar Rodney went for a quick strike. Saint Mark's Tahj Johnson would come down with the deep throw intended for Maxwell Viddy. They would get the ball back five snaps into the Spartans following possession on a Kasson Bey interception off a tipped pass. Massimo Paoli would notch his second pick of the contest moments later, returning it 74 yards for a touchdown. Keigan Barnes would add a two-point conversion run giving Saint Mark's a 28 - 6 lead with a little over three minutes to play in the third quarter. A mishandled catch on the kickoff would leave the Riders starting deep from their territory. They would move the ball gaining a first down before punting it back to the Spartans. After a couple of nice runs by Jacob Ebaugh, James Campbell closed out the scoring with a 28-yard run. Caesar Rodney would get one more shot in the red zone after recovering a fumble, but the Spartan defense was up to the task. The Riders may not have pulled off the upset even if they had taken a larger lead early in the game. What is known though, is the window that allowed them the opportunity to do so was closed by Saint Mark's defense. Playing on their heels, with little room for error, they kept the score within reason, allowing their offense time to get going. After giving up fifty points in their first two games, the unit hasn't allowed a score since the third quarter of their contest against Archmere. With the quality of opponents Saint Mark's still has to face, that streak won't likely last. But with each passing game, the group is showing they're ready for the challenge.
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On this day in 1971, the Spartans defeated P.S. du Pont 8 - 6 for their first win as a varsity program. Saint Mark's opened the scoring in the third quarter on a Ken Smith 3-yard quarterback keeper. Joe McLaughlin ran for the two-point conversion. The Dynamiters looked to tie in the fourth on a Jim Clark 40-yard pass to Mickey Gandy, but the conversion run failed.
A benefit of Saint Mark's move to Division II in 2015 was the introduction of new opponents such as Archmere and Red Lion. Their return to the top tier brings the renewal of a long-running series with old foes. First on that list is the Caesar Rodney Riders. The Spartan's history with the team from Camden-Wyoming isn't as much defined by the number of contests between the two as it is by the quality and stakes at play. The first four meetings between the teams were in the postseason. Though they first met in 1975 it wasn't until 2011 that the programs would schedule a regular season series. However, that was short-lived and limited to four contests due to Saint Mark's reclassification. Of the eight meetings between the teams six were closely contested, with a few making their mark in the annals of Delaware high school football history. The series started with Caesar Rodney stunning the Spartans in the 1975 state tournament. The Riders 22 - 14 semifinal win ended Saint Mark's run at a third consecutive title. Caesar Rodney would go on to win the championship, becoming the first downstate team to do so. A little over two decades later the Spartans would pull off a stunner of their own. Trailing by 10 points late in the 1999 semifinals Saint Mark's special teams scored three touchdowns to defeat the top ranked, and undefeated Riders 36 - 33. The game marked the Spartan's first playoff win since 1978. The teams would go at it again in the 2008 semifinals. Played in the brutal cold, with a light covering of snow, Caesar Rodney scored with 11 seconds left to beat Saint Mark's 28 - 21. The regular season series has produced some memorable games as well. In 2013, they trailed by a point with less than a minute remaining and needed a win to keep their playoff hopes alive. The Spartans Jeff Richards nailed a 38-yard field goal for the 19 - 17 victory. The following year a two-win Caesar Rodney squad battled the heavily favored Spartans falling 38 - 35 with Saint Mark's making a late defensive stand. If there has been one thing consistent in the series, it's to expect the unexpected.
The Riders have struggled as of late., winning only one game since their last successful season in 2020. Alumnus Shaun Strickland was hired in the offseason and is determined to return the program to its place among the state's elite. Having played at Caesar Rodney ('98 - '00) under John Coveleski he's experienced those heights and knows the ground that needs to be covered to get back there. Though the Riders are winless on the season, there are signs of improvement. Strickland implemented a spread offense to get the ball to his talented athletes in open space, and it appears to be paying off. After averaging 6.1 points per game and having been shut out five times last season. The Caesar Rodney offense is averaging 19.6 points and has scored in every contest. While their run-to-pass ratio is almost equal, the Riders have had more success in the air. They have averaged 170 yards per game passing and 99.3 on the ground. Quarterback Julius Timmons has thrown for 510 yards and six touchdowns. Maxwell Viddy (223 yards, 3 TDs) and Aiden Cain (161 yards, 3 TDs) have been on the receiving end on many of those passes. Timmons is a capable runner and has scored one of the team's three rushing touchdowns. Typhen Bowe-Walker (91 yards, 1 TD) and Elijah Odom (54 yards) are their leading rushers however numerous players have been involved in their ground attack. Their defense has shown some improvement as well, giving up on average three points less per game. Carter Stump. Marcus Moore, Stephan Davis, Mason Boyles, and Aiden Cain are their leading tacklers. Two of the Rider's three losses have been in relatively close games. Their big play capability will test the Spartan defense. Inclement weather could hamper both teams on offense, however, Saint Mark's running game should give them an edge. Coming off a couple of big wins, the Spartans can't look past Caesar Rodney. The Riders will come to play, and would gladly make the return trip home with an upset in hand.
Sometimes the walls that obstruct us are placed by others, and at times by ourselves. For Red Lion Christian Academy, both would equally apply on Thursday night. The Lions opened the game looking every bit capable of giving Saint Mark's all they could handle. However, costly mistakes, penalties, and the Spartan defense would all contribute to Red Lion's 29 - 0 loss. That's not to say the Lions would have won without these errors. Saint Mark's offense had their miscues as well but overcame them to put points on the board. And their defense made timely plays early and got stingier as the contest wore on. After the Spartan's opening possession was derailed by a penalty, the Lions marched 56 yards in four plays, including a 34-yard run by Mekhi Corbin. The drive would end at Saint Mark's 40-yard-line with a fumble recovered by Connor Sullivan. The Spartan offense would atone for their earlier miscue with the game's first score. After moving into Red Lion territory on a couple of Keigan Barnes runs, and a pass interference penalty, James Campbell connected with his brother Jude for a 23-yard touchdown pass. The Lions would respond by moving downfield quickly on Evan Budinger passes to Monte Polack, Jahsiear Rogers, and a Jacque Wilson run. A penalty would move them to Saint Mark's 13 yard-line, only to have multiple infractions of their own nullify a Jahsiear Rogers touchdown pass and push them back out of the red zone. They would settle for a field goal attempt that failed on a mishandled hold. After a short possession by the Spartans, Red Lion mounted a drive again, only to be foiled by Saint Mark's defense. Just as they had earlier, the Spartans followed a three-and-out with a scoring drive. A 49-yard Campbell to Logan Klein pass moved them to the Lions' 24 yard-line. After runs by Caleb King and Klein, James Campbell scored on a 2-yard quarterback keeper. King would add a two-point conversion run giving Saint Mark's a 15 - 0 lead. Despite their misfortune, Red Lion still had plenty of fight left in them.
Once again the Lions would look to answer with a drive of their own. Budinger quickly moved them to the Spartan 24-yard-line with passes to Rogers and Bradyn Coleman. Saint Mark's defense stiffened leading to another field goal attempt, which was blocked. Logan Klein recovered the ball and advanced it to the Red Lion 35-yard-line. A couple of plays later the Campbell connection would strike again. This time for 19 yards, giving the Spartans a 22-point lead heading into the intermission. The Lions would open the second half with the same determination they had displayed in the first. Reaching Saint Mark's 25-yard-line before the Spartan defense shut them down. After the teams traded short possessions, Saint Mark's would put together a 90-yard drive to seal the win. A ground assault by Keigan Barnes and Caleb King did most of the damage with Logan Klein finishing it off with a 5-yard run. While it was undoubtedly a frustrating outing for the Lions (2 - 2), they're a talented team that will improve and should contend for a playoff berth in Class 2A. It was a solid win for the Spartans (2 - 1) giving them some momentum entering a four-game home stand against Class 3A opponents. Saint Mark's is improving each week, limiting mistakes and playing with better cohesion on both sides of the ball. The offense is seeing consistent performances from their key contributors, and diversifying their attack, getting more players in the mix. The defense is tightening up their game, giving up less big plays. and posted their first shutout of the season. The special teams have quietly gone about their business but have played a bigger role in the Spartan's success than they are credited for. The road forward only gets bumpier for Saint Mark's, but if they continue to hone their game and come together as a unit, they'll be in a better position to travel it.
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