Catch a shooting star – William Penn wrestling coach Joe Archangelo went out with a shazam Saturday evening, catching escape artist Camar Miller after an 11-10 last-second win. Miller was coach Joe’s fourth and final state champion. Joe had a dual-meet record at William Penn of 105-46 with 22 Blue Hen champions and four state champions. “I’m retiring. After all, I’m 56 years old,” he told me. I didn’t tell Joe I’m old enough to be his dad – my son Dave is soon to turn 56. He added, “I’ll probably get back to doing some officiating.” Former William Penn head coaches Jack Holloway and Marvin Dooley were in the Big House to witness Archangelo’s farewell magic moment. Joe asked me to take a team photo because his regular photographer, Pam Lane, has also retired, and yes, I’m old enough to be her dad as well. Pam’s son Michael is a junior and pitcher for Delaware State University. He was a high school wrestler.
Gentle soul – Cape’s basketball girls and boys enter the DIAA state playoffs this week. The last Cape girls’ team to reach the final was 2011, a team coached by Lamont “Poochie” Hazzard and Will Edwards. Those men as coaches were totally chilled and never yelled. They just got results. That team with Johnesha Warren, Meg Bartley, Taylor Harris, Jacki Coveleski and Kadijah Doughty led Sanford 37-34 after three periods before falling 47-41. Poochie was a player on the last boys’ team to reach the state finals in 1996, when they lost to Howard in overtime. Poochie had 30 points and 20 rebounds. Poochie and Will’s three-year window (2009-12) as Cape coaches produced a record of 51-18. I remember before a quarterfinal game at the Bob Carpenter Center, Cape was about to play an unbeaten 19-0 Saint Mark’s team. Teresa Allen, mother of Johnesha Warren, asked me, “What chance do we have?” I told her, “None!” Cape won 43-41 as Johnesha lit it up for 24 points. The backdrop to all this is Lamont Hazzard has gotten himself into addiction-related legal troubles. It’s all been pretty public, along with a mugshot. I only know people who just love the guy, so hopefully the bell has been rung and friends can rally to help save Poochie from himself.
Faster Pastor – Bob Paulen, the Deacon of Dewey and a Doctor of Divinity from Yale University, just returned from the Indoor National Championship in track and field held in Albuquerque, N.M. Running in the 85-89 age group, Bob reports, “There were over a thousand men and women participating in various age groups. I tried three new events and surprised myself by winning two of them (800 meters and pole vault) as well as the pentathlon (hurdles, long jump, high jump, shot put and 1,000 meters). I also received silver medals in my other new event (weight throw) as well as in the hurdles, long jump, triple jump and high jump, while finishing fourth in the 60 meters. I’m really looking forward to next year when I move up to the 90-94 age group. I’ll be the youngest in the group!”
AI by the barf bucket – When it comes to political issues that upset some people, I tell them if I cared or worried about it, I would, but I don’t. I sat next to a small rubber waste basket Saturday morning during the wrestling tournament. I didn’t realize it was a human waste basket. “What is wrong with these uncouth mucus marauders?” I thought, except I didn’t care, knowing I have acquired immunity from all airborne contagions. I am the rhinovirus in human form. The gym is my Wild Kingdom. Seriously, over a period of nine days, I spent four of them inside a gym photographing wrestlers and eating snacks from a satchel.
Snippets – William and Mary women’s lacrosse beat Coastal Carolina 9-7 Feb. 21. Anna Lopez (Cape) got her first career start in goal. She was credited with seven saves, including one with 1:35 remaining to preserve the victory. Macy Steinwedel (Cape) scored her first collegiate goal as Old Dominion defeated Rider 10-8 in women’s lacrosse. Ryan Baker (Cape), running the indoor 3,000 meters for Lehigh University, ran a personal-best time of 8:20.19 in the Patriot League Championships. That is a PR by 14 seconds and the equivalent of an 8:56 in the 3,200. I know this because super stat man Kenny Riedel told me. I saw Sussex Tech wrestler Bennett Brumbley win his final third-place match 1-0 then point at the heavens with tears in his eyes, dedicating it to his recently passed Mom Mom Brumbley. I ain’t gonna lie, I cried too. Go on now, git!
