Who is waxing the alleys, causing the Hornets to slip?

The Delaware State Lady Keglers posted wins over No. 1 Vanderbilt and No. 2 Nebraska, then slipped from fourth to fifth in the National Tenpin Coaches Association Poll. The Hornets are now 74-224 on the season so the question raised is, “When do they go to class and who is waxing the alleys, causing the Hornets to slip?”

The MEAC is the strongest bowling conference in the nation with Morgan State and UMES ranked second and third. The Delaware State bowling team returns to action this weekend, when it hosts the annual Capital Classic at Brunswick Doverama. In addition to the Hornets, the tourney will feature eight other Top 20 teams, including No. 2 Farleigh Dickinson, No. 4 UMES, No. 6 New Jersey City and No. 8 Kutztown. The tournament gets under way Saturday, Feb. 7, and concludes Sunday, Feb. 8.

BACK TO THE FUTURE – On Saturday, Jan. 31, prior to Cape wrestling A.I. Dupont, Cape senior wrestlers gathered with three former state champs, Jared Hill, Willie Vann and John LoBiondo.

Next year marks the 20th anniversary of Cape winning the Henlopen North title.  Jared Hill was the ninth wrestler to go undefeated in dual meets in school history. He won his Delaware state title in 1992 in the 125-pound weight class the same year he was all-state in soccer. He upset Don Rosas from St. Marks in the semifinals and defeated Gabe Vorous in the finals. Jared was a two-time Henlopen Conference champion. Willie Vann was Cape’s first state champion earning the title in the 1973. He defeated Dave Griest from McKean High School in the 123-pound final. Willie is also the first Henlopen Conference champion earning that honor in 1972. Jon Lobiando was a two-time Delaware state champion. His first title came in 1989 in the 171-pound weight class. His other was 1990 in the 189-pound weight class. He was also a Henlopen Conference champion in 1990.

In addition to his in state dominance he was the only Cape wrestler to be crowned a Bethlehem Catholic Christmas Tournament champ. Jon continued his wrestling at Lock Haven University and now teaches in the Milford School District.

TRUCK-RIDING DOGS - Dogs on leashes walking the boardwalk - some in sweaters - is what I see these days. True truck-riding dogs are rarely seen and I must admit my boneheads ride inside the cab of the truck or inside the 4Runner and they ride wet, hanging their heads out the window. They eat Wawa doughnuts and bank biscuits and muck nuts and bank biscuits and muck up the interior. Darby has a head that fills up a car window and some people can’t resist going face to face and asking, “Does your dog bite?”

I want to use the standard, hip-hop response. “He got teef, don’t he?”

CREDIT CRUNCH - The Delaware Special Olympics Polar Plunge saw 2,700 bears go bare body and rocky bottom Sunday, Feb. 1, and raise close to a half-million dollars. The money is used to run programs to benefit Delaware’s special athletes. I have been a part of this since its inception, more of a front man or an affront man. People give me credit which I don’t deserve but I accept in the name of the credits I do deserve although I currently can’t think of any. The network of people up and down the state who support Special Olympics is staggering and heartening and more volunteerism is always encouraged and needed. These are the people who deserve a well-placed thank you.

SNIPPETS – Red-shirt sophomore Larrone Moore of Delaware State teamed with Burton Clarke, Brandon Reeves and Isaiah Briscoe to post a time of 3:23.87 in the 4 X 400 at a recent invitational at the University of Delaware. Brisco, a Cape graduate, also placed second in the 60-meter hurdles. Stat man Kenny Reidel, who now works at the Sussex Consortium, reported to me these top-10 boys basketball state tournament rankings with about eight games left in the regular season.  

Rankings are as follows: Caesar Rodney, 14-0; William Penn, 13-2; Delcastle, 12-2; Delmarva Christian, 14-2; Cape Henlopen, 12-2; A.I. DuPont, 12-3; Glasgow, 9-4; Tatnall, 15-1; Newark, 8-5; and Woodbridge, 10-3. Some high schools with blue-chip football players held pep rallies Wednesday, Feb. 4, on National Letter of Intent Day complete with ESPN camera crews to watch some high school athlete don a ball cap and say, “I’ve decided to go to Georgia,” as the ground goes bulldog bark, participating in a bizarre ritual that has nothing to do with education and is just all wrong.

Bonds and Clemens are looking lead-pipe cinch guilty of steroid use and lying to Congress which should not be a crime as much as Congress lies to us and the IRS. And what message does Bong Boy Phelps send out to young athletes of the modern world? How do you motivate a young stoner zombie burnout with no interest in self-improvement when all he has to argue is “What about Phelps?”