The postseason is here for every sport except football, which is in the final week of the regular season. Several Catholic schools are still in the running for championship hardware, and at least two of the four that play football are in good shape to make the postseason.
Field hockey
Tuesday
No. 9 Archmere (9-6) at No. 8 Red Lion (10-5), 2:30 p.m. The Auks and Lions meet in the first round of the Division II state tournament. They met in Claymont on Oct. 13. The Auks scored five times in the second half, breaking open a 1-1 halftime tie. But this time, they will be facing their Diamond State Athletic Conference rival at Red Lion.
No. 12 Newark Charter (9-5-1) vs. No. 5 Ursuline (11-4), 2:30 p.m. This Division II first-round matchup is also a rematch from the regular season. The Raiders defeated Newark Charter, 4-0, on Oct. 9 on the turf at Hockessin Montessori School.
Thursday
No. 7 Middletown (10-4-1) vs. No. 2 Padua (14-1), 6:30 p.m. at Caravel. The Pandas’ lone loss this season was to defending Division I champion Cape Henlopen. Their stingy defense will be tested against the Cavaliers, who enter the tournament having lost their last two of the regular season. This is a quarterfinal round matchup, as Division I is an eight-team tourney.
Saturday
Archmere/Red Lion winner at No. 1 Delmar (15-0), 1 p.m. The Auks or Lions will have to travel to the state’s southernmost high school to meet the defending Division II champs, who allowed just one goal all season while scoring nearly seven per outing.
Newark Charter/Ursuline at No. 4 Lake Forest (11-3-1), 1 p.m.
Volleyball
Tuesday
No. 11 Tower Hill (11-6) vs. No. 3 Ursuline (14-3), 5 p.m., at St. E Center. The first of four quarterfinal matches pits the Hillers against the Raiders in a rematch of their Sept. 21 match, a 3-0 Ursuline sweep. Tower has rebounded from a midseason swoon, winning its last six, while the Raiders have won three in a row, including a tough sweep of Red Lion on Saturday night.
No. 10 St. Mark’s (10-7) vs. No. 2 Archmere (15-1), approx. 6:30 p.m., at St. E Center. The Spartans and Auks met on Oct. 8, and Archmere toughed out a 3-0 win. St. Mark’s has rebounded from a rough end to the regular season, while the Auks enjoyed a fantastic year.
No. 8 Conrad (13-3) vs. No. 1 Padua (14-2), approx. 7 p.m., at St. Mark’s. Aside from a loss to Ursuline to end the regular season, the Pandas have not lost to an in-state foe this season. Conrad’s athletic front line will pose a challenge for the Pandas’ impressive defense. The Red Wolves have won eight straight, including a sweep of St. Georges in the second round of the tournament.
Thursday
Tower Hill/Ursuline winner vs. St. Mark’s/Archmere winner, 6 p.m., at St. Mark’s.
Newark Charter/Wilmington Charter winner vs. Conrad/Padua winner, approx. 7:30 p.m., at St. Mark’s.
Boys
Soccer
Wednesday
No. Tower Hill (8-6-1) vs. No. 7 St. Mark’s (8-6-1), 6 p.m., at Caravel. The Spartans dropped four straight in October, all to tournament teams, but they are on a two-game winning streak headed into this Division II first-round tournament match with Tower Hill. Five of the Hillers’ six losses came to teams that made the postseason, and this is a team that is tournament-tested.
Saturday
No. 11 Delaware Military Academy/No. 6 St. Andrew’s winner vs. No. 3 Archmere (13-2), 5 p.m., at Caravel, Division II quarterfinal. The Auks won 13 straight in between losses to both of the defending state champions. They have also played both of these teams during the regular season, defeating DMA, 5-1, and St. Andrew’s, 1-0.
No. 8 Sussex Tech (8-3-4) vs. No. 1 Salesianum (13-2), 7 p.m., Milford. This Division I quarterfinal pits the eight-time defending state champion Sals against the Ravens. The teams last met in the quarterfinal round two seasons ago, a 5-0 Sallies win at Dover High School.
Football
Thursday
Archmere (8-1) at First State Military (3-5), 5 p.m., at Kent County Recreation Center.
Friday
St. Mark’s (5-4) at Salesianum (7-2), 7:30 p.m. The Spartans snapped a three-game losing streak last week as they head to Baynard Stadium to meet longtime rival Salesianum. The Sals are preparing for the Division I playoffs after a rare absence last season.
Saturday
Newark (2-7) at St. Elizabeth (4-5), 2 p.m.
