This week marks the final one of the regular season for boys soccer while overlapping with the opening of tournament play for volleyball and field hockey. Cross country is moving along toward the state tournament, and even football is creeping toward the end of its season.
Three of the four football-playing Catholic high schools look like they’ll be in the postseason, and the fourth, Saint Mark’s, has a path as well. Speaking of the Spartans, they’ll be playing Halloween night against an Odessa team that specializes in putting points on the board.
Cross country will hold its county championship on Saturday at Bellevue State Park, while field hockey and volleyball get started on Wednesday. Tickets are required for state tournament action. They must be purchased online and are available at https://gofan.co/app/school/DIAA.
There is one championship this week. Flag football will hold its second title game on Wednesday at Abessinio Stadium in Wilmington at 6:30 p.m. The semifinals are Monday at 6:30 and 8 p.m., also at Abessinio. Tickets for those games are available at https://events.hometownticketing.com/boxoffice/padua/L2VtYmVkL2FsbA%3D%3D.
The volleyball and field hockey state tournaments will be discussed in separate posts.
Boys
Football
Thursday, Oct. 30
A.I. DuPont (0-8) vs. St. Elizabeth (6-2), 7 p.m. The Vikings play their final regular-season home game against a program that has struggled to find its footing over the past several years. Still, St. Elizabeth has a chance to win its district and, at the least, wants to enter the postseason on a positive note.
Friday, Oct. 31
Odessa (6-2) at Saint Mark’s (4-4), 7 p.m. The Ducks bring their high-octane offense to the Graveyard. Quarterback Cooper Curran threw five touchdowns in last week’s win over Polytech, and Jayden Cheaton scored on a long kick return. The Spartans’ defense has surrendered just one touchdown in the past two games.
Caravel (5-2) at Salesianum (5-3), 7 p.m. The Sals look to bounce back from their loss to Middletown against a Caravel team in its first season at the Class 3A level. The Bucs feature running back Josh Roy, who has had success against opponents at all levels.
Saturday, Nov. 1
Tower Hill (4-4) at Archmere (6-2), 11 a.m. The Auks kept the offense rolling this past weekend in a win at Tatnall, while Tower Hill is coming off a loss to Mount Pleasant. Archmere’s running game, led by Michael Donovan and Ryan Hagenberg, has been very successful, and the defense has allowed exactly six points per game in each of the Auks’ wins. Tower Hill is led by quarterback Michael Waesco.
Soccer
Monday, Oct. 27
St. Elizabeth (0-14) at Dickinson (5-8), 6:30 p.m.
Tuesday, Oct. 28
Ss. Peter and Paul (7-7) at Park, 4:15 p.m.
Conrad (4-9-1) at Saint Mark’s (10-2-1), 6:30 p.m.
Archmere (6-7-1) at Salesianum (9-2-1), 7:30 p.m.
Wednesday, Oct. 29
Saint Mark’s at MOT Charter (3-9), 3:45 p.m.
Thursday, Oct. 30
Salesianum at Kingsway (N.J.), 4 p.m.
Cross country
Saturday, Nov. 1
Archmere, Saint Mark’s and Salesianum at New Castle County championship, Bellevue State Park, Wilmington
Girls
Field hockey
Wednesday, Oct. 29
Division II first round: No. 12 Tatnall at No. 5 Ursuline, 2:30 p.m.
Thursday, Oct. 30
Division I quarterfinal: No. 6 Milford vs. No. 3 Padua, 2:30 p.m. at Tower Hill School.
Friday, Oct. 31
Division II quarterfinal: Winner of Tatnall-Ursuline at No. 4 Archmere, 2:30 p.m.
Volleyball
Wednesday, Oct. 29
State tournament first round
No. 17 Indian River (11-4) at No. 16 Saint Mark’s (11-4), 6 p.m.
No. 20 Ursuline (7-8) at No. 13 Appoquinimink (11-4), 6 p.m.
No. 19 Wilmington Christian (10-5) at No. 14 Padua (7-8), 6 p.m.
Friday, Oct. 31
State tournament second round
Winner of Indian River-Saint Mark’s at No. 1 Caesar Rodney, 6 p.m.
Winner of Ursuline-Appoquinimink at No. 4 Caravel, 6 p.m.
Winner of Wilmington Christian-Padua at No. 3 Newark Charter, 6 p.m.
Winner of No. 18 Sussex Academy-No. 15 Concord at No. 2 Archmere (13-2), 6 p.m.
Cross country
Saturday, Nov. 1
Archmere, Padua, Saint Mark’s and Ursuline at New Castle County championship, Bellevue State Park, Wilmington
Flag football
Monday, Oct. 27
Saint Mark’s (4-3) vs. Padua (7-1), 8 p.m. at Abessinio Stadium in a semifinal. The Spartans have a potent ground game with Tanai Tippens and Kimorah Neal leading the way. Padua’s passing attack features quarterback Riley Bransfield and receiver Lilianna DiMarco. The Pandas defeated Saint Mark’s in the regular season.
Wednesday, Oct. 29
Winner of Saint Mark’s-Padua vs. winner of William Penn-Delaware Military, time TBA, Abessinio Stadium in the flag football championship.
