The Dialog

Dialog reporter

WILMINGTON – St. Mark’s baseball team put three runners on base and scored once during the first inning of their state semifinal game vs. second-seeded Caravel on June 1, but the Spartans struggled on offense the rest of the afternoon in a 6-1 defeat. The loss brought the team’s season to an end with a record of 14-7.

The day began well enough for the Spartans, the sixth seed. Chris Ludman doubled down the left-field line, and the next batter, Brian Gilardi, singled to right, bringing in a run. Gilardi took second on the throw home, but despite a walk to Eric Ludman, Caravel pitcher Joe Silan was able to escape further trouble. Read more »

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WILMINGTON – Fourth-ranked St. Mark’s and rival Salesianum, the No. 6 team, played a classic baseball game May 8 at Frawley Stadium, with the Spartans pulling out a 2-1 win in eight innings.

Spartans starter Billy Sullivan was throwing straight gas between 91 and 96 miles per hour, with at least a half-dozen major-league scouts in attendance. Sallies starter Eugene Holler was also dealing as the teams put on an old-fashioned exciting pitching duel. Read more »

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WILMINGTON – Ryan Bradigan pitched a complete-game two-hitter to lead top-ranked Conrad past No. 7 St. Mark’s, 3-0, on April 23.

The Red Wolves’ offense had no easy task as it had to face Spartans starter Billy Sullivan. Red Wolves Kyle Walker led off with a double but was thrown out trying to stretch it to a triple. Spartans centerfielder Austin Colmery fired the ball to Brian Gilardi, who nailed the runner at third as Chris Ludman applied the tag. That play came in handy as Brock Nowell doubled two batters later, but Sullivan got out of the jam. Read more »

Dialog reporter

MILLTOWN – St. Mark’s wanted to get off to a fast start on March 1 against Indian River, but what transpired in the first quarter had to surprise even the Spartans. They shut out the Indians, 15-0, in the opening quarter and were never threatened in a 57-21 victory in the first round of the DIAA boys basketball tournament.

In their final appearance on their home court, seniors Chris Ludman and Billy Sullivan led the way. Each scored four points in that first quarter and continued to bedevil Indian River throughout the game. Ludman finished with a team-leading 21 points, and Sullivan had 14. Read more »

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MILLTOWN – St. Mark’s boys basketball team honored five seniors on Feb. 22, and all five started and scored in the 63-41 win over Polytech.

St. Mark’s Chris Ludman drives toward the hoop vs. Polytech. He finished with 21 points. (The Dialog/Jason Winchell)

It didn’t look too rosy at the beginning, however, as the visiting Panthers jumped out to a 10-0 lead less than four minutes into the first quarter. Seniors Zach Palmer and Chris Ludman hit back-to-back three-pointers to cut the lead to 12-6 and begin the comeback. A spin move by Ludman led to a field goal and cut the deficit to 12-8 at the end of one.

The second quarter was all Spartans, as they outscored the Panthers, 22-4. Senior Billy Sullivan got the party started, scoring six straight to tie the contest at 14. Palmer then hit a three, followed by a putback, and Ludman made a pair of shots.

The Spartans took a 30-16 lead into intermission but didn’t let up, as Ludman scored six third-quarter points. Polytech’s Joseph Haass caught fire in the third, draining a trio of three-pointers and converted one into a four-point play. The Spartans took a 44-29 lead into the fourth quarter, but a Haass triple cut it to 47-37. The Spartans closed strong, outscoring the Panthers, 16-4, including a three-pointer at the buzzer by senior Matt Smith. His teammates came running out to make this senior’s night.

Billy Sullivan looks for a Spartans teammate. (The Dialog/Jason Winchell)

The Spartans finished the regular season 15-5 and now await their seeding for the state tournament. They were led by Ludman, who finished with 21 points. Palmer added 13 and Sullivan 11. The Panthers were lead by Haass, who finished his season with 16 points.

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MILLTOWN – The St Mark’s defense was on top of its game on Feb. 4 as they defeated the Sussex Central Golden Knights, 35-21.  The Spartans struggled on offense early as neither team could find its shot.

Christ Ludman of St. Mark’s drives to the basket against the defense of Sussex Central’s Lashawn Handy. (Jason Winchell photo)

Seniors Billy Sullivan and Chris Ludman hit three-pointers, and the game was tied at eight at the end of the first quarter. The Spartans’ defense took over in the second quarter; they drew three offensive fouls and forced many Golden Knights turnovers. St. Mark’s outscored the Knights 6-2 in the quarter to take a 14-10 halftime lead.

The Spartans kept up their defense in the third quarter and also managed to find the offense. They got a combined eight points from Chris and Eric Ludman and held a 27-16 lead going into the fourth quarter. The defense maintained its intensity the whole game and drew three more offensive fouls in the second half. Sullivan scored on two driving baskets, and Chris Ludman hit a short jumper to put the Knights away.

The Spartans (10-4) got 13 points from Chris Ludman, and Sullivan added 9. They start a tough week with a home game against St Elizabeth on Tuesday night at 7:15 before traveling to Salesianum for a Friday night battle. The Golden Knights (4-10) travel to Indian River on Thursday for a 6:45 p.m. start.

Dialog reporter

MILLTOWN – Within the span of a minute, St. Mark’s had seen its 37-36 lead over Caesar Rodney turn into a 42-37 deficit with less than two minutes left in regulation. But that Spartans clawed back to take a three-point lead, shook off the disappointment of seeing the Riders tie it, and reached down for a 57-55 overtime victory in nonconference boys basketball on Jan. 31. The Spartans ended CR’s seven-game winning streak.

Chris Ludman gave the Spartans that 37-36 lead with a 12-foot jumper from the key. The Riders’ Kairi Buie followed with an old-fashioned three-point play, and when St. Mark’s committed a turnover on its next possession, coach Nick Sanna kicked his water bottle in frustration. The bottle noisily bounced off a chair and rolled on to the court, and Sanna was assessed a technical foul. Caesar Rodneymade those two free throws and then another on the ensuing possession, giving the Riders the five-point spread. Read more »

Dialog reporter

BEAR – St. Mark’s had gone through five of the most difficult minutes of their season at the opening of the third quarter of their game Jan. 29 at Caravel. The Spartans were bit by the turnover bug, losing possession the first six times they had the ball after halftime. The Buccaneers took advantage, turning a halftime tie into an eight-point lead, then holding on for a 43-30 nonconference boys basketball win.

St. Mark’s had a chance to tie at the buzzer, but the Spartans were unable to get a shot off following a missed free throw by Caravel. Read more »

Dialog reporter

GREENVILLE – By and large, St. Mark’s was able to bottle up the high-scoring A.I. DuPont boys basketball team when the teams met on the snowy afternoon of Jan. 7. The Tigers, however, used a 12-1 run in the fourth quarter to overcome the Spartans, 41-38. Read more »

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MILLTOWN – Senior Billy Sullivan scored a career-high 17 points leading host St Mark’s past the Delaware Military Academy Seahawks, 45-34, in nonconference boys basketball on Dec. 16.

The Spartans got a strong start by Sullivan, who scored the team’s first five points, but the Seahawks hit three three-pointers to grab an early 9-5 lead. St. Mark’s ended the quarter on a 5-0 run to tie it at 12, as Chris Ludman had a three-point play and his brother Eric hit two free throws with .2 seconds left in the quarter. The second quarter was a defensive battle, but a Zachary Palmer triple gave the Spartans a 19-15 halftime lead.

The Spartans found their long-distance shooting in the third quarter as Sullivan hit two long balls to help the hosts extend their lead to 32-27 at the end of the third quarter. The lead continued to grow in the fourth thanks to big baskets by Sullivan and Chris Ludman; it was 42-31 with 1:37 left. They held on to improve to 3-0 on the season.

Chris Ludman added nine points for the Spartans, who are off till Dec. 27, when they play in the Boardwalk Classic in Wildwood, N.J. DMA got 10 points from Conner Gee. The Seahawks travel to Wilmington Christian on Tuesday for a 5:30 p.m. tipoff.