The last boys high school sports action took place on a few basketball courts around Delaware in March, so it will be nice to see soccer and football return this week. Salesianum and Archmere will be defending their respective state championships, while Saint Mark’s is looking to take the next step after a stellar 2019.
On the gridiron, it will be a tough road for the Catholic schools, as just two at-large berths exist in both the Division I and II football tournaments in 2020. Salesianum and Archmere both earned postseason bids last year.
Dialog reporter Mike Lang and freelancer Jason Winchell will cover as many of the games as they can. Many thanks to the athletic directors and administrators for allowing The Dialog to bring these games to you. With coronavirus-related concerns still front and center, dates and locations of some contests could change at the last minute.
Soccer
Tuesday
St. Elizabeth at Caravel, 6:15 p.m. The Vikings are ready for a fresh start after struggling last season. They open in prime time against a Buccaneers squad that also has wiped the slate clean. Goalkeeper Wesley Gant anchors a veteran lineup for St. Elizabeth.
Wednesday
MOT Charter vs. St. Elizabeth, site and time TBA
Archmere at Red Lion, 4 p.m. The Auks begin the defense of their first state championship at Diamond State Athletic Conference foe Red Lion. They still bring some potent offensive firepower, and junior goalkeeper Niko Triantafillou is a wall in net.
Thursday
Saint Mark’s at Delaware Military, 3:30 p.m. The Spartans reached the Division II quarterfinals last season before bowing out to eventual champion Archmere. The are replacing a bunch of seniors, but the roster is still heavy with juniors and seniors.
Saturday
Caravel at Archmere, 11 a.m.
St. Elizabeth at Newark Charter, 11 a.m.
Salesianum at Cape Henlopen, 6:30 p.m. The Sals are scheduled to play seven home games this year, but the campaign for the defending champs begins with three road games. The first is the longest, down to Lewes. Salesianum, again, has a talented veteran lineup, with Ethan Hinds among them. Hinds scored three times in the state championship game last November.
Football
Friday
Archmere vs. St. Elizabeth, 4 p.m. at Archmere. It’s a unique year for the Vikings, who are the home team against Archmere in a late afternoon lid-lifter. They will be playing a Diamond State Athletic Conference schedule before formally joining the conference next season, and their three “home” games will be at their opponents’ fields. An extremely young team from 2019 has gained a year of experience, which is good news for coach Marvin Dooley. Their opponent, Archmere, is experienced and hungry to get back to the Division II state tournament after reaching in 2019 for the third straight season.
Saturday
Saint Mark’s at Conrad, 11 a.m. A young Spartans squad takes the field against the Red Wolves to open 2020. Saint Mark’s big freshman class is reflected on the football roster, but coach Joe Wright is likely to lean on seniors such as Christian Colmary, Jack Palmer and Tymere Scott. Three straight home games follow this one.
Salesianum at Malvern Prep (Pa.), 1 p.m. The Sals open against Malvern Prep and play just two home games at brand-new Abessinio Stadium, but after nearly having three games total, a few road trips will not seem like a big deal. To say Sallies is experienced is an understatement; they have 30 seniors on the 63-man roster. That includes Rasheen Caulk, Jack Healy and James Yelbert, along with quarterback Dylan Mooney.
