The busiest time of year for the Delaware Interscholastic Athletic Association begins this week with state tournament play in softball and girls lacrosse. Track and field also will contest their championship on Friday and Saturday in Dover. The other sports are entering their final week of the regular season. More tournament brackets will be released during this week or next weekend.
If you are going to watch a state tournament game, you will need a ticket and a smartphone. All tickets will be sold through gofan.co/app/school/DIAA for most rounds.
Girls
Softball
Tuesday
No. 23 Archmere (8-8) at No. 10 Delmarva Christian (10-5), 4 p.m. The Auks are in the state tournament for the second year in a row, but they enter this season with a winning record. That is the program’s first since 2015. Junior Tori Conner is the Auks’ go-to pitcher, while the offense has several weapons, including junior Ryan Vitola. Delmarva Christian is young — the Royals have nine sophomores and a freshman — but tough, led by Lilli Showacre in the circle. This will be the second meeting between the two teams in five days. DCS took a 6-2 decision on May 13.
Thursday
No. 22 Cape Henlopen/No. 11 Wilmington Charter at No. 6 Saint Mark’s (12-5), 4 p.m. The Spartans will host a state tournament game for the second straight season with a core of players that does not include one senior. Ryleigh Thomas and Carly Maxton give the team a one-two punch in the pitching circle. Saint Mark’s defeated Wilmington Charter earlier this season and did not play Cape.
Lacrosse
Wednesday
No. 10 Wilmington Friends (9-6) at No. 7 Ursuline (11-4), 4 p.m. The Quakers and Raiders get back together for a first-round DIAA state tournament matchup just eight days after they played each other, a 12-7 Ursuline win. Actually, the game began on April 14, but the second half was delayed nearly a month by rain. Friends is one of the highest-scoring teams in the state, but they’ll be up against an Ursuline defense best described as stingy. The winner travels to second-seeded Sussex Academy on Saturday at 4 p.m.
No. 11 Polytech (8-7) at No. 6 Archmere (12-3), 4 p.m. The Panthers return to Claymont for the DIAA tournament’s first round. The game will be on the same field where they met the Auks on March 25 in Polytech’s season opener, a 17-7 Archmere win. The Auks’ offense comes at opponents in waves, with multiple weapons. The winner will hit the road to meet No. 2 Tatnall on Saturday at 11 a.m.
Soccer
Monday
William Penn (4-10) at Ursuline (6-6-1), 3 p.m.
Tuesday
Wilmington Charter (9-3-2) at Archmere (11-2-1), 3:45 p.m.
St. Elizabeth (3-11) at Tatnall (3-11), 3:45 p.m.
Padua (9-4) at Polytech (8-5-1), 5:30 p.m.
Saint Mark’s (12-2) at Smyrna (9-5), 6 p.m.
Wednesday
Ursuline at Dickinson (2-9), 3:30 p.m.
Tennis
Tuesday
Archmere (12-1) vs. Padua (5-5), 3:30 p.m. at Greenbank Courts
St Andrew’s (9-2) vs. Ursuline (9-3), 3:30 p.m. at Rodney Street Courts
Boys
Baseball
Tuesday
Archmere (10-5) at Middletown (11-5), 4 p.m.
Salesianum (11-4) vs. St. Elizabeth (11-6), 4 p.m. at Canby Park
Saint Mark’s (12-4) at St. Georges (8-8), 4:15 p.m.
Wednesday
Salesianum at Wilmington Charter (9-7), 3:45 p.m.
Archmere at Caesar Rodney (9-7), 4:15 p.m.
Friday
Salesianum at Archmere, 4 p.m.
Lacrosse
Tuesday
Middletown (8-3) at Saint Mark’s (4-8), 3:45 p.m.
Wednesday
Salesianum (10-2) at Appoquinimink (8-4), 6 p.m.
Thursday
Sussex Central (1-11) at Saint Mark’s, 3:45 p.m.
Saturday
Delcastle (1-11) at Saint Mark’s, noon
Volleyball
Tuesday
Indian River (8-3) at Salesianum (15-0), 5 p.m. These teams meet in one of the semifinal matches for the Delaware Volleyball Coaches Association tournament.
