Six years after the SL24 Memorial basketball tournament entered the sports landscape in Delaware, volleyball is joining in bringing awareness and funding to the fight against mental-health issues among young people. The SL24 volleyball marathon will happen on Tuesday, Oct. 1, at Saint Mark’s, with freshman and junior varsity matches, followed by a varsity doubleheader. There also will be a presentation between the varsity matches.
Elsewhere, it’s a busy week across the high school sports scene. Most teams have crossed the halfway point of the regular season and are looking forward ever so slightly toward the postseason. In volleyball, both Saint Mark’s and Padua will meet Newark Charter, which entered the week as the last remaining unbeaten team in the state.
In boys’ sports, there are a few soccer matches that stand out. Archmere and Saint Mark’s play Oct. 1, and at the end of the week, Salesianum heads to north Jersey for its annual battle with St. Benedict’s Prep. And in football, three of the four Catholic schools with teams are traveling below the canal, with Archmere the lone team staying home.
As usual, game dates and times are subject to change, and some events require ticket purchases in advance.
Girls
Volleyball
Monday, Sept. 30
St. Elizabeth (1-5) at A.I. Dupont (0-3), 3:30 p.m.
Caravel (5-2) at Padua (5-2), 7:15 p.m.
Tuesday, Oct. 1
Archmere (5-2) at Wilmington Charter (6-1), 6 p.m. Two teams near the top of the Diamond State Athletic Conference table meet. The match may be decided by the back lines, as the Auks’ combination of hitters Ava Beach and Grace Mahoney go up against the Force’s Seraphina Pabian and Emma Shaner.
Padua vs. Delaware Military (3-3), 6 p.m. at Saint Mark’s
Newark Charter (6-0) at Saint Mark’s (6-1), approx. 8 p.m. The last remaining undefeated team in Delaware visits once-beaten Saint Mark’s in a highly anticipated match. This is the nightcap of the inaugural SL24 volleyball event, tying the sport to UnLocke the Light, the organization that provides mental-health resources to young people. Expect a big crowd and a lot of energy.
Thursday, Oct. 3
Concordia Prep at Ss. Peter and Paul (2-4), 4:30 p.m.
Wilmington Charter at St. Elizabeth, 5:30 p.m.
Padua at Newark Charter, 6:15 p.m.
Saint Mark’s at Delaware Military, 6:30 p.m.
Friday, Oct. 4
Appoquinimink (4-1) at Archmere, 6:30 p.m.
Field hockey
Monday, Sept. 30
Padua (2-5) at Wilmington Charter (6-1), 3:45 p.m.
St. Elizabeth (2-4) at Hodgson (2-2-1), 4 p.m.
Annapolis Area Christian at Ss. Peter and Paul (7-2), 5 p.m.
Wednesday, Oct. 2
Saint Mark’s (5-2) vs. Concord (3-3), 3 p.m. at Maple Zone, Aston, Pa.
Wilmington Charter at Archmere (5-3), 3:45 p.m. The Auks have won four of their last five, scoring a combined 19 goals in those wins. The Force specializes in defense, allowing just four goals in seven games entering the week.
Annapolis Area Christian at Ss. Peter and Paul, 4 p.m.
Thursday, Oct. 3
Appoquinimink (2-5) vs. Padua, 3:45 p.m. at Chase Fieldhouse
Odessa (6-0) at Ursuline (2-4), 3:45 p.m.
Friday, Oct. 4
St. Elizabeth at Newark Charter (8-0), 3:30 p.m.
Saint Mark’s at St. Georges (2-4), 3:45 p.m.
Delmarva Christian (2-6) at Ss. Peter and Paul, 4 p.m.
Cross country
Friday, Oct. 4
Ursuline at Paul Short Run, time TBA at Lehigh University, Bethlehem, Pa.
Saturday, Oct. 5
Saint Mark’s at Great American Festival, 8 a.m. at Charlotte Catholic High School (N.C.)
Soccer
Tuesday, Oct. 1
Ss. Peter and Paul (4-3) at Salisbury Christian, 4:30 p.m.
Friday, Oct. 4
Ss. Peter and Paul at Gunston, 4 p.m.
Boys
Football
Friday, Oct. 4
Saint Mark’s (3-1) at Cape Henlopen (3-1), 7 p.m. The Spartans remain on the road downstate for the second straight week, and no doubt they are hoping for a similar result as they had at Caesar Rodney. Cape is coming off its first loss, and a homecoming crowd awaits in Lewes.
St. Elizabeth (2-2) at Milford (3-1), 7 p.m. St. Elizabeth moves up in class for the second time this season with a difficult assignment at Milford. The Vikings have gotten contributions from a number of players, and they’ll face the Buccaneers on their home field, also on homecoming weekend.
Saturday, Oct. 5
Salesianum (3-1) at St. Georges (2-2), 11 a.m. The Sals took care of business at home against Dover, but St. Georges promises to be more of a challenge. The Hawks are 0-2 at home and certainly want to defend their home turf against the Sals.
Delaware Military (2-2) at Archmere (3-1), 11 a.m. This marks the third of three straight home games for the Auks, and they certainly want to get back into the win column after suffering their first loss of the season. DMA will try to get its offense going again after two consecutive weeks against Class 3A opponents.
Soccer
Tuesday, Oct. 1
Aspira (2-4-1) vs. St. Elizabeth (0-5), 3:30 p.m. at Banning Park
Archmere (3-3) at Saint Mark’s (4-1), 3:45 p.m. Two Division II hopefuls meet at Saint Mark’s. The Auks are coming off a tough loss against Indian River but had won three straight before that. They match up with a Spartans team that likes to apply the offensive pressure.
Salesianum (2-3-1) at Durham Academy (N.C.), 6:15 p.m.
Wednesday, Oct. 2
Severn at Ss. Peter and Paul (2-3), 4 p.m.
Thursday, Oct. 3
Archmere at Wilmington Charter (4-2), 3:30 p.m.
Friday, Oct. 4
St. Elizabeth at Dickinson (2-3), 3:30 p.m.
Ss. Peter and Paul at Gerstell, 4 p.m.
Delcastle (5-1) at Saint Mark’s, 4 p.m.
Saturday, Oct. 5
Salesianum vs. St. Benedict’s Prep (N.J.), 5 p.m. at Rutgers University Newark campus. Two of the country’s more successful programs do battle in northern New Jersey. The Grey Bees are currently fifth in the country, according to United Soccer Coaches. The Sals have played a very difficult schedule but have been in every game.
Cross country
Saturday, Oct. 5
Saint Mark’s at Great American Festival, 8 a.m. at Wake Med Soccer Park, Cary, N.C.
St. Elizabeth and Salesianum at Salesianum Invitational, 1 p.m. at Brandywine Creek State Park
