Nov. 5, 2022 — No. 1 Delmar (Del.) 3, Lewes Cape Henlopen (Del.) 2, OT

November 5, 2022 at 9:58 am · Filed under Uncategorized and tagged: Field hockey

FELTON, Del. — America is the world’s lone holdout for reduced-side overtime in field hockey, during which seven players per team compete if full time ends with the sides level. The reduced numbers also apply to the number of players available on a defensive penalty corner: only three outfielders and a goalkeeper are allowed.

That is, unless the umpires spot an encroachment on the part of the defense, in which case that team has just two outfielders and a goalie to cover the entirety of the 16-yard striking circle.

When the Cape Henlopen (Del.) defense was called for such a violation in the seventh minute of overtime of the Henlopen Athletic Conference championship game against Delmar, most of the crowd knew was was going to happen next.

So did Baylie Phillips. Her second goal of the game, in overtime, gave Delmar, the No. 1 team in the TopOfTheCircle.com Top 10, a 3-2 win over Sussex County rival Cape Henlopen.

On the play. Maci Bradford received the ball at the top of the circle, then drifted right, drawing the Cape corner flyer. Bradford went around to the right towards the second-goal area along the baseline, drawing the attention of the other Viking defender and goalie Morgan Newcomb.

Phillips, seeing the open space at the stroke mark, awaited the pass and had just one thought in her mind.

“I knew that I had to go and get the ball and put it in,” Phillips said. “I wanted to do it for the seniors, because it’s the last time that they’re going to be in this competition (the HAC).”

Newcomb, despite the final score, had an outstanding game. She had prevented Delmar from winning the game just two minutes earlier by saving Josie Hollamon’s overtime penalty stroke. That stroke was awarded when Bradford, advancing 1-on-1 into the circle, withstood a stick tackle which denied an obvious goal-scoring opportunity.

Not to be outdone, Summer Payne made five stops on the day for Delmar, none bigger than a save on forward Alexi Nowakowski of Cape Henlopen in the final seconds of regulation. On the play, Nowakowski was thundering up the left side when a teammate had the ball on the right. The dreamy pass found its target but Payne thwarted the shot to keep the game tied headed for extra time.

“I came into this season pretty well-prepared, especially since we have three members of the U.S. national team shooting on me every day in practice,” Payne says.

Delmar, as is its wont, went out ahead early with Emma Price scoring in the 12th minute and Phillips in the 27th on some well-worked passing in the striking circle.

But Cape Henlopen responded with some tough, greasy goals which showed the team’s resolve even after falling behind at the interval. The equalizer, scored by Nowakowski, came on a play during which the Vikings lost a player to a head injury. The goal was given, but Cape lost a player for the balance of the match.

“The one thing we learned from the first time we played them is that we have to come out strong,” Newcomb said. “They scored in the game’s first 25 seconds. Even though we may have struggled at that today, we rallied around each other today and came back strong.”

The Sussex County rivals go their separate ways as heavy favorites to win state champions in their respective divisions. But as this game showed, there is plenty to refine before the teams embark on the state tournament.

“The one thing that we have to work on,” said Delmar coach Jodi Hollamon, “is that we can’t switch off once we get a lead. The thing is, Cape is resilient and competitive, and they have the capability to come back.”

DELMAR (16-0) 1 1 0 0 1 — 3
CAPE HENLOPEN (14-2) 0 0 1 1 0 — 2
D: Emma Price (Josie Hollamon), fg, 12th minute
D: Baylie Phillips (Maci Bradford), pc, 27th
CH: Hannah Maney, fg, 37th
CH: Alexi Nowakowski, fg, 48th
D: Baylie Phillips (Maci Bradford), pc, 68th
Shots — D: 13; CH: 7. .
Saves — D: Summer Payne 5; CH: Morgan Newcomb 10.

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POSTGAME That’s it for today; good day, good hockey

POSTGAME This is one of those games which are destined to be amongst the Games of the Year listings in December on this sits

67:30 DEL PC and GOAL Baylie Phillips puts away a pass from Maci Bradford after the junior national teamer is able to carry, hold, and fake against only two outfielders for Cape. The goal gives Delmar a 3-2 win! What a game!

67:30 DEL PC Umpires send a Cape defender over the 50 for encroachment; this could be a huge call

66:50 Josie Hollamon from the top but judged to be dangerous

64:45 DEL PS Josie Hollamon with the stroke but stopped by Newcomb! What a save!

64:45 Cape denies an obvious goal-scoring opportunity on a Bradford run into the circle; a stroke is duly called on the rash stick tackle

62:00 Josie Hollamon hits a shot on goal, but is whistled down for danger

60:00 Overtime has begun

END REGULATION The game is tied 2-2 and we are headed to overtime! Given the rivalry between the two sides over the last 15 years, this should not be surprising at all; last year’s Henlopen Athletic Conference title game went to OT as well

59:55 Alexi Nowakowski of Cape Henlopen is sprung on a left-wing pass and has an open shot in front of cage but Summer Payne is equal! Wow! The game was on her stick but we play on!

58:10 CAPE PC Option-right is dealt with by Bradford, and she brings it up the pitch

55:45 DEL PC The shot goes into the cage off a Cape body but the initial shot was whistled down for danger; it was a smidge too high coming towards the goal

55:15 DEL PC Shot is saved but right into Bradford’s face; will re-rack as the goalkeeper caused the danger

53:30 DEL GREEN Another green for Delmar; Cape is on the power play at a critical juncture

53:10 DEL PC The Cape defense rises again and no shot taken

51:05 CAPE GREEN And now it is Hannah Maney off for two minutes in a critical juncture

50:10 Josie Hollamon’s flip is saved

48:40 DEL PC Josie Hollamon’s flick is deflected

47:39 Now it gets interesting. What will Delmar do with this official timeout and with the Cape player out?

47:39 CAPE GOAL Alexi Nowakowski sweeps the ball in tie the game 2-2 but there is a Cape player down with a head injury

45:00 The fourth quarter is under way and it is all to play for

45:00+ DEL PC Bradford cranks it wide and the quarter ends

45:00+ DEL PC They run the zig-zag again but the ball rebounds to the left wing; Wildcats recollect and shoots off a Cape foot

44:55 DEL PC Wildcats run the zig-zag and Josie Hollamon is taken down by the goalie; no stroke? Umpires call a second corner

40:00 DEL GREEN Josie Hollamon is off for delay of game

39:00 DEL PC Josie Hollamon’s shot is blocked wide of the cage: 23M the result

37:35 CAPE GOAL A ball is tipped in by Hannah Maney! It’s a power play goal! Cape pulls to within 2-1

37:00 DEL GREEN Jordyn Hollamon is off for knocking the ball away after losing out on a free hit

33:00 CAPE PC Shot is judged to be dangerous; 16Y for Delmar

30:00 The third quarter is under way

HALFTIME Cape has had its chances as well and a lesser defense would have yielded by now. The Vikings may be two goals adrift now, but, as we have seen this week, anything can happen in a field hockey game

HALFTIME But that is the nature of the Delmar team. The style of play is such that everyone gets a chance to score even in a game of this magnitude

HALFTIME Rare is the half that Delmar has gotten all of their goals from someone other than players surnamed Hollamon or Bradford

HALFTIME The siren goes with Delmar leading 2-0

27:30 CAPE PC Shot is defense and cleared by Josie Hollamon

27:05 CAPE PC Flubbed insert but Cape is lucky to get a re-rack

25:45 DEL PC Maci Bradford loses the ball but Baylie Phillips grabs the rebound and sticks it in! 2-0 Delmar!

24:55 DEL PC From the Brooklyn side, Delmar cranks it to Josie Hollamon, whose attempt is sticked wide

23:00 Delmar’s Laela Brown flips a shot high and wide

21:40 DEL PC Josie Hollamon with a shot blocked wide!

20:19 CAPE PC Cape shot saved by Payne; rebound finds the wrong side of the stick and Delmar gets a 16Y out of it

19:35 CAPE PC Cape has Payne down and the ball close to the line but it is whistled down for a rerack

19:00 CAPE PC Cape lifts into Josie Hollamon’s body but Cape gets the re-rack

16:00 DEL PC Delmar runs a zig-zag but the Viking defense is equal

15:00 The second quarter is under way

END FIRST Delmar holds a 1-0 lead but Cape has threatened. This is just the beginning

14:50 CAPE PC Insert flubbed and play brought out of the circle; the quarter ends

14:15 Cape breaks out into the attack zone and crosses the ball from the left to the right wing and Payne makes the save! Wow!

11:30 DEL GOAL Jordyn Hollamon fires a shot which is saved, but the rebound drops to the feet of the Wildcats’ Emma Price, who makes no mistake. Delmar leads 1-0

7:45 CAPE PC Mac Brown’s shot saved by Delmar goalie Summer Payne; rebound snared by Brown is put in but there was an advancing call beforehand

6:15 Jordyn Hollamon knifes a backhander that is tipped wide

3:00 Delmar’s Jordyn Hollamon is open for a shot that is kicked away by goalie Morgan Newcomb

1:40 DEL PC Insert flubbed but Josie Hollamon gets it back and is fouled outside the dashed circle

0:00 The game is on

PREGAME Delmar is in the all-blue with orange numbers, while Cape Henlopen is in the white tops with navy kilts and numbers

PREGAME The teams are warming up under blue skies and a lot of sun; temps are heading towards 70

PREGAME The teams met in league play earlier this year with Delmar winning 2-1. There is so much more on the line this year. As both teams are defending state champions, this is a de facto Tournament of Champions. Too, Delmar has a 111-game winning streak

PREGAME Here is the list of the last 20 results between the two sides, in reverse chronological order:
2022 — Delmar 2, Cape Henlopen 1
2021 — Delmar 2, Cape Henlopen 1 (OT)
2021 — Delmar 2, Cape Henlopen 1
2020 — Delmar 2, Cape Henlopen 1
2019 — Delmar 2, Cape Henlopen 1
2019 — Delmar 4, Cape Henlopen 0
2018 — Delmar 3, Cape Henlopen 0
2017 — Delmar 6, Cape Henlopen 3
2016 — Cape Henlopen 1, Delmar 0
2015 — Cape Henlopen 3, Delmar 1
2015 — Cape Henlopen 4, Delmar 1
2014 — Cape Henlopen 4, Delmar 0
2013 — Cape Henlopen 1, Delmar 0
2013 — Cape Henlopen 2, Delmar 1
2012 — Cape Henlopen 2, Delmar 1
2012 — Cape Henlopen 3, Delmar 1
2011 — Cape Henlopen 3, Delmar 2
2011 — Cape Henlopen 2, Delmar 0
2010 — Cape Henlopen 4, Delmar 0
2009 — Cape Henlopen 5, Delmar 1

PREGAME This rivalry has been one-sided, one way or the other, since 2009. Cape won 12 straight games between 2009 and 2016, but Delmar has won the last eight since then

PREGAME Delmar, the defending DIAA Division II champion, is 15-0. Cape Henlopen, defending Division I champion, is 14-1 on the year

PREGAME Hello, and welcome to Spartan Field in Felton, Del. for the Henlopen Athletic Conference championship game between Delmar (Del.) and Lewes Cape Henlopen (Del.)

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