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Annual 5K, 2-miler to benefit Justin’s Beach House

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The 2018 Justin’s Beach House Memorial Day Weekend 5K Run & 2-Mile Walk is right around the corner. Scheduled for Saturday, May 26, beginning at 7:15 a.m. in Bethany Beach, the event is held annually to help provide families with cancer a place of respite where they can enjoy some fun family time.

Held in conjunction with Contractors for a Cause, the Justin’s Beach House 5K/2-miler is an event that continues to grow, as evidence by last year’s sellout attendance. The event features a 5K and 2-mile walk that are chip-timed. Pre-registered participants get a commemorative T-shirt, and a festive post-race party on the boardwalk. There will be awards for overall, masters and age-group winners.

Not to be excluded, even the youngest participants can partake in the fun. A free pre-race Kiddie Dash is also a part of the festivities.

The event will be held rain or shine. Participants are not allowed to use strollers, skates or scooters, and there are no dogs allowed on the course.

The 5K run course will start at the corner of Garfield Parkway and N. Atlantic Avenue, then head south to Cedarwood Lane. Runners will then go up S. Pennsylvania Avenue to 5th Street. The last part of the course goes back down to Cedarwood Lane and back up S. Atlantic Avenue to Parkwood Street before finishing up on the boardwalk.

Those doing the 2-mile walk will start at Garfield Parkway and N. Atlantic Avenue. Participants will then follow the same route as the runners, but instead of the extended route, they will turn left on Garfield Parkway onto the boardwalk.

The event benefits a foundation started to honor the memory of Justin W. Jennings. He spent his summers in the Bethany Beach area with his family. In 1998, he was diagnosed with a malignant brain tumor. Several years of treatment and chemotherapy helped to prolong his life, but he would succumb to his cancer on June 25, 2000.

During his illness, his parents said, Justin was happy to have “the beach” as an escape, even if it was just for a weekend or the day after chemo. Creation of a respite home at the beach for families dealing with cancer was the project his family, and their supporters, took up in his memory.

More information on the May 26 event and online registration are available at http://justinjennings.org/5k-run-walk.

Justin’s Beach House is a 501(c)(3) organization, and all donations are tax-deductible. To find out how to donate to the cause, email them at info@justinjennings.org or send a donation directly to the foundation at 29L Atlantic Avenue, Box 120, Ocean View, DE 19970.


IR sports report

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Coastal Point • Shaun M. Lambert: Indian River’s Isabella Binko scores a goal in the second half of Tuesday’s 5-1 girls’ soccer win over Sussex Academy.Coastal Point • Shaun M. Lambert: Indian River’s Isabella Binko scores a goal in the second half of Tuesday’s 5-1 girls’ soccer win over Sussex Academy.The Indian River High School golf team has had a successful season when it is taken in its entirety.

Tuesday afternoon at Cripple Creek Golf & Country Club, the Indians added to their winning ways with a 191-273 decision over Seaford.

Luke Morgan and Isabel Wolfenbarger were co-medalists in the match, with their identical low-card 44s on the Par 36 front nine.

Mikaela Brosnahan shot a 51, followed by Zachary Lingenfelter’s 52. Victoria Shaner (62) and Gabby Hudson (66) each shot lower scores than all of the Seaford golfers.

The win improved the Indians’ season mark to 9-5, with one final regular-season match scheduled on Thursday against Laurel, after Coastal Point press time. Check out the Coastal Point sports Facebook and Twitter pages for scores and highlights.

High school girls’ soccer

Indian River 5, Sussex Academy 1

Senior Night was a special evening for the IR girls’ soccer team as they honored their four graduating seniors, Fabrea McCray, Samantha Whelen, Olivia Garvey and Bailey McClure-Singer.

Whelen certainly went out with a bang, scoring the first goal of the game, while assisting on two others to helping the winning cause. Lauren Meehan scored what wound up being the game-winner at the 20:08 mark of the first half, from Grace Engel (two assists).

Izzy Binko scored twice in the second half for IR, and Anastasia Diakos scored the final goal of the night at the 75:00 mark.

McCray made seven saves to pick up the win. IR was credited with 29 shots and earned seven corner-kick opportunities.

The win improved their mark to 10-4 overall, with one final road contest at Sussex Central set for Wednesday night (after Coastal Point press time) to close out the regular season. Check out the Coastal Point sports Facebook and Twitter pages for scores and highlights.

High school girls’ lacrosse

Sussex Academy 17, Indian River 15

Down by as many as 11 goals, the Indians’ girls’ lacrosse team responded with a vengeance, only to run out of time in their comeback bid, falling to the Seahawks in the Henlopen Conference South Division contest.

It was Senior Night for the Indians, and their seniors — Helen Davis, Kealey Allison, Mya Parks, Sarandon Slebodnick, Amanda Evans, Delaney Brannon, Zofia Czyzewski and McKenzie Johnson — put on quite a show, despite the defeat.

Allison scored six goals to go with two assists, while Davis notched four goals of her own. Brannon and Slebodnick each chipped in with one goal. Juniors Lexie Webb and Olivia Lease also figured in on the scoring with Webb’s two and Lease’s one goal. Drew Szlasa was credited with three assists.

Parks made 17 saves while facing 40 shot attempts by Sussex Academy. The Indians registered 48 shots of their own.

The loss was their third straight, to finish the season, and dropped their overall mark to 5-10.

High school girls’ tennis

Henlopen Conference championships

Junior Maddie Galbreath finished in fourth place in the second singles bracket last weekend during the Henlopen Conference Tennis Championships.

She dropped her third-place match to Smyrna’s Erin Smallwood, 3-6, 6-4, 6-2. Dover’s Erika Synoski defeated Caesar Rodney’s Nora Frederick, 6-2, 6-3.

High school boys’ lacrosse

Indian River 16, Woodbridge 4

It was Senior Night for five Indians as they hosted Woodbridge in a Henlopen Conference South Division contest.

William Josetti, Ithan Dunlap, Ryan Burbridge, Wyatt Kovatch and Yerel Gonzalez-Ciriano were all honored prior to the game, with their parents and other family members standing by.

The team pulled out a 16-4 win over Woodbridge to cap the seniors’ careers on their home turf. The win put the Indians’ final season record at 6-9 overall.

SMS track teams pull together for district championship

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Coastal Point • Submitted: The Selbyville Middle School track team poses for a photo.Coastal Point • Submitted: The Selbyville Middle School track team poses for a photo.Selfless. Motivated. Successful.

Three words that can often describe the student-athletes at Selbyville Middle School, which, coincidentally, is known as SMS.

The school’s boys’ and girls’ track teams each recently won their district track meets against Georgetown and Millsboro. The boys won with a score of 82, while the girls earned 84.5 points.

“I want to begin by saying how much of a pleasure it was to coach this group of athletes,” head coach Brian Benner said. “Our athletes´ accomplishments on the track this year were nothing short of impressive. At some point during the season, almost all of our athletes achieved their personal best results.

“Even more impressive to me was our athletes’ positive character and sportsmanship off the track. In this category, our team was truly unmatched. I was always proud to host and to take them to track meets, knowing they would represent Selbyville Middle School well, no matter what happened on the track.”

Bennet White won the 1,600m, and finished second in the 800m, while Chris Sichina won the 800m. Evan Peterson and Jeremiah Dennis finish second and third, respectively, in the 55m hurdles. Alonti Oliver was third in the 100m and 200m.

Selbyville’s Matt Engel, Johnathon Johnson, Raymond Andrade and Derek Check-Guzman teamed up to finish second in the 4-by-100 and 4-by-200 events. Check-Guzman also took second in the 400m. Dalton Hall took first in the long jump.

SMS swept the triple jump, with Hayden Hall taking first, followed by Engel, then Caleb Galbreath. Hayden Hall also won the high jump, while Dalton Hall and T.J. Burke finished 1-2 in the shot put. Hall and Burke were joined by Tyler Corcoran to sweep the discus event for SMS.

“Our track team did have had strong advantage,” Benner added. “Heather Goodrich and John Zirckel brought many years of coaching experience to our team. The time and effort they put in to help these athletes was truly a gift for our athletes. Coach Harris and myself are very fortunate and appreciative for their dedication and involvement.”

On the girls’ side, Alexis Pszcola was second in the 55m hurdles, while Parvas Goodman-Baker was third. Aniyah Blake took first in the 100m and 200m. In the 800m and 1,600m, Devin Hundley and Isabella Scharp finished first and second, respectively.

The team of Pszcola, Tonia Perkins, Gabby Mills and Saige Dismuke took first in the 4-by-100. Pszcola, Mills, Dismuke, and Blake teamed up to win the 4-by-200 event. Paige Psaroudakis finished second in the 400m.

In the long jump, Saniya Lewis, Laniya Lewis and Hundley swept for SMS. Both Lewises were joined by Mya McDonald to go 1-2-3 in the triple jump. Laniya Lewis won the high jump, while Morgan Freund topped out in the discus. Freund was second in the shot put, and was followed by Scarlet Dunn for third.

“Another advantage we had was the ability to work with athletes from other SMS spring sport teams,” Benner concluded. “On occasion, athletes from girls’ soccer, softball and baseball would train and compete with our track team.

“It was remarkable to see these multi-disciplinary athletes merge with our core track team and be able to showcase their talents. I credit this opportunity to our coaching staff at SMS and their flexibility. Thank you to Coach Barch, Coach Bare and Coach Clausen.”

SMS soccer team marks third undefeated season

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Coastal Point • Tyler Valliant: The Selbyville Middle School Indians’ girls’ soccer team gathers in front the net.Coastal Point • Tyler Valliant: The Selbyville Middle School Indians’ girls’ soccer team gathers in front the net.In middle-school sports, players and teams are often just trying to learn the game and prepare themselves for their future days at the high-school level.

The Selbyville Middle School girls’ soccer team is certainly the exception to that rule. In the past three years, they have not lost a single game.

The eighth-graders who will be heading to the high school next fall have not lost even one game in their three years at the middle-school level. They’ve never had to taste the bitterness of defeat. That is pretty special for a pretty special group of girls.

“This group of eighth-graders has put in so much effort and year-round training for the past three years,” head coach Neal Barch said of the group. “A few are on the same River Soccer Club travel team, but the majority come together for our spring season and quickly adapt to playing together.

“Their communication and willingness to put in the hard work has paid off. They have confidence in their teammates and are unselfish in their play,” he said. “We are grateful to their families for supporting them with their passion to play and train all year. It’s simple, really... they never wanted to lose a game in their middle-school career, and they put in the time and dedication to make that dream a reality.”

Over the course of those three years, the eighth-graders compiled a 28-0-1 mark. The group scored 151 goals, while only permitting 10. This year’s 9-0 mark was highlighted by only allowing two — that’s right, two — goals on the season. They scored 43.

Led by goalie Hanna Bird, along with the defense, the Indians posted seven shutout wins. Bird had a three-year total of 21 shutouts.

Chloe Beam, Leslie Cordoba-Leal and Kendall Cathell were the team’s leading scorers, with five each. Beam and Vasilia Diakos each had seven assists. Isabella Scurci scored three goals to go with four assists, while Emma Ruley had four goals and one assist.

Carley Topper and Brynn McCabe each chipped in three goals and two assists. Hannah Bird — not the goalie (this one has an H at the end of her name) — picked up a pair of goals and an assist. Briana Cedeno may not have gotten her name on the scorer’s ledger, but Barch noted that she was simple “unbeatable” on defense.

“She never wanted to move up and try to score,” he added.

With the success of the high school program they’ll join next fall, it is expected that this group of eighth-graders will only add to that rich IR soccer tradition.

Indians softball locks up Henlopen South with win over Riders

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Coastal Point • Tyler Valliant: Indian River’s softball squad joins hands before the game, knowing the South Division title was on the line.Coastal Point • Tyler Valliant: Indian River’s softball squad joins hands before the game, knowing the South Division title was on the line.If you did the math beforehand, you kind of had a feeling about the significance of Tuesday’s Henlopen Conference South Division contest between the softball teams of Caesar Rodney and Indian River high schools.

Coming into the game, the Indians were 9-3 in Henlopen Conference games (4-2 in the South Division). Lake Forest was breathing down their necks, at 8-3 in the conference (5-1 in the South Division). Essentially, a win for the Indians, and they would win the South Division title.

Mission accomplished.

Thanks to the combined pitching of Abby O’Shields and Izzy Allen, as well as the timely hitting of Katherine Collins, Grace Snyder and Braydee Whitman, the Indians put an exclamation point on the game with a 6-0 win over the Riders.

“This was a big win. They’re all big this time of the year,” Indians head coach Erika Murphy said. “The pitching was fantastic — Abby and Izzy combining for 13 strikeouts and only six hits. Just a good win for us heading into the playoffs.”

O’Shields was dealing from jump street in this one, starting the game with two strikeouts. She would strike out at least two in each of the first four innings before leaving the game at the fifth inning with 10 for the day. Allen came in and picked right up where O’Shields left off, striking out her first batter.

IR got all of its offense in the fourth inning, when they sent 11 batters to the plate, but the biggest of the blows was Collins’ grand slam to deep left-center field on a 3-2 pitch to get the Indians on the board. Kaylah Briddell, Damya Williams and Morgan Bomhardt each singled to load the bases before Collins cashed in.

Before the Indians could all catch their breath from celebrating, catcher Grace Snyder (2-for-3) jacked the first pitch she saw to nearly the exact same spot, over the left-center field fence, to make it 5-0. Julie Bomhardt (2-for-3) then lined a one-out single, stole second and moved up to third on the overthrow. Whitman singled past the third baseman to allow Julie Bomhardt to walk in with the final run of the inning.

“First home run, first grand in high school,” Collins said of her big hit. “Mindset-wise, I was just thinking ‘contact.’ I had to make contact. I had two strikes. Nothing really big. Just something to poke through. I didn’t even really finish my swing, and I didn’t even actually feel it hit my bat.”

And to come up with the big hit to help the team to the division title made it even sweeter.

“This is amazing,” Collins continued. “We didn’t think we really had a chance after losing to [Sussex] Central. It’s an amazing feeling to get” the division title, she said.

With the division crown in tow, the “one-game-at-a-time” mentality is their sole focus from here on out.

“One game, one day at a time,” Murphy said of her team’s approach. “You play each time now for a chance to have another day. That’s our only focus now. We get ready for Saturday.”

The official seedings for the state tournament were set to be released on Wednesday, May 16, after Coastal Point press time. For an update on the seeds and when the Indians (13-5 overall) will open up play in the state tournament, check out the Coastal Point sports Facebook and Twitter pages.

Indians baseball takes South with 20-5 win over Caesar Rodney

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Coastal Point • Jason Feather: Indian River’s Jacob Anderson hit two home runs in Tuesday’s game against Caesar Rodney.Coastal Point • Jason Feather: Indian River’s Jacob Anderson hit two home runs in Tuesday’s game against Caesar Rodney.The old adage in baseball is that hitting is contagious. Such was the case in Tuesday’s Henlopen Conference South Division contest between Indian River High School and visiting Caesar Rodney.

The hitting was so contagious, someone should have called a doctor.

IR banged out eight home runs, including two each from Jacob Anderson and Kyle Firle, en route to a 20-5 shellacking of the Riders. The win, coupled with Delmar’s 10-3 loss to Cape Henlopen, gave the Indians the coveted South Division crown.

“We just came out the gates swinging,” IR coach Derek “D.J.” Long said of the offensive barrage. “First inning there, we put up that eight-spot. I thought our energy and confidence … once we started going, we got hot. We put some good swings on the ball.”

It was just two weeks ago that Long was questioning his team’s fire and energy following their 8-6 loss to Delmarva Christian. However, a big extra-inning win over division foe Milford seemed to re-ignite the Indians, as they have now won four of their last five.

“That big win against Milford, beating them in 13 innings, I think the fire and energy really turned around after that one,” Long assessed of the turnaround. “They really stayed up that whole game, despite the letdowns throughout the game. They were all fired up for that win. They want to run the table here in our final two games, and so do I.”

After the Riders scored a run in the top of the first, Anderson wasted little time getting the Indians back to even with a solo shot to left. Two outs later, J.J. Killen blasted one over the fence in right to make it 2-1 IR. Cole Hitch then singled, and Grant Argo launched an oppo-boppo to right, making it 4-1 Indians.

Michael Meehan was hit by a pitch, and Brock Wingate made CR pay for the mistake with a two-run smash of his own to dead center field. Myles Clark walked, and then it was Anderson again with a drive to center that made the score 8-1.

Coastal Point • Jason Feather: Kyle Firle leads off first base during the 20-5 win. Firle also had two home runs in Tuesday’s game.Coastal Point • Jason Feather: Kyle Firle leads off first base during the 20-5 win. Firle also had two home runs in Tuesday’s game.Four runs in the third made it 12-2 Indians. Firle hit the first of his two in the inning, that one a grand slam that scored Wingate, Clark and Anderson.

But the Indians just weren’t done having their party though, as they would score eight more runs in the fourth to put the game out or reach, clinching the division crown.

Argo was 4-for-4 on the day with four RBIs and three runs scored. Killen and Anderson added 3-for-4 efforts, with Anderson knocking in four and scoring four more. Firle was the last of the Indians to showcase a multiple-hit effort, with his 2-for-3 day with six RBIs. Clark (two walks, hit-by-pitch) scored three runs, while Ian Shaner, Meehan and Wingate each crossed twice.

The Indians (9-7 overall) were set to close out their season with games against Lake Forest on Wednesday and First State Military Academy on Thursday — both games after Coastal Point press time. For scores and highlights, check out the Coastal Point sports Facebook and Twitter pages.

Sneak Peek No. 2 — Local art featured in Beach & Bay Cottage tour

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Coastal Point • Submitted: Sunshine welcomes visitors to the porch of this Bethany Beach home, which will be featured on the 27th Annual Beach & Bay Cottage Tour on July 25 and 26.Coastal Point • Submitted: Sunshine welcomes visitors to the porch of this Bethany Beach home, which will be featured on the 27th Annual Beach & Bay Cottage Tour on July 25 and 26.(Editor’s note: This is the second in a series of previews of the homes that will be on display during the 27th Annual Beach & Bay Cottage Tour, to be held July 25 and 26, from 9:30 a.m. until 4 p.m.)

After searching for several years for their dream vacation home in Bethany Beach, the owners of this home finally found what they’d been looking for in 2016, tucked away on a quiet street near the canal and wetlands, yet within walking distance of town.

Although it was 10 years old, the three-story shingled home looked like new and offered quality custom finishes and architectural details that enhanced its appeal. The home was already beautifully furnished, they said, so it only remained for them to personalize the décor with accessories and art.

The owners selected works from more than 10 local artists, most found at nearby Gallery One. Reclaimed antique pine flooring, custom millwork and built-in cherry cabinetry all add warmth and richness, while art-glass sconces add a touch of elegance.

A stone-faced fireplace with antique metal insert is flanked by custom built-ins and cozy seating in the open light-dappled main living area, while a spacious gourmet kitchen is an added bonus for the owner’s culinary creations.

The master bedroom on the main floor is topped by three additional bedrooms and an adjacent lounge on the third floor, allowing a measure of space and privacy for them and their adult children as they all seek refuge in their quiet vacation retreat.

This is just one of the properties that will be open to those who purchase tickets for the 27th Annual Beach & Bay Cottage Tour.

Tickets may be purchased for $30 at the South Coastal Library or through the Cottage Tour’s website at www.beachandbaycottagetour.com. The Cottage Tour is sponsored by the Friends of the South Coastal Library, and proceeds directly benefit the library’s operations.

Sussex Academy’s Oliphant reflects on career in education

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Coastal Point • Kerin Magill: Patricia Oliphant stands in front of the Sussex Academy logo, representing a school which she helped along since its early days.Coastal Point • Kerin Magill: Patricia Oliphant stands in front of the Sussex Academy logo, representing a school which she helped along since its early days.Looking back on a career in education spanning 51 years, starting as an English teacher and ending as the executive director of Sussex County’s only charter school, Patricia Oliphant sums it up like this:

“I’m a person that, I’ve got to be in the midst of it,” she said. “Close to people. Close to the kids. Close to the action and knowing what I’m doing matters.”

That is exactly what led Oliphant to Sussex Academy some 16 years ago. After two years leading the Delaware State Education Association’s professional development program, she said, she was ready for a new challenge.

“While I enjoyed the work there, what was not fulfilling to me was that I could go in and do the professional development with people, but I never really knew if it was going to stick. I really didn’t know what the impact was going to be.”

When she first began talking to officials at Sussex Academy — then, a brand-new school in Georgetown — she told them, “I don’t really know anything about charter schools, but I know how to teach English.” Indeed, Oliphant had started her career in 1967 as a high school English teacher.

In the intervening years, Oliphant taught and worked in administration in the Indian River and Woodbridge school districts, including stints as principal of Woodbridge Senior High School and director of curriculum for IRSD.

In the end, she took on executive director duties at Sussex Academy — then, a middle school encompassing grades six through eight — sharing administrative duties with Allen Stafford for most of that time.

“Allen and I have had what I consider a wonderful collaborative relationship,” Oliphant said.

The two shepherded the new school through its early years, its move into the former Delmarva Christian School location, the addition of a high school, and construction of a new middle school wing and a state-of-the-art aquatics facility.

Last year, Oliphant saw the graduation of the first class of Sussex Academy’s high school. She also oversaw the school’s application for renewal of its charter, and the subsequent approval of the first 10-year charter ever awarded in Delaware.

Although she had considered retiring earlier, Oliphant said she decided to wait until after the charter renewal process.

“The institutional knowledge about the school rests in my head, and it rests in Alan’s head,” she said. “If I had left then, it would have been for Allen and any new person to figure this all out.”

That new person, as it turns out, will be Eric Anderson, currently vice president at the Charter School of Wilmington, who will take over as executive director at Sussex Academy on July 1.

“We are forever grateful to Dr. Oliphant for her tremendous dedication and her inspirational vision,” said Susie Mitchell, Sussex Academy’s executive board president. “The success of Sussex Academy is the direct result of Dr. Oliphant’s time, commitment and perseverance. We have been fortunate to have her leadership.”

‘Teaching is about relationships’

Oliphant, who started her career at what was then the K-12 Millsboro School in 1967, marvels at the arc of her career and the changes she has seen in society and in education.

“I started the first year of full integration,” she said. “I saw the beginning of integration, the end of segregation and the beginning of consolidation,” she added, referring to the formation of what is now the Indian River School District.

While she said she believes those experiences shaped her career, she rattles off a long list of family members and educators when asked who influenced her the most throughout her life. She begins with her father, Paul F. Schumacher, and her mother, Rose Schumacher. She summed up her parents’ influence in four words: “My father, passion and presence. My mother, her patience and persistence.

“I was not an easy child to raise,” Oliphant said with a wry grin. “But they did it anyway. Their parenthood was easily the most influential thing in my life.”

She also pointed to her older sister Barbara, who “when I was getting ready for high school, she would compile reading lists for me,” she recalled. “My sister’s influence was that of vibrancy and a seeming fearlessness.”

Her school influences stretch from her first grade teacher, Polly Long — “she taught me how to read” through high school English teacher Joann Stager. “God, she was a fantastic teacher,” Oliphant said. “She made me understand the power of the written word and literature. I just wanted to be like her.”

Through it all, one principle has guided her path, Oliphant said.

“Teaching is about relationships.” The most important of those is the bond between teachers and their students. “Kids are why we’re running the schools,” she said. “Everybody else needs to get to the back of the line.”

She said she understands not only that a good teacher can change the course of a child’s life, but that a bad teacher “can set a kid back two or three years… and that’s research-driven,” Oliphant said.

Former IRSD superintendent James M. Proudfoot gave her advice that has stuck with her over the years, she said.

“The most important thing he taught me was that school is always about kids.” The other, she said, was that “there are very few things you have to make a decision about right now, and those are the health and the safety of a child. Have patience with your decisions.”

A life enriched by teachers, parents and students

Her relationships with teachers over the years have enriched her life in various ways — from her days as a classroom teacher to recent years as an administrator.

“It’s because of the teachers in this school that we have been able to progress and achieve what we’ve been able to achieve,” she said.

As for what makes a good teacher, Oliphant said, first and foremost, “A good teacher has to have a pretty strong grasp of the content that he or she is teaching. A good teacher is able to blend the academic content that he or she is teaching with authentic experiences and reasons why kids need to understand that content.

“Teaching is part science and part art,” Oliphant said.

One of the first teachers Oliphant got to know was Susan Bunting, now Delaware’s Secretary of Education. In a recent phone interview from her Dover office, Bunting heaped praise on her old friend, colleague and boss.

“I could talk about Patricia Oliphant for hours,” Bunting said.

Connections with her students’ parents over the years, Oliphant said, have also enriched her life. Recounting a recent meeting with a parent who told her she had a “deep heart,” Oliphant said “I’m pretty direct, and I think I’m a pretty strong person, but I think I’m enormously compassionate.”

She said she has had some tough conversations with parents over the years, even heartbreaking ones.

“But you also get the joyous experiences about somebody getting into college or winning a swim meet or being the champion or getting an honor somewhere. There are a whole lot more highs than lows,” she said.

“God, have I been blessed? I have been blessed,” Oliphant said, with tears in her eyes, “because people have given me the opportunity to explore education in numerous capacities. It’s been a journey of love and a journey of my heart.

“At the end of the day, I can only say, ‘Thank you.’”


WW IIunes bringing patriotic music to Bethany library

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The WW IIunes are definitely all about music from the World War II era.

The foursome, set to perform at the South Coastal Library in Bethany Beach on Wednesday, May 23, ahead of Memorial Day, have been playing music from the early to mid-1940s for about seven years.

It all started, however, with a “chicken dance.”

As band member Carole Wolek tells it, she met a guitar player named Frank Nanna when his group, the Cowpokers, was playing at an Octoberfest program in Ocean City, Md., and she was there with her own group, the Happy Wanderers. A friend of hers was also in the Cowpokers, she said, and introduced her to Nanna.

Nanna, Wolek said, asked her to help him with a chicken dance. That was about seven years ago. The rest, as they say, is World War II history.

The WW IIunes (pronounced “World War Tunes”) have been crooning the songs that have held a special place in America’s heart since that time. Every Friday night, they play in the Blue Dog Café in Snow Hill, Md., and they can be seen at other local venues, from Fort Miles in Lewes to Ocean City, Md., where they have opened for the Glenn Miller Orchestra twice, Wolek said.

A “Big Read” event in Worcester County, Md., libraries was the introduction to World War II music for the group — but with a twist. Wolek said Nanna asked for her help, again — this time with a performance tied to a “Big Read” project involving a shawl that circulated between several people during World War II.

To tie into the book, Nanna wanted to try klezmer music, a traditional genre associated with Ashkenazi Jews in Eastern Europe in the late 1800s to early 1900s. Clarinetist Dave Dalfonso then joined the two — a clarinet is central to klezmer music — for what became several performances at Worcester libraries.

From there, Wolek said, “Frank got the idea that we sounded like the USO groups that went over and entertained the troops during World War II.”

Wolek’s husband, Leonard, who plays the clarinet, joined the group at that point, she said.

That’s when another connection of Nanna’s led to the Friday-night performances at Blue Dog Café — first once a month, then twice a month, then every Friday. The group plays country and Italian music, in addition to their World War II repertoire, Wolek said, but on the first Friday of each month, they don their WWII-style uniforms, and it’s like it’s 1942 again.

Wolek said the uniforms she wears during the performances are very special to her. One is a lieutenant colonel’s uniform from the Army Air Force.

“How I came to have that uniform,” she said, “was that a customer came to the restaurant and dropped it off” after seeing the group perform. She also owns a vintage sailor’s uniform that was given to her by a family friend.

“When I wear those uniforms, I feel very proud,” Wolek said.

She also has several World War II-era hats that belonged to her father-in-law, which she wears in the shows. Her Army Air Force uniform, she said, belonged to a pilot named Charles Thompson. She marvels that it fits her 5-foot, 4-inch frame perfectly, but adds that it’s not really so surprising, because pilots had to be small enough to fit in the cramped cockpits of the fighter jets of the time.

Three of the members of WW IIunes are in their 70s, including Wolek.

“We grew up with that music,” she said. “Those are songs that we remember. Nanna, who is the youngster of the group, “just loves the music from that era. He keeps saying, ‘You really need to know music to play it,’” she said.

The WW IIunes will perform a patriotic music program at the South Coastal Library, at 43 Kent Avenue in Bethany Beach, from 5 to 6 p.m. on Wednesday, May 23. The program is free and open to the public.

The group can also be enjoyed at the Blue Dog Café at 300 N. Washington Street in Snow Hill, Md., each Friday night. Reservations are necessary for that venue.

South Bethany candidates make their cases to voters

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Two candidates for mayor and four candidates for three town council seats gave residents at the Friday, May 11, South Bethany Town Council meeting a snapshot of their hopes for the Town during a candidates’ forum.

The mayoral candidates are incumbent Mayor Pat Voveris and Councilman Tim Saxton. Council candidates include incumbents Don Boteler, Sue Callaway and Tim Shaw, and challenger and former councilman Wayne Schrader. (Saxton’s council seat is not up for election this year.) Each candidate had three minutes to make a statement.

Don Boteler

“I think you should vote for me because I’m a reasonable person. I’m a pretty good listener,” Boteler began. “I do like to work hard and find common ground, find consensus,” he said.

Boteler noted that he relishes working through issues with people who don’t necessarily agree with him.

“It’s easy to work with people you agree with,” he said. “We’ve had some successes on that score; we’ve had some failures — we’re human.”

Boteler pointed to his professional life, which included senior roles in management in the private and public sectors, as good preparation for his role on town council. He said that he is “currently retired” but serving on two boards — one on the West Coast and one on the East Coast, with for-profit, public sector, public corporations.

“I’ve kind of learned a valuable lesson and that is the difference between an oversight role and a management role,” Boteler said. “We have to respect that border between ourselves — as our council and our mayor and our very competent and very capable management staff and other staff.”

“We’ve had a lot going on in the last couple of years, as everyone knows. I think it’s critical that we get back to very simple fundamental basics,” he said.

As town treasurer, Boteler said the Town needs to continue to find ways to cut costs. He also said the Town needs to set aside a general reserve fund for unexpected expenses and specific funds for large projects, such as for maintenance of beach access and canals, and water-quality issues.

Sue Callaway

Sue Callaway told the audience she has owned a home in South Bethany for 17 years and has volunteered for the town for 10 of those years.

“I have served with three different mayors and a variety of council members,” she said. “I have met the challenges of FEMA, water quality, floods, house fires, fire pits, feral cats, Junebugs, codes, beach replenishment, parking, police, and I’ve worked hard to address many other issues,” Callaway said, “especially those that are brought forward by our property owners.”

‘My passion has been and will be community enhancement,” she said. “I firmly believe that’s the key to maintaining a vibrant and desirable community. Through my leadership and with the help of very many volunteers, we have changed the landscape in South Bethany, both literally and figuratively.”

Callaway said she believes the primary issue facing the town right now is “working on a solid budget plan that prepares us for the future, providing leadership that promotes sound and competent administrative government operations and a strong police department, and maintaining a quality of life that everyone values.”

Tim Shaw

Tim Shaw’s remarks were the shortest of the candidates. He reminded the townsfolk that he has been on the council for two years, and that “we have committees in this town; they do a lot of work. We need volunteers,” Shaw said.

“We have the most amazing thing in this country — the right to vote — and it’s a shame when people squander it. Please don’t. Whether you vote for me or not, please show up and vote.”

Shaw also praised the efforts of South Bethany Property Owners Association President Joe Mormando in keeping residents informed on town issues and events.

Wayne Schrader

Candidate Wayne Schrader was not present at the meeting, but Councilman Frank Weisgerber read a statement that Schrader had submitted for the record.

“I bring to the position a slightly different perspective than that held by other council members. If elected, I will be the only council member who is a part-time resident,” Schrader said in his written statement.

“The perspectives of part-time and full-time residents may not always be aligned,” Schrader said. “Thus, it would be useful to have at least one member who sees through the lens of a part-time resident.”

Schrader also said his 25-plus years living in the Cat Hill neighborhood “may give me a slightly better chance of representing the unique interests of people who live in that section of South Bethany.” He added that he “would also hope that my 40-plus years of legal expertise would add value. I believe I am the only candidate who actively practices law.”

Patricia Voveris

Current Mayor Patricia Voveris has owned a home in South Bethany for more than 20 years, and said “seven and a half years ago, I decided I needed to more than just enjoy it.”

While walking her dogs four times a day, she said, she became aware that “Ocean Drive was in serious disrepair.” She said she put together a petition asking the council to address the situation, “gathered 40 names, brought it to the council and, voila, the road was paved.”

That experience led Voveris to run for council herself, and she served three years on the council before being elected mayor.

“I quickly learned there’s nothing natural about being the mayor, at all,” she said. “It’s a daunting experience. It does not come with a manual, and you never know what will befall you from week to week.

“We’ve had four action-packed years here,” Voveris said of her time as mayor. She pointed to some of the challenges she and the council have faced, including finding a new police chief, a FEMA mapping issue and subsequent appeal, a traffic study in Cat Hill, “progressive code changes” including prohibiting smoking on the beach, hiring a new town manager and new town clerk, “and now getting ready for beach replenishment.’’

“I will continue to support our town manager and chief,” Voveris said. “I will help evaluate our road maintenance and possible dredging of our canals.”

She added that she would also like to keep working with the Association of Coastal Towns, which addresses issues facing all of Delaware’s beach towns.

Tim Saxton

Saxton, who is challenging Voveris for the mayor’s seat, called himself a fiscal conservative, and said he has taken the Town through very difficult times, back in 2010.

“I also know the true story behind Ocean Drive,” he said.

Saxton said he met with former town manager Melvin Cusack about the Ocean Drive issues and Cusack “explained to me that he was afraid State (Municipal Street Aid) funds would dry up. We had about $200,000 in MSA funds. He said, ‘Let’s spend some now,’ because he was afraid the state government would not continue to give us those funds if we wouldn’t utilize them.”

Saxton cited his “desire to bring a fresh perspective, new leadership” and added that his strength “is to work collaboratively to solve issues by listening to different opinions so that the best resolution can be found.”

He added that he “would use this approach… to create a positive culture in which all can successfully contribute. The past year,” Saxton said, “we had many discussions around the police department. I believe the department is the correct size today to provide 24-7 coverage, as required by the comprehensive plan.”

Saxton continued by adding that “any changes to such coverage and resources should require approval of the public and not be up to the town council for any of it.”

He also said the council, faced with multiple large capital projects, should develop a long-term capital plan, and should present it to the public “so they can help us prioritize.”

Saxton said he feels the council should revisit the time of town council meetings, which is currently 2 p.m. on Friday afternoons, “so part-time residents can participate in town council meetings.”

He also urged the council to “define our workshops as workshops,” and said the council should not vote on anything during its workshops. Instead, Saxton said, workshops “should be a time when the council works together to resolve issues.”

He concluded his remarks by saying he believes the Town should “restore full funding of reserves so we can fund future projects. In the past two years, we have missed those targets.”

He also told the audience at the meeting that “five of six of the current town council members are supporting my mayoral candidacy. I believe that sums things up on the need for leadership change.”

The election for mayor and council members will be held on Saturday, May 26. Polls open at 9 a.m. Voters should bring ID with them to the polls. Absentee balloting is available through the town offices.

Millville hearing on Verizon antenna request canceled

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Local towns are asking people not to panic about new cellular equipment, at least in Millville and Fenwick Island.

Although Verizon Wireless is working to increase its coverage by possibly adding equipment throughout the area, they have only begun research and have not yet requested any permits in Fenwick Island.

In Millville, the company had originally requested permission to place 9-foot antennas atop an existing elevator shaft on the former “Halpern building” (now MyEyeDr.). But as of May 16, Cellco Partnership d/b/a Verizon Wireless has been informed it needs to re-do and resubmit the site plan. The scheduled May 22 Planning & Zoning Committee hearing in Millville has been canceled as a result.

“It’s not a tower,” said Millville Building Official Eric Evans, responding to rumors that a larger structure was proposed. “If anybody questions what’s on the agenda, they need to come to Town Hall themselves and look at the plans.”

Officially, Cellco had proposed to add several 8.8-foot “panel antennas” atop the elevator penthouse in the building commonly at 35786 Atlantic Avenue, owned by Halpern Family Property Investments.

Millville permits antennas, but the town council screens such requests through a conditional-use permit process. If and when the paperwork is resubmitted, it would include legal, engineering and even radio-wave safety reports.

Millville rules on wireless communications facilities are in the Town Code Chapter 155-16.

Verizon plans still evolving in Fenwick

In Fenwick Island, so many people have asked about Verizon’s plans that the town council discussed cell phone coverage for most of its April 27 meeting, although it wasn’t originally published on the meeting agenda.

When hired in Fenwick, Town Manager Terry Tieman was almost immediately instructed to research better cell phone coverage. Meanwhile, Verizon was brainstorming how to improve service, so they met in the middle.

“We have not seen a plan” for new poles from Verizon, said Tieman. In fact, she said Verizon’s own plans are changing behind the scenes as they do research. “That plan has evolved, has changed. I think that some of this is a little bit premature. … There’s lots of other sites north of there, south of there and in-between.”

“Right now, we’re waiting for Verizon to provide us with drawings and locations of the size and number of the poles. We do not have that yet. It’s a little bit premature to have that discussion until council sees that,” said Bill Weistling.

Verizon representatives attended the April council meeting but said they’re not ready to request permits yet. Their engineers are still studying how to improve signal in the least-intrusive manner.

“We will have a meeting, and everyone will be invited to come look at it,” Tieman told those present at the meeting. “This is not something we take lightly. This is not something we’re trying to rush through.”

“I agree that this whole process has been very transparent,” said Councilmember Vicki Carmean. “Anybody can come to the meetings, and I’m sure the engineers [will] present their plans or suggestions in an open meeting. I don’t like hidden agendas, and I haven’t found one in this project at all.”

But some residents said they were disappointed they hadn’t been directly notified by the company or the Town about research being done. The Jackson family of Lewes Street already has two utility poles in front of their property, they said, but no one has spelled out the criteria for historic status of their grandfather’s old house, which predates the town’s incorporation. Besides the poles, work trucks are frequently parked nearby for maintenance, the family said.

Bethany also looking

to gain some control

The public became aware of Verizon’s official location search for new or taller poles when the Cellco Partnership d/b/a Verizon Wireless company hired real estate advisors CBRE of White Plains, N.Y., to help assess the historic impact of nearby properties. CBRE published six legal notices in the Coastal Point regarding six new or replacement utility poles, 46- or 47-feet tall around Fenwick, South Bethany, Bethany Beach and Ocean View.

The discussion in Fenwick of small-cell technology and its potential installation there, and the notice given to Bethany Beach itself regarding a possible installation in front of that town hall, led Bethany officials to also start discussion of how they want to deal with such equipment installation requests going forward, especially considering the precedents that could be set by a first approval.

“I would like to reiterate: that was simply a division of Verizon doing its due diligence because of the [National] Historical Preservation Act,” Tieman said of the legal notices. “When they’re trying to put their plans together, if they think there might be a possible location that has historical significance, or for some reason, those two properties had historical significance in the eyes of the federal government,” they want to know the impact beforehand, she said.

After the State guaranteed cellular companies better access to the public right-of-way, Fenwick implemented a few requirements and permits processes of its own. Now, a building committee will review and permit any additions, including small-cell technology and boxes. The town council would permit any new poles.

Weistling estimated that the Town hosted 15 public sessions on the issue, between the town council, the Charter & Ordinance Committee and the Technology Committee.

“Our ordinance was designed to allow our Town some control in managing and maintaining the right of way. We cannot prevent cell phone poles or towers from coming into our town. No one can do that,” said Weistling, who recently drove around town with Verizon staff to point out locations where poles might be needed, favored or disliked by the public.

Cellular service is directly a public safety issue, said Fenwick Police Chief Bill Boyden.

“When we were hit by [Hurricane] Sandy, we had an enormous amount of people that could not get through to us [via telephone] because of the overload of the system,” including people at home and out-of-state, Boyden said. “We are totally driven by technology. Everything we do is on a computer.”

Boyden emphasized the problems, from having to release suspects because a computer loses signal, to not processing fingerprints properly when a driver produces a questionable ID. Besides their signal routinely dropping “from five bars to zero,” all the local Wi-Fi networks also interrupt the patrol cars’ mobile connection, he said.

Verizon engineers will closely study where the need is greatest, and that can vary from street to street. Fenwick requires companies to use existing poles where possible, so that’s a goal. However, some additions might be made in residential zones to prevent calls from dropping.

“I live on the beach, and I can assure you every single day, when I look out, there are people walking down that beach,” said Councilman Gardner Bunting. “There are no lifeguards nine months a year. If there is an emergency … someone who sees them is going to make a phone call, and they shouldn’t have to walk over the dunes to do that.

“I can’t even talk to Gene [Langan] from my house without dropping a phone call,” Bunting added.

“People were fearful these were going to be humongous towers that you see on the side of the road. They’re not,” said Boyden, adding that small-cell technology became encouraged after the network overloads during the panic of the Sept. 11 attacks.

But Fenwick can become overloaded if there’s a car crash at Route 54 (of which there are several per summer) or a noticeable earthquake in Virginia, as there was in 2011.

Beach replenishment set to start next week

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After significant beach erosion from winter storms again this year, the shoreline in Bethany Beach could use a little TLC. And it’s about to get just that, as the scheduled renourishment project for the town’s beach is set to get under way this coming week.

Originally set to start around May 15, the project is just a few days behind that timeline, now set to officially begin before the Memorial Day weekend arrives, sometime between May 20 and 25, and to still be completed within 28 days.

“Replenishment is on track to begin by the end of next week,” Bethany Beach Town Manager Cliff Graviet told the Coastal Point mid-week. “They are continuing to mobilize and deliver equipment.”

Graviet said the parking lot at Oceanview Parkway will be closed intermittently during the course of replenishment, as it is being used by the dredging company to stage the equipment and access the beach.

Once again, the work involves dredging sand from offshore borrow areas, pumping it through a series of pipes onto the beach, and then grading it into a dune and berm template designed to reduce potential storm damages to infrastructure, businesses and homes.

The two “hopper dredges” will work in tandem, first supplying sand to a pipe located between 3rd and 4th Street, and then to a pipe located between Wellington Parkway and Parkwood Street.

The schedule of construction calls for the beach to be repaired beginning in the 3rd/4th Street area and moving to the north, and then south from the 3rd/4th Street area to the midpoint of the town’s beach. At that time, replenishment will begin from the Wellington/Parkwood pipe, move north to the midpoint of the beach, and when that is completed, move from Wellington/Parkwood to the south.

“To assure the project is completed as quickly as possible, construction is scheduled 24 hours a day, seven days a week,” Graviet confirmed.

During construction, a 1,000-linear-foot portion of the beach will be closed at all times. The closure will be a “rolling” closure, and move as the repair and replenishment work is completed. It is estimated that 200 feet of beach will be repaired and restored every 24 hours.

The project also involves repairing and/or constructing dune crossovers, access points, planting dune grass and the replacement of dune fence. Dune crossover and beach access work will take place within days of each section of the beach and dune being repaired. But because the optimum time to plant dune grass is after the first frost, dune grass isn’t scheduled to be planted until late 2018.

The timing of the project and the beach closures is somewhat less than desirable, as the area heads into the vital summer season, but officials have emphasized that the availability of the dredges was a key factor in determining when the work could take place. The bulk of the town’s beaches will remain open and accessible at any one time during the course of the month-long project.

“Any concerns the Town might have regarding the schedule for replenishment and its possible impact on the Town are overridden by how pleased and fortunate the Town is to once again have its protective beach and dune restored,” Graviet had said when the timeline was announced earlier this spring.

Graviet acknowledged that the work will have an impact on the Town’s weekly movies on the beach and bonfires. He said the movies will be shown on the bandstand at times when the beach is not accessible, and the bonfires will also be moved as needed during construction.

“Those impacts are minimal compared to the impact of having no beach in Bethany this summer, or a dune to prevent the kind of damage that any significant nor’easter or hurricane might have on the community,” he had said.

Changes and updates, along with aerial photos/video of the project, will be available on the Town’s website and will be updated continually during the project, Graviet said. Anyone with comments, questions or concerns can contact the Town Manager’s Office at admin@townofbethanybeach.com or (302) 537-3771.

Once the dredges complete their work in Bethany Beach, they’re scheduled to move directly to South Bethany for the renourishment work there, followed by work in Fenwick Island that is slated to start in mid-July.

S. Atlantic Streetscape nears completion

On a side note, completion of the S. Atlantic Avenue Streetscape project is running slightly behind schedule as well. Graviet said there was a few days’ delay due to problems at the plant that produces the permeable pavement being used in the project. He said mid-week that he expected the paving work to resume before the end of the week, weather permitting. It was originally scheduled to be completed by May 15.

The project involves creating a multi-use pedestrian and bike path, built from porous pavement, on the south side of Cedarwood Street and on the east side of South Atlantic Avenue to Hollywood Street, separating pedestrians and cyclists from the vehicular traffic on the roadway. It also includes repaving the entire right-of-way.

For daily lists of streets impacted by the project, including closures, visit the Town’s website at http://townofbethanybeach.com/CivicAlerts.aspx?AID=504.

Parking permit season has officially arrived

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Much like Julius Caesar would dread the Ides of March, local drivers start grumbling at the Ides of May.

Parking permits and meter requirements went into effect on May 15 in local beach towns, in a seasonal event that runs until Sept. 15 each year in the towns of Fenwick Island, South Bethany, Bethany Beach and Dewey Beach.

During the paid parking season, almost everyone is required to have a permit or pay for parking in the towns, whether visitor, resident or property owner. Permit rules vary by town, street and permit type. Drivers can avoid tickets and fines by following the instructions on posted signage. Contact the town halls or websites for more information.

Bethany Beach

In Bethany Beach, Town Manager Cliff Graviet reported this week that, while the change from the off-season to the summer parking season has taken place, there are no changes in the Town’s parking procedures or fees for 2018.

Pay-to-park requirements are effective every day from May 15 through Sept. 15, and all public parking is either pay-to-park or by resident or business permit. Payments or permits are required beginning at 10 a.m. daily, until 4 p.m., 8 p.m. or 11 p.m., depending on location and denoted by signs in each area.

The pay-to-park rate in Bethany Beach is currently $2 per hour, with a 50-cent transaction fee added to credit card purchases. Parking can be paid for at the Town’s parking paystations via credit card or with quarters, with the resulting receipt required to be displayed on the vehicle’s dashboard, showing the expiration time.

The few remaining old-style coin-operated parking meters still require payment with quarters for the desired amount of time. Coin change-makers are located at 99 Garfield, Garfield mid-100-block north and south sides, Garfield at N. Pennsylvania, Garfield at S. Pennsylvania, N. Pennsylvania at Central, the Ocean View Parkway beach lot, Campbell beach lot and Wellington Parkway beach lot.

Bethany Beach’s paid parking can also be paid for by phone, using the Parkmobile app on a smartphone — the same app used in Rehoboth Beach and, starting this summer, in Ocean City, Md. — or by calling 1-877-727-5758. Motorists can find a parking zone number on the paystation near where they’ve parked, on single meters or on nearby signs, and they can then use Parkmobile to register their vehicle’s license plate and description to connect their parking session payment to that car.

While Garfield Parkway has a two-hour parking limit, purchasing a new parking session at the paystation or via Parkmobile can extend that time beyond two hours.

Additionally, the Town offers one-day, three-day and seven-day parking permits at the police department that cover parking in pay-to-park spots (not on Garfield or in resident permit areas) for that length of time, for $27, $79 or $183, respectively.

East-west streets with “Residential Permits Required” signs are restricted to parking for vehicles displaying resident permits during hours as posted, and neither resident nor business permits are valid for pay-to-park spaces. Handicapped and service vehicles are not exempt from payment requirements.

Owners of improved properties in the town are entitled to one free residential parking permit and may purchase a second permit for $35 for each owned property. Owners of unimproved properties are entitled to one free residential permit only, regardless of the number of unimproved properties owned. Applications for residential parking permits are mailed annually to all property owners in March.

For more information on parking in Bethany Beach, call (302) 539-8940 or visit the Town website at townofbethanybeach.com.

The Bethany Beach Patrol will be on duty from Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day weekend, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday, 9:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. on weekends and holidays, and on weekends in September from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Fenwick Island

Parking permits are required on all streets within the corporate limits of the Town of Fenwick Island from May 15 to Sept. 15. Parking permits are available daily at the Fenwick Island Police Department.

Later this summer, the Town will also install an automated parking kiosk outdoors near town hall, where people can purchase shorter-term passes.

Costs increased in April, to: $2.50 per hour (two-hour minimum); $20 per day; $120 per week; $400 per season; $200 for lost permit replacements; $400 for additional blue permits (limit of one). Permits are non-refundable.

Generally, permits are required starting at 9 a.m. See parking signage for details. Parking locations vary, based on permit type (resident or non-resident). For instance, blue permits are valid everywhere, but other permits cannot be used to park at beach street ends.

When picking up resident permits, property owners should bring a valid ID. Anybody picking up permits for another person must supply a letter from them indicating they are allowed to pick up the permit.

Handicapped-accessible parking is available, but still requires a paid permit. Special permits are also required for service vehicles, contractors, construction trailers, commercial trash containers and commercial utility vehicles.

Also, the Fenwick Island Beach Patrol is staffed on weekends and goes full-time on Memorial Day weekend.

For more information, Fenwick Island Town Hall can be reached at (302) 539-3011, www.fenwickisland.delaware.gov and at 800 Coastal Highway.

South Bethany

Parking permits are required May 15 to Sept. 15, where posted, throughout most of town. Permits can only be purchased in person at South Bethany Town Hall.

Costs increased this February. Daily passes cost $20 each. Property owners can purchase up to four seasonal permits for $20 each. Replacements cost $50 each, for any reason.

Generally, permits are required from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and again overnight. See signage for details.

There is no fee for contractors.

(The town council recently approved several updates to parking regulations that have not yet been implemented and will not be, until more research is done. They approved, but are still investigating, an online purchasing system, an automatic outdoor permit kiosk and an expansion of mandatory permit areas on the west side of Route 1.)

Lifeguards are on duty from Memorial Day to Labor Day from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. (5:30 p.m. on weekends), and the second and third weekends of September.

South Bethany Town Hall is available at (302) 539-3653, www.southbethany.org and at 402 Evergreen Road.

Dewey Beach

There are exceptions to the May 15-to-Sept. 15 timeline. Permits and meters are used widely throughout Dewey Beach. But parking is free on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday from 5 to 11 p.m. at permit and metered spaces.

Parking meters are available. Permits are not valid at parking meters. Other permit costs are: $10 per day (Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday); $15 per day (Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday); $35 per weekend; $55 per week; $200 per season; and $150 for property owners who have paid their town beach replenishment tax (limit of two).

Weeklong, weekend and daily permits are available for purchase 24/7 at the kiosk in front of the town hall parking lot. Seasonal permits are available in person during business hours at Town Hall.

Dewey Beach Town Hall is available at (302) 227-6363, www.townofdeweybeach.com and at 105 Rodney Avenue.

South Bethany council to release portions of police policy reports

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The South Bethany Town Council addressed two long-standing issues with its police department at its Friday, May 11, meeting.

Following an executive session that lasted more than an hour, the council voted to release the results of two reports pertaining to police department operations, albeit in two different forms.

The council also approved the awarding of a bid for renovations to the police department.

Regarding the reports, in the works for nearly a year, Police Chief Troy Crowson and Town Manager Maureen Hartman will receive the full, unedited versions. The public will have access to redacted versions of the reports, but will have to file Freedom of Information Act requests to receive those.

The reports were commissioned by the Town in 2017, with the goals of having its police department and employment policies evaluated. Changes in policies, police rankings and the town charter resulted.

The reports were done by Gregory A. Warren and by the Center for Public Safety Management, which provides technical assistance in public-safety issues for the International City/County Management Association (ICMA).

The town council voted unanimously in April to give redacted copies of the Warren report and the Center for Public Safety Management (CPSM) report to Crowson and Hartman.

At that time, Crowson said, “Anything that has to do with attorneys, communication with attorneys — I’m not interested in. Just the actual study. … I’m just only interested in the data that was derived from those studies.”

He said after the May meeting, however, that the redacted reports he had received were “ridiculous” and not useful to him.

The issue of the reports was complicated by a June 2017 letter from six South Bethany police officers that contained complaints about holiday pay, promotions and pension issues. No legal action was ever taken by the officers, but the issues were never resolved, either.

The council also voted 6-1 this week to approve a bid by Delmarva Veteran Builders of Salisbury, Md., to complete renovations to the police department building. The proposal included a base bid of $63,500 to complete that work, which Crowson said the police department has funding to cover. The Town will cover a $10,000 contingency fee and an additional $11,000 in potential costs. The total will depend on which of three alternative plans the Town chooses.

The basic project includes measures to provide better security for the building, including new keycard apparatus for doors, as well as better separation of the various areas of the department.

Councilman Frank Weisgerber voted against the bid approval, saying he would have preferred to wait until the next council workshop. Some details of the bid are not final, pending the selection by the construction firm of an electrician and information on what the costs of electrical work will be.

Improving the community, one flower at a time

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Coastal Point • Shaun M. Lambert: Members of the Salt Air Gardeners work on a rain garden at the Indian River Life-Saving Station last week.Coastal Point • Shaun M. Lambert: Members of the Salt Air Gardeners work on a rain garden at the Indian River Life-Saving Station last week.

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Although the Salt Air Gardeners of Bay Forest have only been in existence since late 2016, they’re already making a big impact in their local community.

Last year, the club began a multi-phase improvement project at the Indian River Life-Saving Station.

“We wanted to give back to the community in some way, and that’s how this project came about,” said Libby Bishop, who co-chairs the project committee with Marilyn Chaney. “One of the people had been to the Inland Bays Garden Center and asked if they knew of any place that needed some landscaping done, and they recommended the Indian River Life-Saving Station…

“We were just looking for a place in the community that needed some help, and, boy, did they need help.”

Last week, the club created a rain garden to help keep the station’s pathway and parking lot from flooding, while last year they had landscaped around the gift shop entrance.

“We really transformed it. We’re really proud of it. We tried to make it low-maintenance,” said Bishop. “We had to choose plants that would be native to that location, that would be drought-tolerant and salt-tolerant. It was pretty challenging, but fun.”

Bishop said the club worked with Laura Scharle of the Indian River Life-Saving Station throughout the process.

“She has been very supportive of our efforts to improve the landscaping at the site.”

The project was funded by both the Life-Saving Station and the garden club. They also consulted with area garden centers, including Pepper’s Greenhouses in Milton, Lord’s Landscaping and the Inland Bays Garden Center.

Bishop praised the project committee members, who she said worked tirelessly to complete the project.

“They worked really hard, and I give them a lot of credit,” she said. “They volunteered a lot of time last summer … put a lot of time and energy into this.”

For the rain garden, the club added 38 plants, including a red chokeberry and sugar shaft buttonbushes.

“It’s a small rain garden and not your typical rain garden, where the water flows out of the gutters — this is runoff from the slope to protect the walking path and parking lot from flooding,” said Bishop, noting that hours and hours of research went into the project.

“We wanted it to be more low-maintenance for them. We tried to make sure we could save whatever was there and use it elsewhere in the design or work around it.”

Last year, the club was recognized for their work, receiving the Delaware Department of Natural Resources & Environmental Control’s Volunteer of the Year Award in the Conservation Group category for the planting and maintenance of the landscaping at the Life-Saving Station.

Salt Air Gardeners was formed in October 2016, starting with five women in Bay Forest.

“Bay Forest has an herb garden, and we were working there when we decided we wanted to take this to the larger community. We did that through forming the garden club,” said Lois McNamara, one of the founding members and the club’s current president.

“We are a big community-based group. We are out there, trying to improve the environment through our involvement and gardening.”

While the Life-Saving Station is the clubs first big project, they are also working with Habitat for Humanity and Garden with a Purpose. The club holds monthly meetings (except in February, July and August) and frequently has lectures and field trips, with destinations including Lavender Fields and Longwood Gardens.

“Next we’ll be going to a vineyard to learn about grape-growing and wine-making,” added McNamara.

The club is open to anyone with a love of gardening; however, members are required to serve on at least one committee.

“Anybody can join, from the total novice to Master Gardeners. The talent really ranges. All we ask for is people who really want to learn and help us,” McNamara said.

The club is also a part of the Delaware Federation of Garden Clubs and frequently hosts speakers.

“Gardening here is so different than gardening in other places because of the sand and soil content,” said Bishop, noting how good it is to learn from experts.

Gardening in the ground is not the only type of gardening the club focuses on, said Bishop, noting they’ve had workshops on terrariums and floral-arranging, too.

“There are things for people who don’t necessarily want to go out and dig in the dirt.”

“Part of our mission statement is to encourage women to use flower-arranging in their homes. We’ve had workshops teaching us how to build a floral arrangement — sometimes out of dried materials — but we mostly try to use fresh flowers,” added McNamara, who noted that the club would be hosting their first tea at Cripple Creek Golf & Country Club, where members would be able to show off their floral arrangements. “We have all kinds of activities going on throughout the year.”

One such activity includes the group’s yard sale and plant sale, which Bay Forest will be hosting this Saturday, May 18, from 8 a.m. to noon.

Both women said being a part of the garden club has been a truly wonderful experience.

“I love seeing something grow from a tiny little seed, but I also love the creative aspect of gardening, whether it’s flower-arranging or designing a flower bed. This was a particularly spectacular challenge,” said Bishop. “They’re a wonderful, enthusiastic group of women who are excited about continuing their learning about gardening. That’s really important — there’s always something more to learn.”

“My family raised plants, my mother was a gardener, my grandfather had greenhouses. I just grew up in an environment where we ate from our garden… I’ve always loved, loved gardening. I worked for Department of the Environment for 30 years, so I really believe in preservation, conservation, protecting the watersheds — and we’re trying to teach that as well,” added McNamara.

“I love the fellowship. I love being with these wonderful women who really want to learn and are very talented. It always excites me to be around people who have energy, and we have floral energy!”

McNamara said those who are interested in joining the club can attend a meeting to meet members and see how they operate. She said the members are what make it something special.

“Just come out and meet some wonderful, wonderful women and do what you love to do. It that’s gardening, if that’s flower arrangements, if you love making wreaths for your door — come get involved! Get involved in flowers and get outside and enjoy this fantastic land we have. The club is made up of wonderfully talented women.”

For more information about the Salt Air Gardeners, visit www.saltairgardeners.com. Those who are interested in joining Salt Air Gardeners may send inquiries to saltairgardeners@gmail.com.


Fenwick officials excited for sidewalks, town anniversary

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A town known for its beaches, Fenwick Island will celebrate its blue sapphire anniversary this year. The municipality was incorporated on July 8, 1953, so a major celebration is being planned for its 65th anniversary.

Everyone is being invited to a free party on Sunday, July 1, from 1 to 4 p.m., with a D.J., clown, snowcones, grilled food, commemorative prizes, police K-9 demonstration and more.

“It can be a weeklong celebration,” especially with the annual bonfire scheduled for the following Saturday, said Town Manager Terry Tieman. Town Hall is also encouraging local businesses to offer specials or extra celebrations.

Walk on

Meanwhile, continuous sidewalks are becoming a real possibility along Coastal Highway, from James Street to Delaware Avenue.

Fenwick’s current patchwork of sidewalks sometimes disappears or leads pedestrians onto the highway or into parking lots. The goal is a dedicated, safe walkway to encourage walkers and perhaps reduce vehicle traffic.

Having kickstarted the process again with the Delaware Department of Transportation, Vicki Carmean said she was delighted.

“DelDOT has given its OK for the Town to proceed with plans to install ADA-complaint sidewalks in phases over the next few years. … They kept saying they were out of money, and they have finally found some,” Carmean said on April 27.

The Town Fenwick Island is only responsible for 20 percent of the engineering cost, or about $14,000 of the $56,000 price tag. Town staff are researching grants or Community Transportation Funds for their share. They hope that after plans are approved, Phase I would be constructed within a year.

Fenwick has been burned in decades past, as plans were researched, but the sidewalks never built. This time, engineers can start with those old studies and update the plan from there.

“We’ve had many plans in the past, and they’ve sat on the shelf,” Tieman said. “That is not the intent of this.”

Carmean also requested that more members of the public attend the Pedestrian Safety Committee meetings. She said it’s not time-consuming, but is rewarding.

“DelDOT wants your input,” she said.

In other Fenwick Island Town Council news:

• Parking permits are available daily at the Fenwick Island Police Department.

The town council approved a cost increase for 2018: $2.50 per hour (two-hour minimum); $20 per day; $120 per week; $400 per season; $200 for lost permit replacements; and $400 for additional blue permits (limit of one). Permits are non-refundable.

In 2017, the council approved purchasing a new outdoor automated parking kiosk, but it won’t be installed until later this summer. Until then, permits must be purchased in person. There are currently no parking meters or kiosks.

• Fenwick has been one of many towns to officially oppose the Trump Administration’s proposal for seismic testing and drilling for oil and natural gas in the Atlantic Ocean. This month, Mayor Gene Langan reported that the State of New Jersey recently just passed law prohibiting offshore drilling, as well as any pipelines or any infrastructure that would bring oil through the small section of coast the State of New Jersey controls.

“I see lawsuits opening up, but so what? And that’s what they’ve done to try to stop the offshore drilling. As soon as we heard about this, Terri contacted our legislators, and they are working on something similar for the State of Delaware. I thought it was well done, though,” Langan said.

Meanwhile, the State of Delaware is trying to find a $250,000 match to participate in a multi-state study to reduce flooding conditions in the bays, which caused heavy flooding in Hurricane Sandy.

Discussion will continue at the Association of Coastal Towns meeting on May 18 in Lewes.

• Lifeguards will return to duty on Saturday, May 26.

• FIPD Lt. John Devlin was honored for his 15 years of service to Fenwick Island. He is dedicated and hard worker and “literally my right-hand man,” said Police Chief Bill Boyden, despite home-life challenges and taking care of his own family.

• Around 50 people attended the Town’s Earth Day clean-up, which included educational exhibits, door prizes from local businesses and a trash cleanup.

• The town council approved a new policy of hiring a different financial auditor every five years, to shake things up and get a fresh set of eyes on the financial books and policies.

The Fenwick Island Town Council’s next regular meeting will be Friday, May 25, at 3:30 p.m.

Poseidon Festival ushering in summer season in Bethany

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With a new timeframe and new events, the Town of Bethany Beach is bringing a fresh perspective to its annual Poseidon Festival.

This year’s festival will be held over the Memorial Day weekend, starting Friday, May 25, with a concert on the bandstand, according to Bethany Beach Entertainment Director Julie Malewski.

At 6 p.m. on Friday, the Bullbuckers will take the stage with their ska/reggae tunes. The Bullbuckers are new to the Poseidon Festival but have played the bandstand in the past, Malewski said.

After the concert, the entertainment moves to the big screen on the sand, where “Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales” kicks off Bethany Beach’s Movies at the Beach for the summer, starting at dusk. The movie is rated PG-13.

On Saturday at 10:30 a.m. at the Bethany Beach Nature Center on Route 26, everyone is invited to participate in mermaid-related activities, including a book signing by Nancy Sakaduski, author of “The Mermaid in Rehoboth Bay.” Youngsters are being encouraged to dress as their favorite sea creature to win a prize, and there will be a mermaid-inspired scavenger hunt, Malewski said.

From 5:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. that night, the Poseidon Festival mixes education with entertainment with the Emergency Meet & Greet at the “top” of Garfield Parkway, behind the bandstand. Local emergency-response experts will be on hand to help residents and visitors alike be prepared for a coastal emergency.

Bethany Beach’s Mobile Command Center will be open for tours, as will a water-rescue vehicle. In addition, lifeguards, police officers and firefighters will be discussing ocean safety and distributing helpful information.

Malewski said that part of the Poseidon event was a result of her own need to know more about how to prepare for coastal emergencies, such as hurricanes and nor’easters.

“When I came here,” first as a summer visitor and then as a town employee, she said, “the different storms made me wonder — where would you take your pet, where would you go in an emergency, would there be supplies in the [vacation] house or should you keep things in your car?”

The Meet & Greet seeks to answer all those questions and more. Lifeguards will be providing valuable information on rip currents — one of the most dangerous aspects of swimming in the ocean.

Also on Saturday evening, not one but two concerts will keep rocking in the summer season.

First, at 6 p.m., the steel drum band Trinidad North brings its Caribbean sound to Bethany Beach. Trinidad North is new to the bandstand and to the Poseidon Festival; the band has traveled worldwide since 1989.

Then, at 7:30 p.m., Parrot Beach will bring its Jimmy Buffett-inspired sound to the stage. Key West/Buffett-inspired attire is encouraged, so those heading out to the boardwalk can dig out those flip-flops (but please don’t step on a pop-top) and enjoy some summer-steeped music.

On Sunday, May 27, the Poseidon Festival gets a little crabby, with its first ever “Hermit Crab Derby.” A Florida-based organization, the National Crab Racing Association, will supply the crabs for anyone who wants to give it a try.

Starting at 1 p.m., there will be five preliminary “heats,” leading up to a final “championship where three winners will receive certificates and ‘bragging rights,’” Malewski said.

At 7:30 p.m. on Sunday, the U.S. Navy Cruisers Band returns to Bethany Beach once again, bringing to the bandstand its huge repertoire, spanning every genre from jazz to classic rock to pop.

On Monday, the true meaning for the holiday weekend will be observed with a Memorial Day ceremony on the bandstand at 11 a.m. Sponsored by Mason-Dixon Post 7234 of the Veterans of Foreign Wars, the ceremony will feature remarks by longtime Sussex County Council Member George Cole of Ocean View.

The weekend of island-inspired fun wraps up with a concert by the steel-drum duo Island Fusion from 2 to 4 p.m. The duo, a husband-and-wife team who have been performing together since 1978, might just get the audience involved in an impromptu limbo contest or conga line, as Bethany Beach kicks off its summer season to a steel-drum beat.

Malewski said she feels like the “third time’s the charm” for the Poseidon Festival, with activities now spanning the entire four-day Memorial Day weekend. Building on the most successful aspects of the first two festivals and tweaking the dates, she said, seems like a winning recipe.

“We just invite everyone to come out and get feeling good, and get the summer started,” she said.

Sea Colony set to welcome pro women tennis players

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It’s Memorial Day weekend, which means the unofficial start to the summer season. With the warmer weather, more outdoor activities are beginning to take place — especially if Mother Nature could possibly keep the rain under control. One of the more popular leisure labors for locals is tennis.

ResortQuest will once again be bringing in the professionals this year as it hosts the 8th Annual Pro Women’s Open at Sea Colony. The USTA Pro Circuit Event features a $25,000 prize and will be held June 3-10, on the clay courts at the Sea Colony Tennis Center. The facility is located just south of Bethany Beach, at the crossroads of West Way Drive and Kent Avenue.

The pro women’s tennis tourney is
expected to draw a global field of competitors to the clay courts. Admission is free, and the public is being invited to
attend.

The tournament is sponsored by
ResortQuest by Wyndham Vacation Rentals, as well as the United States Tennis Association (USTA), UBS
Financial and the Sea Colony
community. The weeklong event will feature singles and doubles draws for nationally- and internationally-ranked women’s tennis players in search of ranking points, and — of course — a share of the prize money.

Last year, St. Petersburg, Fla.’s Danielle Collins won the event. At the time, she was the 194th-ranked player in the world. However, since that time, she has vaulted up the ranks to No. 44, after taking down then-No. 8 Venus Williams in the Miami Open back in March in a nationally-televised match on ESPN.

Collins was a two-time NCAA
national champion during her collegiate days. During last year’s tournament run, she dominated the field, losing just 19 games in her five matches. She participated in the French Open this week.

The qualifying matches for this year’s tournament will begin on Sunday, June 3. The main draw — for singles and doubles — will begin on Tuesday, June 5. The tournament will wrap up with the doubles finals on Saturday, June 9, before the singles championship match on
Sunday, June 10. The tournament will also feature a USTA-funded Junior Play Day on Wednesday, June 6.

Twitter users can follow the tournament on Twitter at #ProSC.

In a recent poll, Sea Colony ranked among the world’s Top 20 tennis camp locations and was listed at No. 21 as a tennis resort. It also received a No. 5 ranking for “Best Overall
Children’s Programs.”

Sea Colony was recognized in both 2012 and 2016 as a USTA Outstanding Facility of the Year. It is also ranked among the Top 50 Tennis Resorts in the U.S., including No. 3 in the
Mid-Atlantic region.

The facility features 34 tennis courts, which includes six indoor and 14 Har-Tru. Sea Colony offers a variety of camps, clinics and private lessons throughout the year for players of all ages and skill levels.

For more information about Sea Colony Tennis, stop by the Tennis
Center at West Way Drive and Kent
Avenue, call (302) 539-4488, visit
www.SeaColonyTennis.net or like them on Facebook
(www.Facebook.com/SeaColonyTennis).

Sports Report

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High school girls’ soccer

Indian River 2, Mt. Pleasant 0

Coastal Point • Shaun M. Lambert: Indian River Senior Sammi Whelen takes control of the ball during IR’s game against Sussex Academy last week.Coastal Point • Shaun M. Lambert: Indian River Senior Sammi Whelen takes control of the ball during IR’s game against Sussex Academy last week.Izzy Binko scored both goals for the Indians in their DIAA Division II state playoffs opener last Saturday against the Green Knights.

Binko was able to find the back of the net for IR (11-5) in both halves. In the first half, the Indians freshman took a pass from Grace Engel and put it past Mt. Pleasant goalie Circe D’Ambrosio.

Then in the second half, Sammy Whelen was credited with the helper to Binko — IR’s leading goal-scorer on the season.

The win moved IR to the second round and a meeting with No. 3 seed Caravel Academy. That game was set to be played Thursday, May 24, after Coastal Point press time. For the result and highlights of the game, check out the Coastal Point sports Facebook and Twitter pages.

High school golf

Six Indians compete in Henlopen Conference meet

Patrick Gogarty had the lowest round for the Indian River golf team as they participated in the Henlopen Conference championships at Dover’s Maple Dale Country Club.

Gogarty’s 95 over the 18 holes was just shy of the required 91 score needed to qualify for the DIAA state championships. Joe D’Orazio carded a 98, while Mikaela Brosnahan and Isabel Wolfenbarger each shot 100. Luke Morgan and Zach Lingenfelter were four shots back of their teammates with a 104.

It was the final scholastic match for seniors Brosnahan, D’Orazio and Wolfenbarger.

“We did not have anyone qualify for states, but it was certainly a good year,” head coach Billy Wingate said of his squad’s 9-5 overall mark.

High school girls’ tennis

Galbreath falls in first round

Indian River junior Madison Galbreath was the lone tennis player — boys’ or girls’ — to make it to the DIAA tennis championships, after a solid 9-5 regular-season individual record.

Galbreath faced Newark Charter’s Caroline Hall in the first round of the championships. She dropped the first set 6-2 before rallying to take the second set 7-5. In the third and decisive set, Galbreath just couldn’t get a break, falling 10-4 and getting eliminated.

High school boys’ volleyball

Delmarva Christian 3, Indian River 0

After an impressive opening-round 3-0 win over Concord School, the Indians met up with a Delmarva Christian High School that they had split wins with during the regular season.

Despite their back-and-forth contests, the Indians (8-3) just couldn’t find the winning combination in the invitational tournament, falling in straight matches, 27-25, 25-20 and 25-21.

Michael Barnes filled the stat sheet for IR with 16 kills, 11 digs, four blocks, an assist and an ace. Alexander Canseco Castro followed up with 24 assists, seven digs, a kill and an ace of his own. Mitch McGee chipped in with 11 kills, four digs and a block.

IR was set to play Conrad on Wednesday, May 23, in a third-place consolation match at St. Mark’s School. The results and highlights from that match weren’t available as of Coastal Point press time but will be available on the Coastal Point sports Facebook and Twitter pages.

High school spring sports

Successful spring season for Indians

Indian River Athletic Director Todd Fuhrmann confirmed this week that four spring sports teams were successful in winning Henlopen Conference South Division championships this season.

The baseball team, which was set to begin its postseason run on Thursday, May 24, as the 16-seed in the DIAA playoffs, finished the regular season with an 11-7 overall mark.

The softball squad, while seeing their season come to an unexpected halt in the first round of the DIAA playoffs, closed out their campaign at a solid 13-6.

The girls’ soccer team was still participating in the DIAA championships as of press time on Wednesday, with a May 24 quarterfinals appearance set against Caravel Academy in Dover. Should they triumph in that match, the semifinals of the tournament are set for May 30, and the championship game on June 1 or 2. The Indians earned their division crown thanks to an 8-4 regular season. They lost the Henlopen Conference championship to Caesar Rodney 1-1 (4-3 on penalty kicks).

Finally, the boys’ tennis team swept its five divisional opponents en route to the division title. Coach Mariano Woo’s squad had an extremely difficult non-conference and non-divisional schedule, which obviously more than prepared them for the regular season.

Indians baseball turns around for mercy-rule shutout

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Coastal Point photos • Tyler Valliant: Bailey Willey throws a pitch during Indian River’s 10-0 mercy-rule win over First State Military Academy on Tuesday, May 22.Coastal Point photos • Tyler Valliant: Bailey Willey throws a pitch during Indian River’s 10-0 mercy-rule win over First State Military Academy on Tuesday, May 22.There was a point a few weeks back when Indian River High School baseball skipper Derek “D.J.” Long was not happy with his team’s attitude, approach and interest level in a game against Delmarva Christian High School. However, a team meeting after that game must have done wonders, because since that time the Indians have rattled off six wins of seven games, including Tuesday’s 10-0 mercy-rule win over First State Military Academy.

Seven Indians seniors were recognized prior to the game, and it was some of those seniors who helped deliver the victory in their final regular-season game before the DIAA state playoffs.

Pitcher Bailey Willey pitched a complete game, needing just 57 pitches over five innings for the shutout win. The righty allowed just two first-inning hits, while striking out four and walking two.

“I just wanted to focus on throwing strikes, hitting the mitt and changing the locations of my pitches,” Willey said of his approach. “I’m proud of our team, how we came out and put runs on the board — makes it easier to pitch with a lead, and takes a huge weight off your shoulders.”

The Indians banged out 10 hits, led by senior Cole Hitch’s 3-for-3 day, while also knocking in two runs, and scoring another. J.J. Killen was 2-for-3 with a double, three RBIs and two runs scored. Senior Mark Smith scored a three runs for IR with his 1-for-1 plate showing.

In all, seven different Indians collected hits on the day. Jacob Anderson’s lone hit was a double, and senior Brock Wingate was 1-for-1 with a triple and run scored. Grant Argo also knocked in a run for IR.

“Fun game — got in some of the seniors,” Long said after the game. “We were able to play some guys that work hard all year, practiced hard all year, and even were able to get in our manager. I would have liked to see us hit the ball a little better, but we have another big game coming up.”

And he was more than happy with the effort he got on the bump from Willey.

“He pitched really well after not getting a lot of time this year,” Long said. “I thought he threw the ball well, was around the strike zone and threw strikes, which was important — really proud of him.”
Coastal Point photos • Tyler Valliant: Seniors and their families line up for a photo 3during Tuesday’s Senior Night event.Coastal Point photos • Tyler Valliant: Seniors and their families line up for a photo 3during Tuesday’s Senior Night event.
The seven seniors for IR baseball this year were Willey, Hitch, Smith, Wingate, Myles Clark, Alex Pszczola and manager Andrew White.

IR scored four in the first inning, thanks to Hitch’s two-run double, a passed ball and Argo’s RBI single. They would add two more in the second on Killen’s run-scoring single and another passed ball. Two more passed balls in the third inning scored a pair.

The game was brought to an end thanks to a two-run double to center by Killen.

The Indians picked up the No. 16 seed in the DIAA state playoffs and were set to open up against 17-seed Dover on Thursday, May 24, after Coastal Point press time. For results and highlights from the game, be sure to check out the Coastal Point sports Facebook and Twitter pages.

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