Luke Bender Sophomore Luke Bender finished third in the state last year as a freshman at 132 pounds. This season, he has moved up to 145 and has not been seriously challenged. “He is a hard worker in the wrestling room, asks questions and always.
Youthful leader has had seven state champions
Cape coach Chris Mattioni gives his wrestler instructions during a match in the 2014 state tournament. NICK ROTH PHOTO
Dave Frederick December 24, 2020
Chris Mattioni rolled off Route 1 and Kings Highway into a job interview at Cape Henlopen in the summer of 1995, securing a social studies position sweetened by being named head coach of the wrestling team. Mattioni had wrestled at Valley Forge Military Academy and The Citadel, then spent two years coaching at Stanford High School in Goose Creek, S.C. He is not a stiff and buttoned-up personality who prefers to be called sir, but more the gracious, loquacious and affable teacher-coach type guy.
Lucas Ruppert, fifth (285). Cape also returns
Jackson Handlin (195), who was 34-13 last season. Cape will open the wrestling season Wednesday, Jan. 13, hosting Sussex Central. Caravel Academy, with four state champions in the lineup, will be at Cape Monday, Jan. 25.
Fun to watch - The Cape girls’ basketball team should be fun to watch this season – too bad most of you will never see them play. Cape basketball has a 14-game schedule, playing each Northern Division opponent twice. Last season, the Vikings beat each Northern Division opponent twice before losing to Woodbridge in the Henlopen Conference Championship game, then advancing to the semifinals to face Sanford when the season got canceled due to COVID. That was way harsh because Cape had a legit shot to bring home the first state title since 1973. “They wanted to play at The Bob,” coach Pat Woods said. “They were so upset they never got the chance.” Gone from that team are