Cape Henlopen claimed the DIAA Division I state field hockey championship on Nov. 13 with a commanding 7-0 victory over Milford.
The top-seeded Vikings finished their season with a near-perfect 19-0 record, having outscored their opponents 124-1 throughout the year, according to Yahoo Sports.
The win at the DE Turf Sports Complex marked the 13th state championship for the program in the last 16 years.
Cape Henlopen entered the contest with significant motivation after falling to Smyrna in the 2025 final, as reported by the Delaware News Journal.
“I never wanted to feel what I did when we lost last year, and that was our motivation this year,” said senior Emily Wells, as noted by the Delaware News Journal.
The Vikings controlled the pace early, scoring two goals in the first period to establish an immediate lead.
Teagan Baker opened the scoring off an assist from Atia Sabbagh, followed by two goals from Kailey McMahon.
Additional scoring contributions came from Mairead Rishko, Wells, and Baker, who helped build a 6-0 cushion before the final period.
Milford, which reached the final as the No. 6 seed, struggled to maintain momentum against the Vikings’ offensive pressure, per Yahoo Sports.
The championship performance drew praise from the coaching staff regarding the team’s consistency and focus.
“While playing at a high level, I haven’t seen anything like it before, and it’s just impressive,” said Cape coach Kate Austin, according to the Delaware News Journal.
Senior Atia Sabbagh emphasized the importance of maintaining a disciplined approach during the high-stakes tournament.
“So staying humble, playing our game, and sticking to our game plan is what we try to do the most,” Sabbagh said, as cited by local outlets.
The victory serves as a definitive conclusion to a dominant campaign for the Vikings, who have now secured titles spanning back to their previous wins in 1979 and 1995.
The final tally of seven goals was one short of the tournament record set by Delmar in 2021, according to the Delaware News Journal.