The MaxPreps Rivalry Series visits Delaware

This fall, MaxPreps and the National Guard will visit high school football rivalries all across the country as we honor what is quite possibly the greatest tradition in sports. We're sending photographers and videographers out to capture the whole rivalry experience between some of the longest standing rivals in the nation. Our tenth rivalry game in Delaware is the Cape Henlopen vs. Sussex Tech rivalry. The Rivalry Series microsite has all the details and information you'll need to follow this rivalry from start to finish.



As the temperature grew colder during last year's Sussex Tech-Cape Henlopen gridiron brawl, the Ravens warmed up and rallied from a 5-0 halftime deficit to win 18-5 and send Viking coach Bill Collick into retirement with a loss. But, hey, Sussex Tech wouldn't have it any other way. You see, neither one of these schools cares much for the other, especially on the football field where Cape Henlopen holds a slight 13-11 edge over the Ravens in wins since 1994.The Vikings defeated Sussex Tech in seven straight games beginning in 1994, the year this football slugfest became an annual Henlopen Conference fiasco. The Vikings posted four shutouts during that seven-year run before the Ravens rebounded with eight triumphs in 10 years to tighten the series. Cape Henlopen then claimed four wins in six tries before last year's Raven rally.Sussex Tech and the Vikings don't play a lot of close games. Only three Raven-Cape Henlopen football contests have been decided by a touchdown or less since 1994. Sussex Tech is the owner of the largest margin of victory in this series after bumping the Vikings 49-6 in 2004. The Vikings took tight 27-21 and 26-23 wins in 2000 and
Cape Henlopen and first year coach JD Maull don't expect to flinch when the Ravens reach Viking turf in November. Instead, the Vikings foresee taking a halftime lead and extending it to get this series back to where they say it belongs. Sussex Tech, on the other hand, has the momentum and maintains that it has the appetite to go into enemy territory, flex its muscle and get another win.An overflow crowd is expected at Cape Henlopen's Legends Stadium on Friday, November 9, 2018 at 7:00 p.m. So get to the stadium early, reserve your seats and brace yourself for one of the largest displays of football mayhem Delaware is yet to see.
Cape Henlopen jerked seven straight wins out from under the Ravens, beginning in 1994, and outscored Sussex Tech 211-39 during the run. After going back-to-back in 2005 and 2006, the Vikings won three straight contests over their hated foe in 2011, 2012 and 2013. Cape Henlopen also took a 32-21 decision from Sussex Tech in 2016. The Vikings have pitched four shutouts of the Ravens, since 1994, and held Sussex Tech to 10 points or less six times.Cape Henlopen holds a slight 554-548 scoring cushion over the Ravens since 1994. Over the years, Cape Henlopen has claimed three Henlopen Conference championships, finished as the Division I state runners-up in 1978, 1982 and 1984 and claimed its only Division I state football title in 1979.In November Cape Henlopen hosts Sussex Tech in one of Delaware's brutal, take no prisoners riots on a football field. And it's doubtful that the Vikings have forgotten the 18-point second half outburst put on by the Ravens a season ago. With the home crowd backing them, the Vikings expect to strike early and often and put the hammer down.
Sussex Tech High School, home of the Ravens, is located about 19 miles southwest of Cape Henlopen High School on Highway 9 in Sussex County, Delaware. Hosting nearly 1,450 gridiron fanatics that are ready to take on the world for their football team, the Ravens will compete in Division I this fall. Sussex Tech coach Mark Quillan was promoted to Raven head coach when Bernie Nowakowski stepped down following the 2012 season. The sixth-year coach guided Sussex Tech to a rivalry win over Cape Henlopen in his first try and has helped the Ravens to wins in three of the four high grade battles since. Five seasons into his Sussex Tech tenure, Quillan is 32-21 and guided the Ravens to sole ownership of the 2014 Henlopen Conference championship.After struggling to knock off the despised Vikings in the mid to late 90s, Sussex Tech responded by earning four straight rivalry victories beginning in 2001. Then, in 2007, the Ravens started another run of four triumphs in a row over Cape Henlopen. During that 8-2, 10-year run, Sussex Tech outscored the Vikings 334-176.Since 1994, Sussex Tech has posted one shutout over the Vikings and held Cape Henlopen to 10 points or less four times. The Ravens claimed another Henlopen Conference title in 2009 and grabbed the 1993 Division II state championship.Now that they are within two games of tying the series in this Grade A savage football throw down, the Ravens don't care if they compete in their own back yard, or if they have to take their game to the dangerous turf of Legends Stadium. They just want to win football games. And that's what they intend to do come November 9.

The Delaware National Guard says it'll assist with relief efforts for those affected by Tropical Storm Harvey.
The News Journal of Wilmington reports a statement from the Delaware Guard says a C-130 aircraft was launched Tuesday to support evacuation efforts in Texas. Harvey first made landfall as a Category 4 storm Friday night near Corpus Christi and the Delaware National Guard will do whatever they can to help with the relief efforts.
Cape Henlopen and Sussex Tech fans will be happy to know that after the game, photos will be available to download FOR FREE because this game is a part of our special Rivalry Series program presented by the National Guard. Check back here the Monday following the game.

To learn more about the City of Vision Gridiron Championship rivalry game and the other teams who are a part of the 2018 Rivalry Series, check out the MaxPreps Rivalry Series microsite.