This is crunch time for all fall sports team that are still standing with dreams to go deep into the postseason state tournaments. And some teams are on a quest to capture the big prize, and every sports fan knows it is easier to climb to the top than it is to stay there.

Cape football is once again not in total control of its own Thanksgiving weekend fortunes. Unless you are afflicted with Rain Man disorder, you don’t need to understand the reason why behind all the scenarios; just know that if Cape loses to 4-5 Smyrna at home Nov. 9, the basketball players and wrestlers can walk straight to winter practice.

Three seasons ago in coach Bill Collick's first season, the Vikings just needed to beat 4-5 Smyrna to finish 6-4 and have Cape’s first winning season in 10 years. Cape lost 21-20 as an entire community watched a 47-yard potential game-winning field goal by Rashawn Davis sail high and true and go poof, soft landing on vinyl grass a yard short of victory.

Cape’s competition for the final No. 6 spot in the postseason Division I tournament field is the Concord Raiders of coach George Kosanovich.

If Concord plays on Friday night and loses at 5-4 Appoquinimink - it’s hard to get fired up playing a team whose name you can’t spell - Cape is in with a win. If both teams win, then there are three other results that would send Cape to the tournament: a win by 6-3 Caesar Rodney at 4-4 Dover, a win by 3-6 Sussex Tech at 6-3 A.I. duPont or a win by St. Mark’s 8-1 over 8-1 Salesianum.

The Hawks of St. Georges Tech must only beat Polytech at home in the final game to finish the season 10-0. Head coach J.D. Maull and assistants Kai Maull and Ronnie Burton are all Cape grads. A Cape team has never posted a perfect 10-0 regular season record. St. Georges is in Division II.

The weather has pushed back the start of the tournament in field hockey and soccer.

Cape, the Henlopen Conference champion and the No. 1 seed in field hockey, will open at 2:30 p.m., Friday, Nov. 9, at home, hosting Mt. Pleasant.  A Vikings win would set up a showdown between Cape and the winner of Tower Hill and Brandywine Tuesday, Nov. 13, at a site to be determined.

Milford plays at Wilmington Friends Nov. 9; Delmar will host St. Thomas More Saturday, Nov. 10. Sussex Tech is at Tatnall Nov. 10, and Polytech will host Concord Nov. 10.  All five Henlopen Conference teams are even money to snare an opening-round victory.

The Dover High turf field is the Saturday, Nov. 10 site for soccer that includes four games: Indian River will play McKean at noon; Cape will play Archmere at 2 p.m.; Salesianum will play Milford at 6 p.m. and Sussex Tech plays Concord at 8 p.m. The quarterfinal round of the soccer tournament is Wednesday, Nov. 14.

Senior Anna Frederick will be called upon to lead the Vikings this postseason. (Photo by: Dan Cook)

A senior with state championship experience at two different schools, Izzie Delario knows what it takes to be a champ. (Photo by: Dan Cook)

Tiarra Duffy is no stranger to the DIAA Championships. (Photo by: Dan Cook)

Cape coach Bill Collick hopes to keep the spirit up on his team while playing for a state title run. (Photo by: Dan Cook)

Jeremiah Cohen will continue to put pressure on the opponent's quarterback. (Photo by: Dan Cook)

Diaz Nardo is a triple threat on the Vikings squad as he slams runners from his defensive back position, plays quarterback and punts. (Photo by: Dan Cook)