By Andy Walter

GEORGETOWN — Like most coaches this year, John Wells wasn’t sure what kind of team he had.

Not only did the veteran Sussex Central High softball coach have four freshmen on the roster, but he had six sophomores who, because of the pandemic, hadn’t played any varsity yet.

“I told my girls from day one, I said, ‘Look, the sophomores that are here are still freshmen,’” said Wells. “I’ve got to learn what they can do on a softball field. ... It’s like having two classes of freshmen.”

But 22 games — and 21 wins — later, here are the Golden Knights, playing for a state title.

Top-seeded Central (21-1) will face No. 3 Caravel (18-4) in the DIAA state championship game on Monday at 3 p.m. at Dover High. The contest was postponed because of rain on Saturday.

The Knights are 3-3 all-time in state finals, including 3-2 under Wells. They’re in the title game for the first time since winning it in 2008.

The Buccaneers have won the state crown 10 times and are playing in the finals for the 18th time since 1999.

Despite his players’ youth, Wells said he liked his team’s potential from the start.

“Losing the five seniors who graduated last year, there was some uncertainty in some spots,” he said. “But I think because of the sophomores we gained last year and the incoming freshmen that are here, I’m not saying I thought we’d be in the state championship 100 percent, but that’s a goal we wrote down as a team at the beginning of preseason.

“So I’m not surprised but I’ve been pretty impressed with this group. They’ve stayed committed to the goal and put team first. I’m pretty excited about this team getting here and what they’ve achieved so far.”

Central hasn’t lost since falling to defending state champion Smyrna, 2-1, in its season opener.

The Knights had seven players make all-Henlopen North, including first-team selections Madge Layfield (pitcher), Aryanna Briddell (first base), McKenna Boyles (outfield) and Kate Evick (catcher, at-large).

Layfield and Evick also made first-team All-State while Briddell and Boyle were second-team picks.

Just a freshman, Layfield has dominated at times, usually reaching double digits in strikeouts.

Wells said Layfield’s immediate success was a little bit of a surprise because she plays a lot of her travel-ball games out of the area. But he knew about her because her father, Derrick Layfield, is one of his assistant coaches in football.

“I don’t think a lot of people knew how good she was going to be,” said Wells. “But I knew how hard she was working and where she was playing. I thought she could be special.

“And then to see her perform was actually even better than I think most people banked on.”

After leading the Knights to the DIAA Division I football state championship in December, Wells has the chance at the unusual accomplishment of winning a second state crown in a different sport in the same school year.

Earlier this spring, he picked up his 400th career softball victory.

But Wells said today’s game isn’t about him.

“It’s the same thing I say all the time — it’s one game at a time,” he said. “The minute you think about anything beyond that, it’s not helping the cause and it become a distraction. We’re just trying to beat Caravel. We can talk about the results afterward.

“All we’re focused on is that game. It’s not about me at all. It’s about these girls and this game.”

Notes

Nine different Henlopen Conference teams have won at least one state title in softball ... Henlopen schools have captured 12 state championships since 2003, including seven of the last eight. ... Central is 2-1 against Caravel in state finals. ... Caravel is only 1-4 in its last five appearances in the state championship game.