By Andy Walter

NEWARK — Kedrick Whitehead has long since proven himself as a valuable player on the field.

But it’s what the Middletown High grad did off the field last Saturday that reminded his Delaware football teammates what a great leader he is, too.

The junior safety had just been ejected for targeting in the second quarter of the Blue Hens’ game at Villanova.

But apparently Whitehead immediately turned his attention to helping his teammates any way he could.

“Not even a minute after they ruled it targeting, Ked was walking around with water and Gatorade for everyone,” linebacker Andrew Palowski wrote on social media.

“I turn around during a TV timeout, in the sideline huddle and he is bringing the offense Gatorade cup,” agreed receiver Gene Coleman. “He’s part of the reason we have this culture we built.”

Of course, the fact that Delaware ended up beating the Wildcats, 27-20, helps make it a better story for the Hens to tell.

Fifth-ranked Delaware (5-0) will be happy to have Whitehead back on the field today when it hosts Sacred Heart (3-1) at 7 p.m. in the first round of the NCAA Division I playoffs.

Whitehead was just named first-team All-CAA this week. For the spring season he was in on 18 tackles, had two pass breakups, forced two fumbles and recovered one.

But Whitehead’s teammates will tell you that some of the most important things he brings to the squad can’t be measured in stats.

“Kedrick is such a great guy to be around, especially his energy,” said cornerback Nijuel Hill. “He brings so much energy to the sidelines. In practice, he’s always talking, getting the guys going. He’s the one in the middle, giving the pre-game speeches. And not everybody can do that.

“Even when he had his targeting call, a lot of guys go back to the locker room. But he was on the sidelines doing everything he was supposed to do — giving everybody water, making sure his backup knew what he was doing. He was on the sidelines screaming out formations, letting us know what was coming.

“That’s just the epitome of Kedrick Whitehead,” Hill added. “He knows that this is a family and he wants everyone to succeed, no matter what.”

Wesley takes NJAC honors

In its final season, the Wesley College football program earned some of the New Jersey Athletic Conference’s top honors for the spring.

Wolverine senior linebacker Dante Daniel was named the league’s Defensive Player of the Week while Chip Knapp was voted the NJAC’s top coach. Also, La’Trell McCants and Marcus Johnson were tabbed the NJAC’s offensive and defensive Rookies of the Year.

Daniel, a two-time All-NJAC first-team honoree, was a four-year starter and three-time team captain. He had 18 tackles in Wesley’s three games, including nine solo stops, as well as a pass breakup.

For his career, Daniel collected 201 tackles, 25 tackles for loss, 12 pass breakups, and four sacks.

McCants rushed 44 times for a league-high 233 yards (5.3 per carry). He rushed for three touchdowns and a pair of two-point conversions.

Johnson, a defensive lineman, led the team in sacks, posting four tackles, including one for loss, against Salisbury.

Knapp led the Wolverines to a 2-1 record in his third and final season as Wesley’s head coach. In his 30 years coaching in the program, Knapp coached players to 48 All-American honors, 99 all-region honors and 136 all-conference awards.

Other Wesley players named to the NJAC’s all-South Division first team were quarterback Brady Walters, receivers Devin Curry, Jerrish Halsey and Keshaun Henry, offensive linemen Brandon Bradford and Angel Guerrero, defensive linemen David Pierre and Dominick Williams, linebacker Jay Holmes (Caesar Rodney), and safeties Mike Brewer (Woodbridge) and Marcus Gaspard.

Ivy, Killen win awards

A pair of former Henlopen Conference baseball standouts, now playing for Wilmington University, were recently honored by the CACC.

Quintin Ivy (Caesar Rodney) was named the league’s Player of the Week for the second straight time while J.J. Killen (Indian River) earned Rookie of the Week honors.

Ivy went 9-for-15 with 11 RBI in four games. That included a monster performance in a doubleheader against Nyack, when he went 6-for-7 with three doubles, two homers, nine RBI, and seven runs scored.

In 13 games, he’s batting .426 with 24 RBI and 19 runs.

Killen batted 8-for-9 in three starts, collecting two doubles, a homer, five RBI and eight runs scored. He had an on-base percentage of .933 in his plate appearances.

In 10 games, Killen is hitting .452 with 14 runs and 13 RBI.

Notes

The no-hitter thrown by Wesley College softball pitcher Shanyn Burch last week was the Wolverines’ first since 2015 when Lindsay Siok (Milford) threw one ... The Delaware State softball team hosts Norfolk State for four games this weekend needing to catch the Spartans to earn a spot in the four-team MEAC Tournament. Norfolk is 9-6 in conference and the Hornets are 8-7. ... The DSU baseball team also hosts Norfolk State in four games this weekend. The first-place Spartans (11-5 MEAC) lead the Hornets (9-6 MEAC) by 1.5-games in the MEAC North. ... Former Smyrna High and Delaware standout Will Knight has been listed as a running back coach for First Down Performance camps. Still no word on where Knight might end up playing again. ... Another former Smyrna star, linebacker Debo Williams, should make his South Carolina debut in the Gamecocks’ spring game on Sunday.