Delaware takes on Princeton following Davis' 28-point game

AP

Princeton Tigers (11-1) at Delaware Fightin' Blue Hens (8-4)

Newark, Delaware; Saturday, 2 p.m. EST

FANDUEL SPORTSBOOK LINE: Tigers -4; over/under is 143.5

BOTTOM LINE: Delaware hosts the Princeton Tigers after Jyare Davis scored 28 points in Delaware's 88-85 overtime loss to the Rider Broncs.

The Fightin' Blue Hens are 2-1 in home games. Delaware is eighth in the CAA in rebounding with 35.5 rebounds. Christian Ray leads the Fightin' Blue Hens with 8.7 boards.

The Tigers are 5-1 on the road. Princeton scores 77.7 points and has outscored opponents by 15.1 points per game.

Delaware scores 76.8 points, 14.2 more per game than the 62.6 Princeton gives up. Princeton averages 7.4 more points per game (77.7) than Delaware allows (70.3).

TOP PERFORMERS: Davis is scoring 19.6 points per game and averaging 6.7 rebounds for the Fightin' Blue Hens. Cavan Reilly is averaging 2.4 made 3-pointers over the last 10 games for Delaware.

Xaivian Lee is scoring 16.9 points per game with 4.8 rebounds and 3.3 assists for the Tigers. Matt Allocco is averaging 12.9 points and 2.6 rebounds while shooting 55.3% over the last 10 games for Princeton.

LAST 10 GAMES: Fightin' Blue Hens: 6-4, averaging 74.3 points, 33.6 rebounds, 14.5 assists, 7.0 steals and 2.4 blocks per game while shooting 44.4% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 71.9 points per game.

Tigers: 9-1, averaging 79.0 points, 35.6 rebounds, 16.0 assists, 6.6 steals and 2.9 blocks per game while shooting 48.1% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 62.3 points.

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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.

Princeton visits Delaware after Davis' 28-point game

AP

Princeton Tigers (11-1) at Delaware Fightin' Blue Hens (8-4)

Newark, Delaware; Saturday, 2 p.m. EST

BOTTOM LINE: Delaware hosts the Princeton Tigers after Jyare Davis scored 28 points in Delaware's 88-85 overtime loss to the Rider Broncs.

The Fightin' Blue Hens have gone 2-1 in home games. Delaware is second in the CAA with 15.1 assists per game led by Jalun Trent averaging 3.3.

The Tigers are 5-1 on the road. Princeton ranks fourth in the Ivy League shooting 36.2% from 3-point range.

Delaware averages 76.8 points, 14.2 more per game than the 62.6 Princeton allows. Princeton averages 7.4 more points per game (77.7) than Delaware allows (70.3).

TOP PERFORMERS: Davis is scoring 19.6 points per game and averaging 6.7 rebounds for the Fightin' Blue Hens. Cavan Reilly is averaging 2.4 made 3-pointers over the last 10 games for Delaware.

Matt Allocco is averaging 13.6 points and 3.3 assists for the Tigers. Xaivian Lee is averaging 17.3 points over the last 10 games for Princeton.

LAST 10 GAMES: Fightin' Blue Hens: 6-4, averaging 74.3 points, 33.6 rebounds, 14.5 assists, 7.0 steals and 2.4 blocks per game while shooting 44.4% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 71.9 points per game.

Tigers: 9-1, averaging 79.0 points, 35.6 rebounds, 16.0 assists, 6.6 steals and 2.9 blocks per game while shooting 48.1% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 62.3 points.

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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.

Pierce and Princeton host Harvard

AP

Harvard Crimson (9-4) at Princeton Tigers (12-1)

Princeton, New Jersey; Saturday, 2 p.m. EST

BOTTOM LINE: Princeton hosts the Harvard Crimson after Caden Pierce scored 21 points in Princeton's 84-82 win against the Delaware Fightin' Blue Hens.

The Tigers are 5-0 in home games. Princeton ranks fourth in the Ivy League with 15.5 assists per game led by Matt Allocco averaging 3.5.

The Crimson have gone 3-2 away from home. Harvard is fourth in the Ivy League with 25.0 defensive rebounds per game led by Justice Ajogbor averaging 5.3.

Princeton makes 47.6% of its shots from the field this season, which is 6.2 percentage points higher than Harvard has allowed to its opponents (41.4%). Harvard averages 8.1 made 3-pointers per game this season, 1.6 more made shots on average than the 6.5 per game Princeton allows.

The matchup Saturday is the first meeting of the season between the two teams in conference play.

TOP PERFORMERS: Xaivian Lee is scoring 17.0 points per game with 4.7 rebounds and 3.3 assists for the Tigers. Pierce is averaging 14.3 points and eight rebounds over the past 10 games for Princeton.

Malik Mack is shooting 47.3% and averaging 20.1 points for the Crimson. Louis Lesmond is averaging 2.4 made 3-pointers over the last 10 games for Harvard.

LAST 10 GAMES: Tigers: 9-1, averaging 80.4 points, 35.9 rebounds, 16.6 assists, 6.2 steals and 2.9 blocks per game while shooting 47.8% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 63.8 points per game.

Crimson: 6-4, averaging 70.7 points, 34.2 rebounds, 12.9 assists, 5.4 steals and 3.6 blocks per game while shooting 43.1% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 73.3 points.

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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.

Listing Delaware Blue Hens' big wins over Penn State Nittany Lions

Saturday’s noon visit to Beaver Stadium marks a historic first for the University of Delaware football program.

In 131 previous UD football seasons dating to 1889, the Blue Hens and the neighboring, frequently ferocious Nittany Lions have never met.

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The University of Delaware’s athletic season closed last weekend when three track and field athletes competed in the NCAA East qualifying meet in Jacksonville, Florida.

Senior pole vaulter Ashley Bailey out of Middletown High, junior 800-meter runner Michaela Meyer from Southbury, Connecticut, and sophomore discus thrower Myrissa McFolling-Young of Smyrna weren't able to nail down the top-12 finishes needed for the NCAA Championships in Austin, Texas.

UD NCAA field hockey champs are 2016 DSBA team of year

Kevin Tresolini

The News Journal

The University of Delaware’s national success in field hockey will get the ultimate First State recognition next month.

Delaware, which won the NCAA Field Hockey Tournament championship in November, has been voted the state’s 2016 Team of the Year by the Delaware Sportswriters & Broadcasters Association.

The Blue Hens won out over several strong contenders, including first-ever state champion Woodbridge High football and Delmar High field hockey squads. The Team of the Year will be honored at the DSBA awards luncheon Feb. 20 at the Sheraton Wilmington South near New Castle.

Other presentations include the Tubby Raymond Award to the state coach of the year, the Buddy Hurlock Unsung Hero Award to an athlete who has overcome difficulty, the Herm Reitzes Award for community service and the John J. Brady Award to Delaware’s 2016 Athlete of the Year.

Delaware nipped North Carolina 3-2 in the NCAA championship game at Old Dominion University in Norfolk, Virginia, on Nov. 20.

The Blue Hens were playing in their second national title game in field hockey, but first since 1978. North Carolina, on the other hand, was making its 17th title-game appearance and had won six NCAA field hockey titles.

“It’s a mix of unbelievable but also believable,” senior Meghan Winesett, who scored Delaware’s second goal, said after beating the powerful Tar Heels. “People [underestimated] us all season. I think beating Duke [in the quarterfinals] and beating Louisville [in the first round] proved people wrong, but I’m proud to beat a six-time champ.”

Delaware’s seniors had lost 6-2 to North Carolina in the first round of the NCAA Tournament as freshmen.

“It’s a tribute to Rolf,” senior Maura Zarkoski said of sixth-year coach Rolf van de Kerkhof. “We just trusted the process. I knew he had a vision and we all bought into what he had to say, including the classes before my senior class, and worked our butts off and fought to get here.”

Ranked eighth in the nation entering the tournament, Delaware also upset top-seeded Duke 3-2 in overtime in the quarterfinals and avenged a regular-season loss with another 3-2 decision over Princeton in the semifinals.

Delaware won its final 19 games to finish 23-2.

The national championship was the 10th in UD athletic history. The previous nine were in football (six) and women’s lacrosse (three). Only one, however, was in NCAA Division I, the 1983 women’s lacrosse championship.

In December, sophomore Greta Nauck was voted recipient of the Honda Sport Award for Field Hockey as national player of the year. Nauck, from Krefeld, Germany, led the nation with 33 goals, a UD single-season record, including the game winners against Duke and UNC. Nauck’s 1.32 goals and 3.04 points per game and 76 total points also led the nation. Delaware’s only previous Honda Award winner was Elena Delle Donne in women’s basketball after her senior season in 2013.

And in January, van de Kerkhof was voted Division I coach of the year by the National Field Hockey Coaches Association. Van de Kerkhof is the first male to coach an NCAA field hockey champion.

Contact Kevin Tresolini at ktresolini@delawareonline.com. Follow on Twitter @kevintresolini.

If you go

What: Delaware Sportswriters & Broadcasters Association annual awards luncheon.

When: Monday, Feb. 20, noon.

Where: Sheraton Wilmington South Hotel, 365 Airport Road, New Castle.

Tickets: $35 each, with table of 10 available for $300 at www.delasports.org.

'The Barn' gives UD students tailgating spot for football games

The University of Delaware’s efforts to improve school spirit now include selling spirits to students just a screen pass away from Delaware Stadium, where the Blue Hens’ football season starts Thursday night.

Considering UD was recently named the nation’s No. 1 party school by the Princeton Review, perhaps it’s a just reward.

But the new tailgating area branded “The Barn” is far from just a drinking establishment, UD officials insist.

Other attractions include food, music, games and the chance to gather with friends and make new acquaintances.

The area, situated around Bob Hannah Stadium, Delaware’s baseball facility outside the north end zone, will have space for 2,000 students, many of whom will be under the legal drinking age of 21 and not able to purchase alcohol.

A collaborative effort from numerous UD departments, The Barn was born primarily out of “student feedback and hearing what they wanted,” said Hannah Sirdofsky, UD associate athletics director for marketing and engagement.

“Students came to us prior to this and were talking about how they wanted a place to tailgate. They didn’t feel there was a place for students down here on South campus.

"Students could come and tailgate and they knew that, but they would be around season-ticket holders or alumni. There wasn’t a place that was truly student-centric.”

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Pregame revelry is a longstanding tradition at Blue Hens games in the parking lots surrounding Delaware Stadium at the David M. Nelson Sports Complex.

Increased police scrutiny, clearing of parking lots once games begin and greater attention to underage drinking have toned down some of the carousing and have drawn complaints from students.

The new facility allows for such merriment in a more controlled environment. The Barn will begin accepting visitors four hours before kickoff and be open for 3½ happy hours.

Madisyn Steinberg, a UD junior marketing major who led some of those focus groups, said students had two main complaints that may have undermined their football attendance.

One was the distance to the athletic complex, a half mile from the southern edge of main campus, and the difficulty in getting to the games. The other was the cost and accessibility of food.

“It was all about figuring out what students wanted and how we could get them to connect with each other and the university at the games,” said Steinberg, who spends football games playing the mellophone in Delaware’s marching band. “The food and transportation were really big things.”

Delaware has increased bus transportation to the athletic complex from campus, with drop-off points close to The Barn. Ride-sharing service Lyft is also one of the sponsors with designated pickup areas.

As for food, it will be prevalent at The Barn with cheaper prices than at the concession stands, and students can use their meal-plan cards.

“There was never really a space where students knew, ‘Am I able to drink? Where should I hang out if I’m not able to drink?’” Steinberg said. “That’s why they actually are offering alcohol in The Barn for students at an accessible price. What space can we create for students where they feel safe and they don’t feel micromanaged by staff?”

Each game will also highlight a different university group at the barn, with Thursday being the Blue Hen ambassadors, the tour guides for prospective or admitted students and their families. That’s a way, said Steinburg, to attract students who may not normally attend football games.

While students still sit in the South end zone, they will now be entering at the southeast rather than southwest corner and walking around the East grandstand from The Barn.

While UD officials looked at how other schools handle student tailgating, Sirdofsky said “Our concept is unique as it relates to the college game-day experience.” Constitution Yards on the Wilmington Riverfront and the Creamery of Kennett Square provided inspiration for the site design, she said.

The Barn opened Sunday night for freshmen after an orientation event and was quite popular, Steinberg said.

Students attend football games for free, entering with their ID cards. Game attendance is not a requirement of visiting The Barn. The school’s agricultural roots — UD’s College of Agriculture and Natural Resources is next to the athletic complex — are recognized in the site’s name.

“We’ve designed a space where alcohol is not the central feature,” said Adam Cantley, UD’s interim dean of students. “There’s music stages on either end of the space, there’s food, there’s opportunity to play games, there’s opportunity to engage with your peers.

“The overwhelming majority of our student population is not of age to purchase, so the space is created to engage all students and if a student chooses to drink, that’s why we have a policy that outlines how that would be distributed in that space. They’re going to be ID’d and carded and there’s a lot of rules and regulations to promote an environment that’s healthy as well as focused on school spirit.”

Contact Kevin Tresolini at ktresolini@delawareonline.com. Follow on Twitter @kevintresolini.

Delaware gets basketball transfer from George Washington

Delaware’s newest basketball rebuilding block is a big one.

The 6-foot-11, 227-pound Collin Goss is transferring to Delaware, he said, after two seasons at George Washington University. Goss must sit out the 2017-18 season and then will have two years remaining.

“I decided to transfer because GW wasn’t the right fit for me,” Goss said. “It was more like the big men were just back-to-the-basket guys instead of [playing in] a free-flowing offense.”

Many of Delaware’s recent additions have been for the backcourt. The incoming freshmen class consists of guards Chyree Walker, Ryan Allen and Kevin Anderson, which makes sense in coach Martin Ingelsby’s perimeter-oriented scheme.

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But Goss’ addition deepens Delaware’s frontcourt while giving Ingelsby the type of post player he prefers – one who has the skills and smarts to also step away and face the basket, plus size that’s hard to find in the mid-major Colonial Athletic Association.

“Free-flowing” has been used to describe Ingelsby’s offensive approach. It often includes four guards with the post player permitted to range away from the basket, not remain stuck underneath it.

“That’s what I liked to do in high school, kind of pick and pop, stretch the floor a little bit,” Goss said. “When I came up for an unofficial visit [to Delaware] I got a chance to actually work out with the team and play pick-up with them. It was a really good time. I liked all the guys and how the offense was.”

In 2017-18, Delaware will have 6-8, 225-pound Derrick Woods, who transferred and sat out last season after starting 22 games as a freshman at St. Bonaventure in 2015-16, while welcoming back 6-9 Eric Carter, who’ll be a junior, and 6-8 senior-to-be Skye Johnson.

Goss played sparingly in his two seasons at George Washington. He appeared in 31 games, all off the bench.

In 2016-17, Goss scored 20 points and grabbed 14 rebounds in 13 games (1.5 ppg/1.1 rpg) for the 20-15 Colonials. He shot 7-for-12 from the field and 6-for-8 at the foul line. He also blocked four shots.

Goss is from Manassas, Virginia, and attended St. Stephens & St. Agnes High School. A hard-throwing pitcher, Goss attended GW with the intent to also play baseball but never did because of the offseason demands of basketball, he said.

Delaware assistant coach Bill Phillips, then an assistant at CAA rival James Madison, had recruited Goss when he was in high school. Goss also knows Delaware assistant coach Corey McCrae from his days coaching the DC Assault AAU team. Goss played for Team Takeover, a frequent rival.

In seeking a transfer destination, Goss had also visited JMU and considered Colgate, but Delaware seemed an obvious choice.

“From all the coaches, it was just a really good vibe,” said Goss, a criminal justice major. “I kind of grew up watching GW but it all comes down to just, you really want to play and I just don’t think this [GW] was the right spot for me.”

Shillinglaw 'overwhelmed'

Delaware men’s lacrosse coach Bob Shillinglaw said he’s been “overwhelmed” by the many well wishes he has received, highlighted by his Colonial Athletic Association peers voting him CAA Coach of Year despite the Blue Hens 0-5 finish in league play.

“I’ve just been honored and humbled,” Shillinglaw said. “I was kind of taken aback [by the coach of the year award] and it shows the respect of the coaches. I sent each an email thanking them and they all responded with how much they appreciated my mentorship.”

Shillinglaw is retiring after 39 seasons at Delaware, which followed three at Massachusetts Maritime. He coached an NCAA record 653 games. His Delaware teams made six NCAA tournaments, highlighted by the 2007 Final Four appearance, and won 16 conference titles.

Delaware is in the process of searching for Shillinglaw’s successor. While no definite candidates have surfaced, North Carolina offensive coordinator Dave Metzbower has long been considered a logical prospect.

Metzbower played for Shillinglaw at Delaware, graduating in 1986, and was a Blue Hen assistant coach from 1987-89. He then spent 20 years coaching at Princeton, three as a high school coach outside Philadelphia, two at Loyola and the last three at UNC.

Eight years ago, Metzbower turned down an offer to succeed Gene Tierney as Princeton coach when Tierney left for Denver. A suburban Philadelphia resident and father of two, Metzbower cited the long hours and time spent away from family but said he still aspired to be a head coach, The Star-Ledger of Newark, New Jersey, reported at the time.

There’s competition, as Michigan is also in the market for a new lacrosse coach. Cornell coach Matt Kerwick stepped down Monday but was replaced on an interim basis through 2018 by associate head coach Peter Milliman. The Delaware job is widely viewed as a plum because of the school’s location, academic reputation and potential to succeed nationally in lacrosse.

North Carolina, the defending NCAA champ, visits Albany, coached by another former UD assistant Scott Marr, Saturday night in the first round of the NCAA Tournament. The winner meets the victor of Sunday’s first-round game between Maryland and Wednesday’s Bryant-Monmouth play-in survivor in the NCAA quarterfinals May 21 at Delaware Stadium.

The other game in the Delaware Stadium May 21 quarterfinal double-header matches victors from Saturday’s Towson-Penn State and Sunday’s Yale-Syracuse opening-round games. Yale coach Andy Shay is also a former Delaware assistant.

Women’s hoops update

Delaware may be close to hiring its new women’s basketball coach.

The candidate it’s believed Delaware athletic director Chrissi Rawak originally hoped to target, Michigan assistant and ex-Notre Dame point guard Megan Duffy, was hired in early April by Miami of Ohio. Delaware announced Tina Martin’s departure April 28, which was billed as a retirement though Martin said she intends to keep coaching.

Drexel associate head coach Amy Mallon is thought to be among the candidates to replace her. Interestingly, Martin could land on the staff at CAA rival UNC-Wilmington, where former Old Dominion coach Karen Barefoot is the new coach.

Hen scratch

Delaware (25-20, 10-8) hosts Towson (17-29, 5-13) in three games this weekend with a chance to clinch a CAA Baseball Tournament berth. Sunday’s 5-4 win at North Carolina State was Delaware’s 500th under coach Jim Sherman. St. Mark’s grad Calvin Scott has a 15-game hitting streak that has hiked his batting average to .331.

A three-game sweep of UNCW by 4-3, 2-1 and 1-0 scores, keyed by clutch pitching and timely hitting, put Delaware in the five-team CAA Softball Tournament. But the fifth-seeded Blue Hens lost 11-3 Wednesday to the No. 4 Seahawks (31-16-1) at James Madison in the opening game, putting Delaware in an elimination game later Wednesday.

Delaware senior Marc Oliveri was named to the All-CAA golf second team. His 73.36 average round was third lowest in UD history. Oliveri placed seventh in the CAA Tournament.

Contact Kevin Tresolini at ktresolini@delawareonline.com. Follow on Twitter @kevintresolini.

University of Delaware basketball recruit follows dad's, uncle's ...

Much of what Andrew Carr learned about the University of Delaware could have come from his dad Phil or uncle Tim.

Both played basketball for the Blue Hens and served as senior co-captains, Phil in 1986-87 and Tim in 1982-83.

But Andrew, a 6-foot-9 forward entering his senior year at West Chester (Pennsylvania) East High, had to make the decision for himself, even though both had spoken in glowing terms about their UD days.

UD women's lacrosse is third seed in CAA tourney

Kevin Tresolini

The News Journal

Andi Slane, a red-shirt junior from Temecula, California, won the CAA women's golf title Sunday

Former Blue Hens Pat Devlin (Vikings QB) and Anthony Walters (Bears DB) were recently released by their NFL teams.

NEWARK – The Delaware women's lacrosse team has two wins this year over nationally ranked teams, and another over three-time defending Colonial Athletic Association champion Towson.

But the Blue Hens also have lost six of their 17 games. While each has been to a team with a winning record, coach Kateri Linville easily pinpoints Delaware's primary mission when it seeks its first CAA title in the league tournament May 1-3.

"It's consistency. We've been all over the place," said Linville, a former UD player who became coach in 2011 and has overseen steady improvement.

"We still feel we have another level in us that ultimately, if we can watch some film and break down a few things in every aspect of our game, we get everything clicking, we can be in a great spot and really separate ourselves.''

Delaware's regular season is complete and the Hens are the No. 3 seed for the CAA Tournament and face No. 2 James Madison (12-4) on May 1 at 7 p.m. at Delaware Stadium. No. 1 Hofstra (10-4) faces No. 4 Towson (8-7) in the first semifinal at 4 p.m. Winners return for the May 3 final at 1 p.m. with an NCAA Tournament berth up for grabs.

An early-season 17-5 rout of 16th-ranked Georgetown got Delaware in the national Top 20 and the Hens also nipped No. 11 Princeton 12-10. While only two losses were to Top 20 teams (Penn and JMU), Delaware's close games against CAA foes indicate the league playoffs are a toss-up. Delaware nipped Towson 6-5 in OT and lost 6-5 to Hofstra and 8-6 to JMU, which is now ranked 17th nationally.

"The games that we dropped, we haven't been patient and let the ball do the work," said Linville, who'd like to see the Hens take advantage of momentum in the playoffs. "Against Towson, for instance, we were very deliberate in our game plan."

They'll certainly be more rested, since the other three teams each have one regular-season game left while Delaware does not.

"We see that as a competitive advantage right now," Linville said. "We've been working really hard. Our opponents have to put in more games this week. For us, we can focus on just us instead of taking time to prepare for two other games. We can look at what we're doing – refine it, tweek it, polish it up – and then go into the next week with our normal game preparation. Here's an opportunity for us to get better.''

Delaware is led by midfielder Caitlin McCartney and defender Erin Wein, seniors who are among the national leaders in caused turnovers. McCartney's 151 career goals are No. 6 all-time at Delaware.

For decades, Delaware has been seeking to reclaim its lost women's lacrosse glory, which stems from having won national AIAW Division II titles in 1981 and 1982, the NCAA Division I crown in 1983 and placing third in the 1984 NCAA Division I tourney. Since then, Delaware has made the NCAA Tournament just once – in 2000.

"Delaware has won seven conference championships," Linville said, "but in all the years we've been in and out of the CAA [1993-95; 2002-now], we've never converted a CAA championship. So, for us, those two things are motivators: We're at home, and we want to do something no one's ever done before.''

Leon makes Final Four

Delaware women's basketball season ended in the CAA semifinals, but senior Stephanie Leon made it to the NCAA Tournament's Final Four.

Leon was one of 10 players, including five from Division I, chosen for the All-State Women's Basketball Coaches Association's Good Works Team for her community service. They were honored during Final Four festivities in Tampa.

In Leon's case, her off-the-court contributions went in numerous directions, including to Special Olympics, Urban Promise, Gilpin Manor Elementary School and Little Sisters of the Poor.

After graduating in May, Leon will join Teach for America, which assists students in low-income rural and urban areas. Leon, from Northport, New York, will be stationed in the Orlando, Florida, area for at least two years.

Hen takes CAA golf title

Andi Slane, a red-shirt junior from Temecula, California, won the CAA women's golf title Sunday at St. James Plantation in Southport, North Carolina.

It was the first collegiate tournament win of Slane's career and just the second for Delaware, which introduced women's golf in 2011-12 after it dropped men's cross country and track and field.

Her 71-71-67–209 on the par-72, 6,066-yard layout made her a winner by eight strokes. Both Slane's three-round total and her final-round 67 were UD and CAA records. Slane actually began the final round behind by one stroke.

Sanders earns Fritchman grant

Milford High graduate Alyssa Sanders of the UD women's swim team has earned the Kelly Fritchman Swimming Scholarship for the 2015-16 school year.

Fritchman was a 1998 UD graduate and swim team standout who died in 2009 at age 32 after battling cystic fibrosis. Funds for the scholarship are raised the through an annual 5K run held in Lewes.

According to Delaware, the scholarship annually recognizes a male or female swimmer who displays "courage, spirit, determination, strength, competitiveness and inspiration."

Sanders is the Blue Hens' record holder in the 100 (26.00) and 200 (54.69) backstroke.

Men's lax closes at UMass

Tough overtime losses the last two Saturdays at Drexel, 9-8, and Fairfield, 12-11, will keep Delaware out of the CAA men's lacrosse playoffs for the third time in four years. The Blue Hens (4-10) close the season Friday night at UMass. It'll be Delaware's fourth straight losing season after its back-to-back CAA tourney titles in 2010 and 2011 that ended a run of four NCAA appearances in seven years highlighted by the 2007 Final Four.

The powerhouse Hill Academy of Ontario, Canada, that is playing Salesianum in lacrosse Thursday at 5 p.m. at Baynard Stadium includes at least 11 NCAA Division I signees. One is senior Campbell Parker, who is headed to Delaware next year. Another is Johns Hopkins-bound senior Kyle Marr, son of former Newark High and Blue Hens volleyball player Traci (Tomashek) Marr and her husband Scott, the former UD assistant in his 15th season as lacrosse coach at Albany.

Sallies also has a Delaware commit in junior Luke Bianchino.

Hen scratch

•In CAA baseball, Delaware (15-14, 4-8) is in seventh place in the nine-team league heading into this weekend's home series against William & Mary (18-19, 9-6). The top six make the CAA playoffs. Saturday's 1 p.m. game features a reunion of Delaware's 1970 College World Series team, which will be honored. Red-shirt freshman pitcher Ron Marinaccio has the CAA's second best ERA (2.11)

•Delaware's football team will hold its seventh annual Be the Match bone marrow drive Friday from 9 a.m. until 4 p.m. at the Trabant University Center. Those who register simply fill out paperwork and provide a mouth swab in an effort to find donors in the National Bone Marrow Registry. Four people in previous drives have proven to be matches for those in need, including former UD linebacker Paul Worrilow, now with the Atlanta Falcons.

•Former Blue Hens Pat Devlin (Vikings QB) and Anthony Walters (Bears DB) were recently released by their NFL teams.

Contact Kevin Tresolini at ktresolini@delawareonline.com. Follow on Twitter @kevintresolini.


Iconic Claymont Steak Shop to be developed into mixed-use project

First things first: Don't panic.

But big changes are afoot at one of the oldest and greatest icons in the Delaware cheesesteak pantheon, the 57-year-old Claymont Steak Shop.

Its owners, Basil and Demi Kollias, plan to tear down the old building and rebuild their restaurant in a brand new one, creating what they hope will be a better Claymont Steak Shop that can last another half century — expanded, spiffier, and maybe even with a patio and a sports bar. If they do it the way they've planned it, the steak shop wouldn't have to close for more than a week.

In Delaware, a Joe Biden win calls for pasta, a Bobbie or ice cream

On this historic day in Delaware, residents celebrating Greenville's own Joe Biden being elected the 46th president of the United States are going to eat, drink and be merry.

So how do you imbibe Joe Biden-style?

Well, we do know Biden won't be sipping any adult beverages.

Biden is a well-known teetotaler. He says he's never touched an alcoholic beverage.

But a big win calls for raising a glass.

A recent Washington Post story said Biden likes a cold glass of Diet Coke or Coke Zero. At least those beverages have some celebratory bubbles.

Today is not really a day for foodies. Joe isn't exactly an epicurean. His tastes lean toward classic Italian-American with his favorite being angel hair pasta with red sauce.

Jill Biden tends to cook the traditional Italian dishes she was served at her paternal grandmother's family Sunday dinners.

This past February, she shared her Parmesan chicken recipe with Parade magazine.

Jill Biden said she serves with it with rigatoni and a green salad.

Joe Biden and his family used to visit Katie's, an old Wilmington Italian restaurant known for its rich, thick Italian gravy and spaghetti. He also dropped into Pala's Cafe, a former Wilmington eatery that featured a jokey "World's Worst Pizza" sign on its outside wall.

Both establishments are long gone. In recent years, the Bidens have been known to frequent Piccolina Toscana in Trolley Square. Owner Dan Butler even catered daughter Ashley Biden's 2012 wedding reception at the Biden's Greenville home.

The meal was fresh tomatoes, arugula and house-made mozzarella, seared salmon and quinoa, and roasted chicken breast with grilled vegetables.

The meal also included penne with pomodoro sauce. That was especially for the then-vice president, Butler said.

"Joe always eats pasta when he comes to Toscana," Butler said.

At the end of the evening, as the Toscana staff began clearing tables, the vice president even began lending a hand.

"He was stacking chairs," Butler said, until one of the staffers asked Biden to stop. "He said, 'I can't have my boss finding out you're stacking chairs.' [Biden] kind of chuckled."

Joe and Jill also have dined in and gotten takeout from Bardea Food & Drink in downtown Wilmington.

Owners Scott Stein and Antimo DiMeo said they've tried to entice Joe with some of their modern Italian dishes. But the president-elect has simple tastes.

DiMeo made him a special off-the-menu dish of spaghetti and meatballs.

We've been hearing reports that "Biden people" have gotten takeout recently at Krazy Kat's in Montchanin.

But Joe being Joe, he might just be jonesing for his favorite Capriotti's sandwich, the Bobbie (also known as Thanksgiving on a roll), or maybe an Italian or turkey sub.

Biden has been a patron of the flagship Capriotti's shop on Wilmington's Union Street for more than 40 years.

And, yes, in Delaware we call them subs – not hoagies.

Another favorite Biden handheld food is pizza. In April 2019, after his early morning announcement that he would run for president in 2020, he dropped into Gianni's Pizza in Trolley Square for a few slices.

Joe also is sentimental guy, who is known to celebrate his Claymont roots. Maybe he's sending someone out for takeout cheesesteaks from the original Claymont Steak Shop on Philadelphia Pike?

Several pictures hang on the wall of the shop alongside a note signed by a customer, Joe Biden.

The Charcoal Pit is another longtime Biden favorite haunt. He's been going to the original location on Concord Pike since his Archmere Academy high school days for milkshakes, grilled cheese sandwiches and cheesesteaks.

A historic day calls for dessert, and Biden's granddaughters, Maisy, Finnegan, Naomi and Natalie, know what their "Pop" is going to reach for first.

"He's always eating ice cream," they told PBS NewsHour in an August 2020 interview.

Biden's favorite? A carton of Breyers half chocolate and half vanilla. His granddaughters joked he likes to eat in secret.

"He likes ice cream in hidden ways," Naomi Biden said, as the other girls laughed and agreed.

"Eating it in the freezer," added Natalie Biden, "so my grandma doesn't see it."

Contact Patricia Talorico at (302) 324-2861 or ptalorico@delawareonline.com and on Twitter @pattytalorico

Iconic Dog House has new owners and a breakfast menu and might ...

Chris Taggart and Brian Kirwin, stewards of The Dog House, one of Delaware's most iconic places to eat, have found acquiring a landmark Delaware roadside restaurant requires the proper amount of reverence and a heaping side of diplomacy.

When the business partners purchased the 72-year-old Wilmington Manor business, near New Castle, three years ago this December, their goal was to honor and celebrate the legacy of the cash-only, hot dog palace that was used as the model for the original Charcoal Pit on Concord Pike.

Its history dates back to the 1700s. Why is Wilmington's legendary ...

The bar's corner 3 acre site just outside the city limits has been on the wish list of developers for a long time

A final bash will be held March 25 with a dozen bands performing across 11 hours

For more than a month, the doors have been shut tight at the Jackson Inn, the legendary bar just over the city limits across from Cab Callaway School of the Arts.

Since beer has flowed at the site dating back to the late 1700s and with the Jackson Inn becoming a live music hub in recent years for a new generation of customers, the sudden closure has shocked many and raised a lot of questions about what's going on.

20 eateries (and more) that are Delaware classics

The loss of such landmark Delaware eateries as Leo & Jimmy's in Wilmington, Dover's Kirby & Holloway, and more recently Arner's Restaurant in New Castle had us thinking about longtime First State eating establishments still operating.

We've come up with a list of 20 (and really more) classic Delaware places that are cherished, hometown favorites.

To be clear, classic eateries don't necessarily mean the state's best restaurants. That's another list.

These cultural icons have endured for decades for several, sentimental reasons. Mainly, loyal standbys don't change much or worry about being trendy or hip. They emphasize the customer experience, appease regulars but still grow their base, and continue to create fond memories.

Degnars Greenhill Deli & Pizzeria

2501 W. Fourth St., Wilmington; (302) 656-3663

This city sub shop has been in operation since 1949. First located at Greenhill Avenue and Fourth Street, it moved to its present location more than 40 years ago. The Degnar family added their name to the business within the past five years or so.

Family photos clutter one wall of the tiny space, and the counter is shoulder level. There's no seating except for three umbrella-covered picnic tables on the sidewalk.

The slap-slap, clang-clang of spatulas hitting the flat top when someone makes a cheesesteak is the shop's soundtrack. You can get pasta as well as pizza and stromboli. "A corner piece, please, dear," says a customer pointing to the tomato pie.

Regulars don't even look at the posted menu for the hot and cold sandwiches packed into white paper bags, though they might glance at the daily, handwritten specials. The shop's hours are scribbled on a paper plate hanging at the counter.

What to order? Homemade iced tea and lemonade, breakfast pizza, chicken salad, one of the daily BLT specials, cheesesteaks, Italian subs.

What's similar to it? Takeout with outdoor seating also is the norm at Walt's Flavor Crisp Chicken Express, 103 N. Lincoln St. in Wilmington. It makes the same fried chicken created in 1973 by the late Harry W. Sheppard at his old Vandever Avenue shop.

Mrs. Robino's

520 N. Union St., Wilmington; (302) 652-9223

Diners have been twirling forks through plates of pasta and using bread to sop up the sauce at this vintage Italian-American "red gravy" restaurant since 1940.

The Grand Dame in the city's Little Italy neighborhood was founded by Tresilla Robino, who started the business in the basement of her Howland Street home. She later moved to Union Street.

Still family-owned, Mrs. Robino's honors its longtime patrons, a group fiercely protective of their favorite establishment, by posting their photos near the front door.

What to order? Wedding soup, chopped antipasto salad and a combination of homemade spaghetti and ravioli. Check out crab nights on Thursdays.

What's similar to it? Ristorante Attilio, a family-owned Italian-American eatery at 1900 Lancaster Ave. in Wilmington since 1985. Get the crunchy hot peppers, spaghetti with white clam sauce, homemade lasagna and Tartufo dessert.

2600 Concord Pike, Brandywine Hundred; (302) 478-2165

Generations of patrons have making pit stops at “The Pit” for more than 60 years. This archetypal hamburger and shake joint, founded in September 1956, was modeled after The Dog House in New Castle. Initially, it had a long counter with a view of Concord Pike and about four tables. It's grown over the years but hasn't changed much since saddle shoes were in style.

President Obama came for a visit in July 2014 on the advice from Vice President Joe Biden and his late son Beau, who were frequent visitors. The only-in-Delaware touches include naming sundaes after area high schools.

What to order? Onion rings; The Pit Deluxe charbroiled cheeseburger; a black-and-white milkshake; and the Kitchen Sink, a monster sundae with 20 scoops of ice cream.

What's similar to it? Burgers are king at "the Pit," and steak sandwiches are the stars of the Claymont Steak Shop. The flagship Claymont shop at 3526 Philadelphia Pike was founded by Greek cousins Bob Hionis and Sam Demetratos in 1966.

510 N. Union St., Wilmington; (302) 571-8929

Every state has foods that it's known for: Maryland has crabs, Pennsylvania has the cheesesteak and Delaware has the Bobbie.

The iconic "Thanksgiving on a roll" was invented by the late Wilmington native Lois Margolet. She launched the Capriotti's Sandwich Shop chain in 1976 in the Little Italy neighborhood where she grew up. Margolet named the mom-and-pop sub shop after her grandfather Philip Capriotti.

The specialty sandwich that established Capriotti's is the famed Bobbie. It's made with pulled turkey, cranberry sauce, homemade stuffing and mayonnaise. The dish was a recreation of a sandwich served to the Margolets by their Aunt Bobbie. The national restaurant chain now has 106 locations in 17 states.

What to order? The Bobbie, of course. We also recommend the turkey sub and the Capastrami, hot pastrami, Swiss cheese, Russian dressing, and coleslaw on a roll.

What's similar to it? Casapulla's shop at 514 Casapulla Ave. in Elsmere, has been making meaty Italian subs since 1956. It had been considered Capriotti's longtime rival, although the families were good friends.

"The only problem between us was that Capriotti's and Casapulla's almost sound the same," Lou Casapulla told The News Journal in 2017. "What are you going to do?"

Grotto Pizza

36 Rehoboth Ave., Rehoboth Beach; (302) 227-3278

So much nostalgia, and debate, surrounds Grotto Pizza. We're convinced the best slice is served with a side of salty sea air. Go to the original Rehoboth Avenue home, a few steps from the ocean, to enjoy pies that feature a blend of cheeses (they won't say what kind) and tomato sauce applied in a signature swirl.

Oh, and in case you're wondering what those regulars are doing with the napkins, dabbing the top of a slice to soak up "pizza juice" is a Grotto's tradition.

Grotto Pizza was founded in 1960 by Dominick Pulieri, along with his brother-in-law, Joe, and sister Mary Jean Paglianite. At the first take-out stand, pizza slices sold for 20 cents a piece. A second Grotto Pizza on the Rehoboth boardwalk opened in 1963. The chain now has more than 20 locations.

What to order? A traditional oven pizza. Sizes include a 12-inch regular or a 16-inch large. For toppings, we'd go with pepperoni or Pennsylvania mushrooms.

What's similar to it?Nicola Pizza at 8 N. First St. in Rehoboth has been around since 1971. Owner Nicholas Caggiano gave Delaware's pizza culture the Nic-o-Boli, the First State's version of the stromboli.

2020 Naamans Road, Brandywine Hundred; (302) 475-3000

Owner Xavier Teixido's classy, convivial restaurant is modern and innovative, but it also focuses on old-school classics. It offers the state's best prime rib, along with seafood, steaks and a wine list deeper than Barry White's dulcet tones.

Built on the bones of old Admiral Inn, it has roots tracing back to 1939 when it was the Log Cabin. Harry's has been operating since 1988 with Teixido purchasing it after a split with a former partner in 1993. It's not named after a particular person. Teixido once joked, "Who doesn't love a Harry?"

What to order? Oysters, hot crab and artichoke dip, aged steaks, prime rib au jus medium rare, soft shell crabs (seasonal), and lobster mashed potatoes.

What's similar to it? Walter's Steakhouse at 802 N. Union St. Since the early 1990s, owner John Walter Constantinou has continued the legacy of his father George's long-gone Constantinou's House of Beef.

1722 N. Scott St., Wilmington; (302) 658-8625

Owner August Muzzi has been standing in front of the grill at this old-school lunch counter tucked into the city's Forty Acres neighborhood since 1967.

It's a cash-only establishment, though there is an ATM machine where the old candy counter used to be. Almost nothing changes at Angelo's and that's the way Muzzi and his longtime patrons like it. The last renovation was in the early 1990s when booths replaced tables. It's open for breakfast and lunch Monday through Friday, and from 7 a.m. to noon on Saturdays. It can be tough beating the regulars to one of the 12 counter stools.

What to order? A fried egg and meat breakfast sandwich, grilled cheese and Campbell's tomato soup, Italian sausage sandwich, root beer float, Angie's burger.

What's similar to it?Libby's Restaurant at 227 W. Eighth St. in downtown Wilmington is sometimes called "the 'Cheers' of food." Breakfast is served all day at this cash-only establishment that's been in operation since 1982.

1200 N. Dupont Highway, New Castle; (302) 328-5380

Lou Sloan and his three brothers opened The Dog House in 1952. At that time, the four-lane highway where the Wilmington Manor eatery sits at Stahl Avenue was only two lanes with trees growing in the median.

The Sloans are no longer the owners, but split, foot-long hot dogs, cooked on a flat-top grill remain The Dog House's signature dish.

Customers still find refuge at the cash-only roadside eatery that features the same long, throwback counter with 17 stools that has been in place for 56 years.

What to order? A foot-long dog, a cheese dog with chili, a hot dog with sauerkraut or maybe even a cheesesteak.

What's similar to it? Deerhead Hot Dogs has been a part of Delaware's eating landscape since 1935. We sometimes hit the 620 S. Maryland Ave. site in Wilmington for a double dog with "secret" sauce. There's also a Deerhead Hot Dogs food truck.

4866 N. Dupont Highway, Smyrna; (302) 653-4200

If you see a line at Helen's, and you will because it's such a popular place, be patient and don't leave. It moves fast.

Helen's home since 1983 has been a squat, white building with bars on the outside windows. Keep an open mind if this is your first visit. Some of the best eateries don't always impress at first glance.

It's home to the quintessential Delaware breakfast. While most people assume that's scrapple, and Helen's has it, but, as the name suggests, order the sausage. It's deep-fried and it's terrific.

You can take your meal to-go or sit in the small seating area decorated with Elvis Presley memorabilia. Helen's is an early morning establishment. Really early. It opens at 4 a.m. and the staff calls it a day at noon, Mondays through Saturdays.

What to order? Double sausage sandwich with fried peppers and onions; scrapple and egg sandwich; bone-in jumbo pork chop sandwich; home fries.

What's similar to it?Royal Treat in Rehoboth Beach is a family-run, cash-only, seasonal breakfast and ice cream parlor that's been at 4 Wilmington Ave., near the boardwalk, for almost 30 years.

2216 Pennsylvania Ave., Wilmington, 302-575-9651

Clubby, warm and definitely old-school Wilmington, the Columbus Inn got its current name in 1953, but its roots go back to the 18th century.

Once considered "a men's club for the clubless," a longtime joke has been that more business deals were made at the Columbus Inn bar than in offices

Renovations in 2010 by the Capano family, after the restaurant was closed for three years, made it much more inviting and modern.

In a nod to the past, brass nameplates on walls honor longtime customers who have died. The tavern area still has the walnut, horseshoe-shaped bar where for 65 years a congregation of regulars has rested elbows, swapped gossip and sipped cocktails and brews.

What to order? Corn and crab chowder, the tavern burger, house-cut fries, crab cakes, the 8-ounce filet.

What's similar to it? Jessop's Tavern in Old New Castle is housed in a structure originally built in 1674. In the 1950s, it was known as Captain’s Log Restaurant and it became The Green Frog Tavern in the 1970s. It's been Jessop's since 1996.

101 N. Maryland Ave., Richardson Park, Wilmington; (302) 655-8772

India Palace was one of the first Indian restaurants in the state when the Kumar family-run business opened in 1991 not far from the Five Points Volunteer Fire Co.

It quickly developed a loyal following due to the graciousness of Pinky Kumar, who runs the front of the house, and her husband, Sushil Kumar, who makes the delectable homemade naan in a clay tandoor oven.

There’s a small lot out front of the brick building, but parking isn’t all that easy. The decor, old-fashioned pine paneling, and a mix of tables and booths for about 50 people looks as though it hasn’t been updated since the restaurant opened.

What to order? The buffet lunch; roti (homemade bread), bayngan bhurta (roasted eggplant), marinated sliced lamb, and tandoori mixed grill.

What's similar to it? India Palace helped change Delaware's dining scene in 1991 and so did Toscana, Dan Butler's Trolley Square eatery which opened the same year. Butler is credited with setting a new standard for high-quality Italian restaurants.

42 W. 11th St., Wilmington; (302) 594-3154

No contest: The Green Room inside of the 1913 Italian Renaissance hotel in downtown Wilmington is the most majestic dining room in the state.

While the historic Hotel du Pont is no longer owned by the DuPont Co., it is still considered one of the most lavish hotels of America's Gilded Age.

Somehow, you sit up straighter when dining at the Green Room (which, incidentally, has a crimson decor). Sunday brunch is pretty awesome and afternoon tea isn't bad.

The Green name refers to a family, not the color of the dining room. The hotel has already undergone some changes since The Buccini/Pollin Group acquired the building in 2017, and The Green Room is expected to do the same.

What to order? Foie gras, crab cakes, any dessert and definitely the macaroons, the restaurant's signature baked treat. Go for Sunday brunch.

What's similar to it? Dan and Missy Lickle brought fancy, but not posh, dining to Hockessin in 1980 with the opening of the Back Burner Restaurant. For a more lavish experience, go to Lickles' Krazy Kat's at The Inn at Montchanin Village.

The Deer Park Tavern

108 W. Main St., Newark; (302) 369-9414

Despite the legend, Edgar Allen Poe never raised a glass here. But he did lecture at the nearby Newark Academy and, as the story goes, cursed the Deer Park after he fell in the mud outside of it. Poe's "Raven" is the DP's mascot.

An inn, built in 1747, once stood on the ground. The Deer Park was built in 1851 and was once a hotel, and later became a restaurant and popular watering hole for University of Delaware students and local residents.

The Ashby family acquired the Deer Park in 2001 and made major renovations. The scruffiness is gone, but the Ashbys kept "the townie bar" and other traditions such as the Sunday Bloody Mary bar and half-price nachos on Wednesdays.

What to order? Nachos grande, burgers, New England clam chowder, fish and chips, eggs Benedict, Bloody Marys.

What's similar to it?Klondike Kate's, another popular UD haunt at 158 E. Main St. in Newark, offers American fare and a colorful history tracing back 281 years.

59 Rehoboth Ave., Rehoboth Beach; (302) 227-3674

Beach eats come and go like the tide, but the Back Pork Cafe has endured for 45 seasons. This funky place, with a Key West vibe, started out as the Hotel Marvel and expanded over the years.

Regulars like its laid-back elegance, three decks, regular live music and terrific cocktails. The food is upscale and the service attentive. Locals and tourists both are catered to, and it's not unusual to see a well-behaved dog by its owner's feet on one of the decks. The seasonal eatery closes in October and usually reopens by April.

What to order? Dark and stormy cocktails, anything with wild mushrooms, grilled octopus, rabbit bolognese, coffee drinks flamed tableside.

What's similar to it? It's probably not surprising to hear some of the Back Porch's original owners in 1981 opened the Blue Moon. The stylish, theatrical 35 Baltimore Ave. eatery is located in a 1907 Sears Craftsman house.

2 Jay Drive, off Basin Road, New Castle; (302) 328-9740

Few places look like the Dairy Palace anymore. It is truly like stepping back in time at this very popular, old-fashioned New Castle ice cream shack. Leave your cellphone in your pocket and soak in the "American Graffiti" vibe.

The seasonal business has been in operation since it was founded in 1956 by Vince and Joyce Parker.

The couple's daughter and her family are continuing the cash-only, walk-up stand that offers soft serve ice cream with curls that Beyonce would envy. Don't want ice cream (and, uh, why not?) you can also order sloppy Joes, hot dogs and chili dogs.

On a warm summer night, when the neon lights blink on spelling out "Dairy Palace," it almost feels like you could run into Sandy, Danny, Kenickie and the rest of the "Grease" gang.

What to order? Pretty much anything, but our preference is a chocolate, vanilla or twist soft serve cone with sprinkles.

What's similar to it? Since 1972, three generations of the King family have run King’s Homemade Ice Cream Shops. The flagship Milton is in the oldest commercial building, circa 1830, in Sussex County. The Lewes location has served scoops since 1981.

120 Four Seasons Parkway (off Del. 896), Glasgow; (302) 738-9935

Family photos decorate the walls of the restaurant that has an atmosphere as Italian as the Trevi Fountain.

Frank Sinatra croons from the speakers and the aromatic smell of tomato sauce and freshly made pasta drifting through the four dining rooms can make the stomach rumble.

La Casa Pasta was founded in 1978 by Giuseppe Martuscelli who emigrated from Santa Maria di Castellabate, near Salerno, Italy. The family also owns Klondike Kate's in Newark and the Chesapeake Inn in Chesapeake City, Maryland.

What to order? Arancini, mussels in spicy marinara sauce, vitello Giuseppe, lobster fra diavolo, bronzino, tiramisu, ricotta cheesecake.

What's similar to it?Vincente's Restaurant has moved a few times during its 47 year history. At its 5914 Kirkwood Highway home, chef/co-owner Dan Mancari presents showstopping, tableside Caesar salads and Bananas Foster.

2038 Foulk Road, Brandywine Hundred; (302) 475-1887

It's hard to believe the building, dating back to the 1920s, has been known as anything but Stanley's Tavern. Still, when the state's best-known sports bar first opened in 1935, it was called Bill's Place.

Former Browntown resident Stanley Minakowski took over in 1947 and Stanley's Tavern was born. And 71 years later, it's still going strong.

Managing partner Steve Torpey has been in the house since 1982. Stanley's has long been a favored spot to watch football (Philadelphia Eagles are the house team) or pretty much any televised athletic event. Walls are lined with sports-celebrity photos. Bartenders are friendly and chatty, and the beer is ice cold.

The restaurant has wide-ranging offerings and a popular salad bar.

What to order? Chicken wings, burgers, sandwiches, meatloaf, baby back ribs, cheese fries.

What's similar to it? Wilmington's Kid Shelleen's Charcoal House & Saloon has been going strong since 1983. The 1801 W. 14th St. site, owned by Xavier Teixido, has continuously operated as a Wilmington restaurant since 1940.

283 Front St., Leipsic; (302) 674-9724

Sambo's Tavern, founded by Samuel “Sambo” Burrows in 1953, sits alongside the 17-mile (or so) Leipsic River in Kent County where farms, marshlands and tidal streams converge.

You have to be at least 21 years old to enter. The establishment, run by Isaac and Elva Burrows, has a tavern license, not a restaurant license. It's also cash only, though there's an ATM machine on site.

You can call ahead and reserve a table. Try to get a window seat so you can watch watermen pull up and unload crab catches.

On summer weekends, the bar is full, pitchers of cold beer are flowing and crowds at newspaper-covered tables pick their way through batches of hot, steaming blue crabs. Visitors can go to a giant map that hangs on a wall and stick a pin on their hometown.

What to order? Crabs, crabs, crabs. Oh, and the crab cake sandwich, French fries and potato salad.

What's similar to it? Blue crab lovers also have been coming to Lestardo's, a relaxed crab house at Del. 273 and Prangs Lane in New Castle's Rambleton Acres Shopping Center since 1969.

1406 Coastal Highway (Del. 1), Fenwick Island; (302) 539-7156

Breakfast has been a tradition at Warren's Station since 1960, but if you want a Bloody Mary or mimosa, head somewhere else. The beach eatery doesn't serve alcohol. It's been that way since it was founded by turkey farmer Warren D. Johnson who then called the business Warren's Family Restaurant.

Jeff and Paula Mumford bought the restaurant in 1971 and have since slightly changed the name. They also remodeled and enlarged the site to resemble a replica of a United States Lifesaving Station. Other Mumford family members now work in the business that's still affable and affordable.

What to order? Chocolate chip pancakes, Fenwick Island Beach Patrol Sandwich, roast turkey, crab imperial, Delmarvelous rotisserie chicken, any housemade pie.

What's similar to it?The equally family-friendly Robin Hood Restaurant at 54 Rehoboth Ave. in Rehoboth has been operating in the beach town since 1968.

5812 Kennett Pike, Centreville; (302) 656-9776

Buckley’s Tavern is to Centreville what the Deer Park Tavern is to Newark.

While its home is an upper-crust, affluent area, the egalitarian eatery holds a place in the hearts of Delawareans partly because its crowd has ranged from construction workers in jeans to bankers in suits. It’s been a place of character for characters.

The building, dating back to 1817, started as a private residence and became a taproom and ice store in the 1930s. Dennis Buckley ran it from 1951 until 1970. It closed for 10 months in 2012 while the restaurant's longtime owners Bob Bolling and Bob Applegate brought in new operators and renovated the historic building.

The new look keeps the spirit of the original Buckley's while maintaining the integrity of the space.

What to order? Roasted garlic hummus, Thai noodle soup, crab Cobb salad, Buckley's burger, French dip, macaroni and cheese. Go for the Sunday pajama brunch where half-price discounts are offered to those wearing PJs.

What's similar to it? Feby's Fishery, operating since 1974, moved from Elsmere to its Lancaster Pike location in 1984. Snapper soup is a signature offering and devoted followers like that owners Philip and MarySue DiFebo remain wedded to tradition.

By limiting the list to 20 we're sure we've neglected some eateries. Here are a few more honorable mentions: Doyle's Restaurant in Selbyville; Mr. Pasta in Holly Oak; Cosmos Diner in Wilmington; The Hearth in Odessa; and Knotty Pine in Wilmington.

Contact Patricia Talorico at (302) 324-2861 or ptalorico@delawareonline.comand on Twitter @pattytalorico