DAGSBORO — For the fourth consecutive year, the Indian River High School athletic department has claimed the Founder’s Trophy — an award presented to the top Henlopen South athletic programs.

“It shows the amount of consistency of all of our athletic programs,” Kilby said. “All of them are doing their best; from softball to football, they really put everything out there.”

As the athletic trainer over the past few seasons, Todd Fuhrmann knew the school’s potential and will to win in each sport, but after assuming the athletic director position at the beginning of the school year, he got a first-hand look at just how successful the school has been.

“It really wasn’t me, it was the kids, they did it,” he said. “I’m just happy to be a part of it. It just shows that our coaching and athletes put forth the effort to be competitive. They know it is not always about winning, but rather reaching for that common goal of being successful.”

Going against bigger schools in the South, like Milford and Seaford, can sometimes be daunting Fuhrmann said, but year after year coaches and athletes prove themselves on the field.

Howard Smack, who started coaching varsity baseball in 2003, remembers the years when IR used to struggle in sports, but is now pleased with the way the school has turned things around.

“It’s a great feeling (to win four straight years),” he said. “We couldn’t get enough points to win it year after year. Now, it shows that we must have good athletic programs and, hopefully, we can keep them there.”

In addition to the champions at the school, the Indians had a handful of second-place division finishes. Football, boys basketball and golf each narrowly missed out on joining the championship parade.

As a member of the baseball and football teams, Trevor Abbott knows first hand what it takes to be successful on the playing field. Abbott concluded his high school athletic career by winning the Founder’s Trophy for the fourth consecutive year.

“(The trophy) speaks volumes for our school,” he said. “It just shows that it’s not just one or two sports doing well, it’s an all around effort. We are going all out to obtain that. IR excels academically and athletically.”

nroth@dmg.gannett.com 302-537-1881, Ext. 206