Seasons canceled

By JEREMY SELLEW
jsellew@yourmvi.com
Any small shred of hope for continuing winter sports and salvaging a spring sports season for local high schools is now gone.
With Gov. Tom Wolf shutting down schools for the remainder of the academic year Thursday, the PIAA followed suit hours later and officially canceled the remainder of the winter sports championships and spring sports and their championships.
“In accordance with Governor Tom Wolf’s announcement earlier today that Pennsylvania schools will be closed to in-person learning for the remainder of the school year, the Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association, Inc. (PIAA) has cancelled all remaining Winter and Spring sports and championships,” the organization said in a statement released 3 p.m. Thursday.
“Today’s decision by the PIAA Board of Directors was difficult for everyone. Their thoughts remain on the thousands of student-athletes, coaches, officials and family members affected by this decision,” said PIAA Executive Director Dr. Robert A. Lombardi. “However, the Board’s position reflects a steadfast priority of keeping our student-athletes, officials and member schools’ staffs and their communities safe, while following the guidelines provided by the Governor, the Department of Health and the Department of Education.
“We had maintained hope for a continuation of our winter championships and an abbreviated spring season to help bring a sense of normalcy to our communities. As we navigate through this difficult time, we need to remember the lessons that interscholastic athletics has taught us: cooperation, patience, sacrifice, responsibility, respect and perseverance.”
High school sports were first postponed March 12.
Frazier head softball coach Don Hartman said he’s devastated for his team, including his daughter, Logan, who is one of his seniors.
“I’m just beyond devastated for these girls,” Hartman said. “Not only the seniors of my team, but just all the kids around the country affected by this.
“We’re one of the few teams that ended our season on a win last year, so we’re still kind of riding high and I’m going to be forever grateful for that.”
The Commodores will be the defending state champions for a second year, but this isn’t the way Hartman and his crew wanted it to happen. They wanted to defend it on the field.
“This is the one year I would have had both my daughters on the same field at the same time. Now that’s taken away,” Hartman added. “To watch the younger daughter try to console her older sister, it was heart-wrenching. We were all emotional. You ask yourself, ‘Is this a bad dream?’”
While there won’t be any pitches thrown, balls soaring over the fences, track stars crossing the finish lines, ultimately, the big picture isn’t lost.
“We’re all going to live with a bunch of ‘shoulda, woulda, couldas,” Hartman said. “Most importantly, we want all the kids and their families to survive this and not lose loved ones. Softball and life will continue at some point. Just right now, it hurts.”
Ringgold baseball coach Don Roberts said he kind of felt the day was approaching.
“I kinda knew it was coming, but it still hurts. I feel terrible right now for our seniors,” he said.
“I’ve been preparing myself for the shut down for a few weeks,” Serra Catholic softball coach Denny Willaman said. “It still felt like I was kicked in the face when I read it today.
“The senior class is so very special to me, I can’t even put into words how disappointed I am for them. This one’s going to hurt for a long time.”
Thomas Jefferson baseball coach Tim Vickers said he didn’t think the virus would end up canceling the entire spring sports season.
“While the coronavirus has changed virtually every aspect of our lives, I really never thought it was going to come to this,” he said. “I appreciate that the PIAA waited as long as possible. We all understand that the health and safety of the athletes across all of Pennsylvania is the state’s biggest concern. I really don’t think it can be said enough how badly we all feel for the kids, particularly the seniors. I had a phenomenal group of young men that had huge expectations for this season.“
While Frazier’s softball team will be unable to defend a state title, the Elizabeth Forward softball and California baseball teams will stay atop the WPIAL mountain.
“I have to say that I am extremely disappointed that the PIAA has canceled the spring sports season, especially for my seniors who will miss out on their final year of high school softball,” EF head coach Harry Rutherford said. “However, I totally understand why this had to happen. The safety of our athletes, coaches, fans and families has to take priority over playing a game. There will be other games in the future and we will be stronger in the future knowing we took these steps now to protect our future. I’m sure my seniors are disappointed but hopefully they understand. Their lives will continue and they will be stronger going through this experience.”
Serra Catholic’s Mark Black, one of the top baseball prospects in the country, said he was looking forward on trying to get back to the state championship game. But he’s well aware there are bigger things ahead.
“Yeah it obviously sucks that I’m not able to go out and play my final high school season. Especially after falling short in the state championship, all I’ve been thinking about is finding a way to get back,” Black said. “It sucks that I don’t have that opportunity now. However, I have to control what I can control and continue to get better for either college or pro ball.”
Local athletic departments sent out their support via social media to all their athletes.
“So very sorry to all spring sports athletes and coaches,” Frazier athletic director Zach Keefer said in a tweet with the PIAA release.
BVA athletic director Matt Humbert tweeted “Sad news we expected came to a reality today. #staypositive #stay safe.”
Serra Catholic baseball coach Brian Dzurenda is hoping to see his team in uniforms one more time.
“I have other plans in place in the event we are cleared to remove social distancing in late May or June,” Dzurenda said. “We will try to play some games or possibly set up a small tourney so our seniors can wear their uniforms one last times.”
Belle Vernon Area track and field coach Chris Stasicha was expecting big things from his athletes this spring.
Now, he just thinks of what could have been.
“Today was a sad day for all spring sports, especially our track and field teams,” Stasicha said. “When I think about what could have been, I see records to have been broken and medals to have been won. My heart goes out to our senior athletes. They were the heart and soul of our team.”