PIAA cancels spring sports season, winter championships
Observer-Reporter
West Greene’s Madison Renner, right, Lexie Mooney and Linzee Stover hold their trophy after winning the Championships PIAA Class A game against Williams Valley game at Penn State in 2018.
PIAA logo
By Eleanor Bailey
By Eleanor Bailey
The PIAA ended the struggle for Riley DeRubbo and Trinity’s basketball team when it cancelled the remaining winter sports schedule and all spring sports.
The spring sports season and the conclusion of the winter sports championships were canceled by the PIAA Thursday.
The PIAA’s decision followed Gov. Tom Wolf’s order to shut down all schools across the commonwealth for the remainder of the academic year because of the coronavirus pandemic.
“Today’s decision by the PIAA board of directors was difficult for everyone,” said PIAA executive director Bob Lombardi. “Their thoughts remain on the thousands of student-athletes, coaches, officials and family members affected by this decision. 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.”
The PIAA has been aligned with Wolf’s orders since suspending all competition and practices since March 12.
Wolf, prior to shutting down schools Thursday morning, was asked about high school athletics in his daily update of the pandemic Wednesday.
“As for what happens in the winter sports season, unfortunately every sport – professional and nonprofessional sport, amateur sports – have closed down, and I think Pennsylvania needs to follow suit on that,” Wolf said in the update. “We need to stay safe. Again, our first priority is to stay safe.”
The PIAA first released a statement that all winter championships had been postponed for a two-week period March 12. That was followed four days later with a 10-day shutdown of all schools by Wolf. On March 23, the shutdown was extended to April 6. At the end of March, Wolf ordered that all schools be shut down indefinitely.
Also at the end of March, President Donald Trump extended the nationwide restrictive social-distancing guidelines through the end of April.
Several states had already canceled their winter sports season, including neighboring Ohio. New Jersey, Virginia, Indiana, California and Wyoming are a few states that had already put an end to their spring sports season because of COVID-19.
The only team affected by the cancellation of the winter championships was the Trinity girls basketball team. The Hillers, who had defeated Great Valley in the second round one day prior to the start of the postponements, were in the PIAA Class 5A quarterfinals. They were scheduled to play District 3 champion Gettysburg.
“Our team has so much to be proud of this season,” said Trinity coach Kathy McConnell-Miller. “I have loved every minute of this process. I’m thankful for the opportunity to coach this incredible group of young women. We created so many memories together as a team that we will cherish. We can celebrate an incredible senior class. Riley, Marlaina and Maddie will be missed for their passion, commitment, enthusiasm and love for Trinity girls basketball. Our final game together will be memorable.”
“I think it’s disappointing for everybody,” said Trinity athletic director Ricci Rich. “All the players and all the coaches of all the sports put so much time and effort in the preparation. When one year ends, they start preparing for the next year. The seniors have looked forward to this since they were 4- or 5-years old of getting started in sports, having that senior season and being at the top. To have that taken away from you is very frustrating.”
Rich said the school has asked the community to light up their porches and decorate their yards on April 27 to honor their seniors.
“We haven’t talked about the sports yet, but because of the extension, we won’t know when we’ll be back,” said Rich. “Right now the focus is on academics and getting through the school year. But we would love to do something to honor (the seniors).”
The Canon-McMillan softball team returned all of its players from a 12-5 team that finished third in its section and West Greene’s softball team was looking to make a fifth straight trip to the WPIAL finals.
“I feel bad for the kids, the seniors especially,” said Frank Vulcano, athletic director at Canon-McMillan. “Those kids will never put on the uniform again. I really feel for the guys and girls. We are in some crazy times.”
The PIAA Class 2A swimming and diving championships were the other part of the winter season that will go unfinished.