Mar 15, 2020 5 min read

Mapletown’s Ella Menear, along with several other local swimmers and divers, anticipated spending this past weekend in the pool at Bucknell University in the PIAA Class AA Swimming & Diving Championships.

However, word came down from the PIAA Board of Directors on Thursday that all activity would be suspended midway through the second day of the Class AAA meet with the completion of the diving competition.

The Ringgold hockey team was poised to defend their PIHL title on Tuesday after a thrilling, emotional 6-5 overtime victory over Elizabeth Forward last Monday, but the PIHL also decided on Thursday to suspend all sanctioned events.

The Trinity girls basketball team was preparing for a game against Gettysburg in the PIAA Class 5A quarterfinals that was to be played Saturday, but all state tournament contests were put on hold less than 24 hours after the Hillers defeated Great Valley in the second round last Wednesday.

The suspension from activity for both the PIAA and PIHL is for a minimum of two weeks, effective March 12.

Menear was looking forward to her first state meet, qualifying for the 100 backstroke and 200 IM, but her mother and coach, Christy Menear, said the freshman hasn’t let the uncertainty affect her.

“She hasn’t been out of the water. The plan is to stay in the water until we’re told not to,” said Christy Menear. “But, who’s to say they won’t close the pool?”

Mapletown does not have a pool, so Menear is unaffected by the two-week school closure. She swims with a club team in Morgantown, W.Va., so for the time being, she has a facility for workouts.

Menear said her daughter found out about the suspension of the meet through the current transmission of most breaking news.

“She was notified on social media by the (Laurel Highlands) swimmers,” explained Christy Menear. “We decided to go to Morgantown for her practice swim, so we weren’t (at Bucknell).”

Ella Menear, too, was prepped for peak performances at the state meet.

“Ella’s body was tapered scientifically for this weekend,” said Christy Menear, adding, “We keep encouraging her. She likes to swim.”

Also in the mix is the unknown future of the spring sports season, further complicated by the uncertainty of the decision on the suspended state meet.

“Right now, she plans on playing softball,” said Christy Menear. “I would say it changes by the minute. We have no idea (what the future holds).”

Ringgold was scheduled to play Carrick in the Class B championship Tuesday at 8:30 p.m. The title game had a dual impact for the Rams with the opportunity to not only win their second league title in a row, but also avenge the only blemish on their record, a 3-2 overtime loss to Raiders in the final game of the regular season.

“We have no idea. All games are postponed for at least two weeks,” said Ringgold coach Rick Kalinowski. “It’s disappointing to both teams. The big question is: ‘Are we going to play it?’

“If they wait until the April, we have kids in other sports.”

“It’s a chance to go back-to-back. I feel bad for the captains,” added Kalinowski.

Although the Rams’ jerseys sport “Ringgold,” it’s in name only because the team operates outside the auspices of the school’s athletic department. Ringgold’s squad has players from six different schools.

“As far as I know, I can still practice. They just need to use some common sense. If you’re sick, stay home,” said Kalinowski.

Kalinowski’s squad will soon be looking for a place to practice.

“We have the use of Rostraver (Ice Garden) until March 22,” explained Kalinowski. “I checked into ice time with the Bethel Park YMCA, but they will be closing. We might go to a dek hockey rink if we have to.”

The ripple effects of the coronavirus precautions go beyond the PIHL championship game, with the Rams scheduled to play in a national tournament, the Chipotle-USA Hockey National Championships, at the end of the month in Dallas that has now been postponed.

“The PIHL was sending three teams, Upper St. Clair, Latrobe and us. We applied and the PIHL put us into it. We have nine seniors. There’s a better chance with more seniors,” explained Kalinowski. “The boys put in a lot of work raising money and we can’t get a refund. The airline gave us vouchers.”

Kalinowski said he and his coaching staff practiced as they have all year with the expectation of playing the final game of the season.

“Today, we had a fun practice. We kept it loose,” explained Kalinowski. “We are going to do the same thing we’e been doing all season. We’ll have the same approach until they tell us we can’t.”