Smith: Some great Delco moments despite COVID
As 2020 finally ends, it’s time to look back on some of the year’s best moments in Delco sports.
All in all, the year was a dumpster fire on wheels, but local athletes accomplished some cool stuff when they were given a chance. And the Daily Times was there to cover it most of the time.
Let’s go back to early March, a long time ago, just a few days before the pandemic shutdown. Wrestling fans were treated to more greatness from Sun Valley star Hunter Catka, who captured his second PIAA championship, this time in the heavyweight division. The three-time Wrestler of the Year is set to begin his collegiate career at Virgina Tech on Saturday.
It was a great year for Delco’s hoops teams, boys and girls, even though the pandemic forced the suspension and eventual cancelation of the PIAA postseason. Sadly, several local teams saw their state title hopes vanish, through no fault of their own.
Remember when Chester High’s boys team defeated Simon Gratz in the second round of the PIAA Class 6A tournament? It turned out to be the Clippers’ final game ... but what a way to go out. The team was grieving the death of teammate Edward Harmon Jr., who was a victim of a gun shooting less than 24 hours prior. The Clippers overcame a double-digit, halftime deficit and won the game on a deep 3-point basket by Zahmir Carroll as time expired in regulation.
Springfield girls won their second District 1 title in four seasons, a gutsy
29-27 victory over Great Valley at Temple University’s Liacouras Center. Senior captain Alyssa Long made 11 foul shots in the fourth period to help the Cougars get the win.
Fast forwarding to the fall campaign, Delco athletes made the most of an abbreviated season.
Archbishop Carroll’s field hockey team played for its first state championship in the PIAA Class
2A tournament. While the Patriots fell short against Southern Lehigh, the Catholic League and District 12 champions were the first field hockey program from Delco to make a state final since Ridley back in 1995.
In volleyball, Sacred Heart Academy in Radnor got to the state semifinal round in Class 2A. Erin Corcoran, a senior, won a District 1 championship in all four years with the team.
Garnet Valley captured multiple Central League titles in the fall. The volleyball team, under the guidance of old-but-new-again head coach Mark Clark, won its fifth straight title with a win over Lower Merion in fourth closely contested sets.. Coach Mike Ricci’s football team went a perfect 6-0 and celebrated its third consecutive championships with a blowout victory over Marple Newtown.
Not everything about 2020 was terrible. We can thank high school athletes for providing a needed distraction.
•••
The new year is actually looking pretty good. Well
... so far.
We will have high school sports in January.
Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf announced Wednesday that he is lifting several state-wide restrictions that were instituted three weeks ago to limit the surge of coronavirus cases. The mitigation efforts included the suspension of youth sports practices and competitions, as well as all other extracurricular activities.
Effective 12:01 a.m. Monday, that is no longer the case. All PIAA member schools can begin practice on that day. That’s great news for basketball players, wrestlers, swimmers and indoor track athletes.
The winter season was supposed to get under way Dec. 11. The new first competition date is Jan. 9. Teams that completed six or more practice days, prior to the December shutdown, are required by PIAA rule to hold four more practice days before their first competition date.
If a team failed to complete preseason practice, they must have at least 10 practice days before they are allowed to compete in a game. Five combined practices must be held prior to a team’s first scrimmage.
PIAA executive director Dr. Robert Lombardi earlier this month scoffed at the notion that starting the winter season in the middle of January would make much difference, but Gov. Wolf said Wednesday that “our mitigation efforts over the past several weeks have done what they were intended to do.”
Daily coronavirus cases in the state are down 19 percent from 8,827 a week ago.
Imagine where we would be if winter sports contests were allowed to begin in the middle of December, in the midst of the state’s worst surge of COVID cases.
“The hope is the flattening we’re seeing right now will continue in January,” Wolf said.
Let’s hope everyone involved in high school sports from students to coaches, officials and parents, stay safe during the winter season.