Surreal end to halted 3A championships

The state’s high school sports governing body acts in response to coronavirus pandemic

The PIAA has called a twoweek timeout for its boys and girls basketball tournaments, but there’s no telling when — or if — the state championships will resume.

“Every hour something’s changing,” said District 3 chairman Doug Bohannon of Elco. “It’s super serious. (So, we take it) one day at a time -- one hour at a time.”

The PIAA Thursday announced a two-week suspension of the tournament, which is at its midway point. Championships were scheduled March 19-21.

The shutdown is in response to the coronavirus pandemic, which has led to the suspension or cancellation of sporting events and leagues across the nation.

“Right now we have a two-week sit-out, and we’ll go from there,” said Dr. Robert Lombardi, executive director of the Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association, which governs high school sports in the state. “If we need some more time then (we’ll) advance (the suspension).”

No one involved can say for certain whether the tournament will be resumed. Lombardi said his organization is taking its cues from health officials and state government leaders. No one can predict how COVID-19 will progress.

For now, the tournament and those teams involved —- including the Muhlenberg, Reading High and Wilson boys — were granted a reprieve.

“I’m glad that they’re taking time out to try to get a hold of this and try to control what’s going on so everybody can feel safe at the games,” said Muhlenberg coach Tyrone Nesby. “What had me worried was that they were going to cancel the tournament; that made me a little nervous.”

Bohannon said canceling the tournament was not discussed during a Thursday morning conference call with the PIAA Board of Directors.

“We know the emotions and the efforts of all these players and coaches and parents and felt we had to at least try to get this in,” Bohannon said, “and that’s what we’re going to do. We’re going to sit 14 days and see where we’re at.”

If the tournament resumes there will be modifications, Lombardi said. Each school will be limited to 125 spectators -- essential school personnel and their families, he said -- and there will be no public sale of tickets.

At the earliest, the tournament would resume the weekend of March 27-28, Lombardi said.

In the days leading up to the decision the PIAA found it increasingly difficult to find schools willing to host games.

The Wilson vs. Lower Merion Class 6A second-round game was initially scheduled for Coatesville, then at Milton Hershey, then at Reading High; each school district eventually pulled out.

Lower Merion was closed for a day earlier in the week for deep cleaning because of coronavirus concerns. It appeared that schools were uncomfortable hosting Lower Merion’s team or fans.

“Our sites are our member schools,” Lombardi said, “and they were continually telling us: ‘We’re concerned of hosting games, we’re concerned playing in (certain) places, we’re concerned about having other people on our campus.’

“Those things are important information pieces. Looking at that, along with recommendations from state-wide department of health, and the Governor’s office, we came to this decision.”

There was also the issue of Mount Lebanon, which was refusing to play Cheltenham in a second-round Class 6A game. Cheltenham was closed earlier in the week due to health concerns. The school is located in Montgomery County, where there have been more reported cases of COVID-19 than anywhere else in the state.

Mount Lebanon risked forfeiture if it did not show up to play; for now that issue has been abated.

Lombardi said the board of directors “are committed to promoting an environment of healthy athletic competition that is consistent with current health department and Center for Disease Control guidelines.”

“You definitely feel for the coaches and the kids,” said Bohannon, whose son Braden is a 1,000-point scorer at Elco. “They get to this level and they’re told they can’t play. That’s a difficult for a 17-year-old kid to understand.

“It’s sad, it’s disappointing, it’s frustrating, it’s all those wrapped up in one,” Bohannon said, “but you have to do what you have to do. I’ve been involved in sports for 30 years and there’s nothing that comes close to this.”