MORE SEASONS GET PUT ON ICE
It’s game over for junior hockey playoffs in response to COVID-19 pandemic threat
For some, the hopes to resume much of the local hockey season at some point came to a quick end on Friday.
In the face of the growing COVID-19 pandemic threat, the Provincial Junior Hockey League suspended play Thursday, which put the Bill Stobbs Division final between the Lakeshore Canadiens and Mooretown Flags on hold. On Friday, it went from suspended to cancelled, bringing an abrupt end to the season.
“It was really tough to hear the news, but it’s understandable considering all that’s happening,” Canadiens captain Ameen Fadel said. “The entire team wishes we could keep playing but, of course, the health and safety of everyone comes first.”
It’s the same fate for the Lasalle Vipers and Leamington Flyers, who were a game into Western
Conference semifinal play in the Greater Ontario Junior Hockey League.
“Yes, all done,” Flyers head coach and co-owner Cam Crowder said.
As late as Thursday night, the Ontario Colleges Athletic Association (OCAA) planned to proceed with the second and final day of the indoor soccer championships in Ancaster on Friday, but without fans in attendance. By Friday morning, the OCAA shifted its position and called it off, sending both the St. Clair Saints’ men’s and women’s teams home before medal-round play.
“We had a real good day (Thursday), worked our tails off and were gung-ho for (Friday) and at 8:30 in the morning we got the word, ‘Sorry, it’s cancelled,’ ” St. Clair men’s head coach Mike Baraslievski said. “We got on the bus and came home.
“The kids were disappointed. For a couple, it was their last kick (before graduation) and they were disappointed, but there’s more important things and let’s get on with dealing with those. You have to put things in perspective.”
The Ontario Federation of School Athletic Associations (OFSAA) pulled the plug on girls’ and boys’ AAA hockey on Thursday. On Friday, OFSAA dropped girls’ and boys’ AA/A hockey along with curling championships in March.
“OFSAA does not take today’s decision lightly,” the organization said in a release on Friday. “We are fully aware of the commitment and planning of our host organizing committees and the drive and determination of the athletes and coaches.”
It was still not easy news to hear for the players on the Belle River Nobles, who were set to head to the boys’ AA/A championship in St. Catharines.
“There will be a lot of disappointed boys and parents and coaches for sure but, in the grand scheme of things, it’s probably the right thing to do and hopefully, looking back, the kids will understand that,” Belle River coach Dave Bracken said. “Unfortunate, but completely understandable and hopefully, this thing gets solved.”
While the playing season is over for 2019-20 for the University of Windsor Lancers, head football coach Jean-paul Circelli was scrambling Friday because he had to cancel a coaching clinic for over 30 set for Sunday.
The team was also three days into spring camp with 60 players through Thursday, but 11 more practices, through to April 2, are now off.
“It’s not great, but it’s unprecedented times,” said Circelli, who said the team’s junior prospects day on April 5 could also be in jeopardy. “We’re on hiatus until we see what’s happening going forward. We’re hoping we can maybe pickup the last week of April.”
Even sports yet to get going were put on hold. The Ontario Soccer Association suspended all sanctioned activities in the province, which included competitions, training, coach and match official educations and team building activities.
The Windsor Clippers, who don’t open the junior B lacrosse season until April 30, saw the Ontario Lacrosse Association shut things down for all members until April 5.
“We were only running Sundays for now,” Clippers head coach Jerry Kavanaugh said.
Baseball Ontario was one of the few organizations not cancelling activities, but left it open to teams to decide to cancel indoor events or for anyone not feeling safe to feel free to stay home.