Area teams hold out hope of finishing season amid virus scare
The stars were aligning and Cypress Creek was just getting healthy when COVID-19 stopped everything last week.
The Lady Cougars were getting ready for the last game of the regular season against Cy-Fair. The stakes were high — the winner would take the final playoff spot in District 17-6A.
“Their first question was ‘Is this game still happening?’ ” said Cypress Creek coach Laura Throckmorton, referring to the team’s last practice before the UIL and individual districts stopped play.
Cypress Creek and Cy-Fair are in an interesting situation. The rivalry alone is enough to charge emotions. The fact the two sides have to come off an untimely layoff and immediately dive into a match with so much on the line isn’t particularly ideal.
But the two teams are not alone as every corner of Houston-area high school athletics waits and hopes to get back on the field or court.
The UIL’s new calendar for spring sports still stands as of Tuesday. The boys basketball state tournament is certainly the most noteworthy event still up in the air. The two Class 1A and 3A semifinals were the only boys basketball games played at the Alamodome in San Antonio before the league postponed the tournament.
Soccer players would be in a different predicament compared to others when games resume. The soccer bi-district playoffs are pushed back to April 14 and the state championships to April 29May 2.
Cypress Creek and Cy-Fair’s match is tentatively scheduled for March 31, two days after the UIL’s halt of all activities is lifted. However, several districts in the Houston area have extended closures through at least April 10, adding more doubt and uncertainty for every UIL spring sport about finishing its campaign.
Still, there is hope.
“It’s absolutely a concern,” said Throckmorton of the possibility of playing against Cy-Fair after a long layoff. “It’s not ideal to have this big break before a big game. It’s not what we have hoped for, but we’re all still really excited and really want this to happen.”
In the same district is Spring Woods, which clinched a playoff berth with a March 9 win over Cypress Falls. Spring Woods girls soccer coach Sarah Pollicove said her team needed to win two of the regular season’s final matches to seal its spot and did so just before the season suspension.
Count Pollicove and her girls as also eager to finish the season. Spring Woods reached the playoffs for the first time since 2014.
“I have personally never been,” said Pollicove, a former Tigers standout who never made the playoffs during her playing days. “So, for these girls I said, ‘Look I know you want to go because you’ve never been, but neither have I.’ ”
Practice is the other hurdle for Pollicove, Throckmorton and many more teams and athletes regardless of sport.
Both coaches say they’ve been in contact with their players and are confident they are doing everything possible to stay fit. There are no reminders needed to be ready at a moment’s notice.
Elsik boys soccer Vincenzo Cox says the same about his team, as far as staying in shape is concerned. This Elsik Rams team is like many others the program has had with a chance to win the region and a state championship.
Elsik is shooting for its third straight state semifinal appearance — if it gets the chance. Cox is concerned about safety above all.
“I’m hoping if it calms down and things get back to normal, we get a chance to get back to things we all love doing, whether it’s following football, baseball, basketball,” Cox said. “Everybody gets back to what they want.”