They will play: Reversal puts Sunset, Coral Gables back in playoff picture

Sunset will host Edison in a Class 4A regional quarterfinal on Wednesday, and Coral Gables will host Palmetto in a Class 7A regional quarterfinal on Friday.

Coral Gables and Sunset earned a reprieve.

Last week, it appeared that both of those schools’ boys’ basketball teams were out of the state playoffs — through, in essence.

Sunset had defeated LaSalle in a district final only to find out days later that someone from their opponent’s team had tested positive for COVID-19. The same thing happened to Coral Gables after a win against Columbus.

But, after countless calls and emails from interested parties in the Coral Gables and Sunset camps, both teams were given new life.

Sunset will now host Edison in a Class 4A re

gional quarterfinal at 7 p.m. on Wednesday.

Coral Gables will host Palmetto in a Class 7A regional quarterfinal at 7 p.m. on Friday.

“I’m very surprised but happily surprised,” Gables assistant coach Marcos Molina said.

Coral Gables hasn’t played or practiced since last Friday and, because of quarantine protocols, won’t be allowed to practice until Friday, which will be just a shootaround on game day.

The winner of Friday’s game plays Columbus on Saturday in a regional semifinal and then a Broward school, Miramar or Western, on Monday with a trip to the state semifinals at stake.

“Our kids are grateful,” Molina said when asked about the prospect of playing three elimination games in four days. “They will be ready.”

Jackie Calzadilla, a spokeswoman for MiamiDade Public Schools, issued a statement on Monday that read, in part: “After days of negotiations with the Florida High School Athletic Association and schools outside the district, M-DCPS is pleased to announce that a resolution has been reached. Teams that were forced to forfeit games in the regional playoffs, due to different quarantine protocols, will now be allowed to participate. … However, no further adjustments can be accommodated beyond this point.”

Sunset coach Erick Martinez

said his team will be allowed to practice Tuesday and then play Wednesday.

“Wow, it’s amazing,” Martinez said when asked for his reaction. “What the parents of our players did was amazing, calling everywhere to make sure their kids get this opportunity. I’m ecstatic.”

Martinez said his first call upon hearing the good news was to Aimee SiegelHarris, the mother of the only two seniors on the Sunset team, twins Justin and Dylan Harris.

“She started crying,”

Martinez said, “and it almost made me cry, too.

“I Facetimed the players. [Junior] Vinny Suarez started running around his house. The twins were screaming. [Junior] Ojany Gomez, the first thing out of his mouth, was that he was happy for the twins.”

Siegel-Harris, who works as a fundraiser for Miami Jewish Health, enlisted her sister, Lisa Siegel and the parents of another Sunset player, Raymond and Irene Murga, among others.

“For five days, we sent emails and made phone calls non-stop,” SiegelHarris said. “We got on Instagram and other forms of social media …

“My sons said, ‘Mom, stop, it’s not going to happen.’ But I wasn’t going to give up.

“I think this is a great life lesson for my sons and other young people about determination and perseverance.”