Derailed: Lady Maples’ Menear among athletes deprived of competing by virus threat
Mapletown freshman Ella Menear stretches on the starting block before the start of the 200 IM at the 2020 WPIAL Class AA Swimming Championships. Menear and other Class AA swimmers were told last Thursday the state meet was suspended and put on hold for at least two weeks. (Photo by Jim Downey)
The Ringgold Rams pose for photos by family members after defeating Burrell, 4-3, to win the 2019 PIHL Division 2 championship. The PIHL Class B Division championship between Ringgold and Carrick was to be played Tuesday at the UPMC Lemieux 缅北禁地 Complex, but the game, along with all PIHL-sanctioned events, has been suspended until at least March 26. (Photo by Jim Downey)
Jim Downey | 缅北禁地
Jim Downey | 缅北禁地
Mount Pleasant鈥檚 Heather Gardner flies off the block at the start of the 50 freestyle in 2020 WPIAL Class AA Swimming Championships. The senior won her third-straight gold medal in the event, but Gardner鈥檚 quest to win her first state gold medal was put on hold with the suspension of all PIAA championship activity for at least two weeks.
Mount Pleasant鈥檚 Heather Gardner and Mapletown鈥檚 Ella Menear, along with another dozen or so local swimmers and divers, anticipated spending last weekend in the pool at Bucknell University in the PIAA Class AA Swimming & Diving Championships.
However, word came down from the PIAA Board of Directors last Thursday all activity would be suspended midway through the second day of the Class AAA meet with the completion of the diving competition.
The Ringgold hockey team was poised to defend its PIHL title on Tuesday after a thrilling, emotional 6-5 overtime victory over Elizabeth Forward last Monday, but the PIHL also decided on Thursday to suspend all sanctioned events.
The suspension from activity for both the PIAA and PIHL is for a minimum of two weeks, effective Thursday, March 12.
Gardner was well into her journey to the pool when she received word from a fellow competitor the Class AA meet was called off.
鈥淚 was about 10 minutes from the pool. Another swimmer from Somerset called me and said just turn around,鈥� said the senior. 鈥淚 immediately burst into tears.鈥�
Gardner didn鈥檛 feel the situation was handled properly.
鈥淛ust go home,鈥� Gardner said of the announcement. 鈥淚t was done unprofessionally.
鈥淚t was simply heartbreaking.鈥�
The Liberty University recruit trained the entire season for her best swims on Friday and Saturday, tapering for the state meet.
鈥淭he taper won鈥檛 last, maybe four days, so I鈥檒l go up in mileage,鈥� said Gardner. 鈥淚 worked from the end of summer for this day.鈥�
Gardner plans to continue her preparations just in case the meet will be held, provided she can find a pool. All schools in the state are closed for at least the next two weeks, so Gardner will need to find another facility for workouts should she have the opportunity to swim her 100 breaststroke and 50 freestyle events.
鈥淚鈥檓 going to swim with the intention states will happen, if it happens. I hope to swim at the Greensburg YMCA, but if it closes 鈥︹�� said Gardner. 鈥淵ou have to (keep practicing). You just don鈥檛 know. You can keep practicing and they could say, 鈥極h, well, never mind.鈥� Or, they could have it and you don鈥檛 practice, and 鈥極h crap, I didn鈥檛 practice.鈥�
鈥淚t鈥檚 better to be safe than sorry.鈥�
Gardner, who was seeking her first state gold medal(s) after winning six WPIAL golds, is understandably disappointed and upset with the postponement. She won silver medals in both events last year.
鈥淔reshmen have three more years to look forward to. I know some seniors who were (strong contenders) to win gold medals for the first time. That was taken away from them,鈥� said Gardner. 鈥淟ook at the AAA schools. All the Class AAA swimmers had the chance to swim on the first day and at least the prelims on the second day. It鈥檚 normal for AA swimmers to be jealous.
鈥淭hey say it鈥檚 postponed. I think they鈥檙e just saying that so we weren鈥檛 upset. It鈥檚 hard to have high hopes.鈥�
Menear was looking forward to her first state meet, qualifying for the 100 backstroke and 200 IM, but her mother and coach Christy Menear said the freshman hasn鈥檛 let the uncertainty affect her.
鈥淪he hasn鈥檛 been out of the water. The plan is to stay in the water until we鈥檙e told not to,鈥� said Christy Menear. 鈥淏ut, who鈥檚 to say they won鈥檛 close the pool?鈥�
Mapletown does not have a pool, so Menear is unaffected by the two-week school closure. She swims with a club team in Morgantown, so for the time being, she has a facility for workouts.
Menear said her daughter found out about the suspension of the meet through the current transmission of most breaking news.
鈥淪he was notified on social media by the LH swimmers,鈥� explained Christy Menear. 鈥淲e decided to go to Morgantown for her practice swim, so we weren鈥檛 (at Bucknell).鈥�
Ella Menear, too, was prepped for peak performances at the state meet.
鈥淓lla鈥檚 body was tapered scientifically for this weekend,鈥� said Christy Menear, adding, 鈥淲e keep encouraging her. She likes to swim.鈥�
Also in the mix is the unknown future of the spring sports season, further complicated by the uncertainty of the decision on the suspended state meet.
鈥淩ight now, she plans on playing softball,鈥� said Christy Menear. 鈥淚 would say it changes by the minute. We have no idea (what the future holds).鈥�
Ringgold was scheduled to play Carrick in the Class B championship Tuesday at 8:30 p.m. The title game had a dual impact for the Rams with the opportunity to not only win their second league title in a row, but also avenge the only blemish on their record, a 3-2 overtime loss to Raiders in the final game of the regular season.
鈥淲e have no idea. All games are postponed for at least two weeks,鈥� said Ringgold coach Rick Kalinowski. 鈥淚t鈥檚 disappointing to both teams. The big question is: 鈥楢re we going to play it?鈥�
鈥淚f they wait until the April, we have kids in other sports.鈥�
鈥淚t鈥檚 a chance to go back-to-back. I feel bad for the captains,鈥� added Kalinowski.
Although the Rams鈥� jerseys sport 鈥淩inggold,鈥� it鈥檚 in name only because the team operates outside the auspices of the school鈥檚 athletic department. Ringgold鈥檚 squad has players from six different schools.
鈥淎s far as I know, I can still practice. They just need to use some common sense. If your sick, stay home,鈥� said Kalinowski.
Kalinowski鈥檚 squad will soon be looking for a place to practice.
鈥淲e have the use of Rostraver (Ice Garden) until March 22,鈥� explained Kalinowski. 鈥淚 checked into ice time with the Bethel Park YMCA, but they will be closing. We might go to a dek hockey rink if we have to.鈥�
The ripple effects of the COVID-19 precautions go beyond the PIHL championship game, with the Rams scheduled to play in a national tournament, the Chipotle-USA Hockey National Championships, at the end of the month in Dallas that has now been postponed.
鈥淭he PIHL was sending three teams, Upper St. Clair, Latrobe and us. We applied and the PIHL put us into it. We have nine seniors. There鈥檚 a better chance with more seniors,鈥� explained Kalinowski. 鈥淭he boys put in a lot of work raising money and we can鈥檛 get a refund. The airline gave us vouchers.鈥�
Kalinowski said he and his coaching staff practiced as they have all year with the expectation of playing the final game of the season.
鈥淭oday, we had a fun practice. We kept it loose,鈥� explained Kalinowski. 鈥淲e are going to do the same thing we鈥檝e been doing all season. We鈥檒l have the same approach until they tell us we can鈥檛.鈥�