The spring seasons of both the Maryland Interscholastic Athletic Association and Interscholastic Athletic Association of Maryland have been canceled due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.
The organizations, which supervise private school athletic competition in the area, are the first high school sports associations in Maryland to cancel their spring seasons. Both leagues had postponed their seasons twice.
The Maryland Public Secondary Schools Athletic Association’s spring season remains postponed.
“The MIAA and IAAM would like to provide an update following Governor Larry Hogan and State Superintendent Dr. Karen Salmon’s press conference on Friday, April 17, 2020 extending the on-site closure of Maryland schools through May 15, 2020," the MIAA and IAAM said in a statement.
“In light of this announcement, the MIAA and IAAM have made the formal decision to cancel the remainder of the 2020 spring sports season. In addition, there will be no league supported playoffs or championships.”
Most teams had only played a handful of games before the seasons were halted in mid-March. The MIAA season started March 3, and all games were postponed by March 16.
Hogan and Salmon announced at a press conference Friday that public school closures would extend through May 15, further diminishing any hope of a sports season for state athletic associations.
It was that act, St. Mary’s athletic director Allison Fondale said, that motivated the committee of athletic directors, heads of schools and board of directors to cancel the season. The MIAA and IAAM had projected a five-day practice window and a handful of games in May, but only if schools were open and operational and authorities deemed it safe to hold sporting events.
Of the 29 schools that comprise the MIAA and the 31 of the IAAM, several schools, such as Saints Peter & Paul in Easton, had already chosen not to take part in a shortened season.
Tuesday’s ruling means no chance for Gerstell to defend its MIAA B Conference title, but coach Cap Poklemba said he assumed a decision was coming soon. Poklemba said the Falcons were preparing for this during a recent Zoom meeting.
“It’s unfortunate,” he said. “We’ve just got to make the best out of whenever we do get back. Hopefully we do get back into school. ... I don’t see us getting back into classes, but hopefully we can get back to the point where we might be able to get to graduation and get these seniors at least a decent send-off.”
The blow will likely be felt more deeply by some teams that will be graduating a big portion of their rosters. St. Mary’s boys lacrosse lists 15 seniors, all of whom unwittingly played their final game on March 6 against Georgetown Prep.
Poklemba had only two seniors on his baseball roster for this spring in Chris Hagan and Logan Satti, and the Falcons were coming off a 17-7 season that saw them win six of their final seven games and defeat Boys’ Latin twice in two days to win the B Conference title.
“That’s a pretty good memory to be able to walk away with,” Polkemba said. “If you’ve got to think positively about it, a good way to go out is with a championship.”
Annapolis Area Christian School’s girls lacrosse team had been one of those programs fortunate to play one game. As news of the cancellation hit coach Deanna Thorpe, she had been sorting through team photos for an Instagram tribute to seniors. The next time she’ll look upon the faces of her players will be in a Zoom meeting, where they will all — Thorpe included — laugh and cry and do whatever they need to do to work through the news.
The lesson Thorpe aims to instill is to control only what they can control. Five of her seniors were starters this spring, and none will continue lacrosse in college. Thorpe had multiple juniors hoping to attract college coaches’ attentions this spring.
“The good news is that we’re all in the same storm. The bad news is that everybody’s ship might look a little different,” Thorpe said. “Hopefully, you can keep your ship afloat.”
The Calvert Hall lacrosse team opened the season as the country’s No. 1-ranked team and improved to 3-0 with an 18-3 win over Florida-based IMG Academy on March 10.
For the three-time defending MIAA A Conference champions, Tuesday’s news they would not get a chance to make it four straight was disheartening.
Coach Bryan Kelly planned to have a Zoom call with his players Tuesday night.
"I know the kids are really disappointed,” he said. “Obviously, they’ve put a lot of time, energy and work into the season and this ends careers for a lot of incredible lacrosse players throughout the state. It’s just not the way you want to finish your senior year of high school.”
Carroll County Times sports editor Pat Stoetzer contributed to this story.