COVID-19 pandemic suspends HS spring seasons

When will the high school spring teams resume activities? Will there even be a spring season? Those are the questions on the minds of many athletic directors, coaches, student-athletes, parents and fans. Right now, there are no answers.

High school spring sports teams were getting ready for their seasons. The boys and girls lacrosse seasons were supposed to begin March 25 and the rest of the spring sports, which include baseball, softball, boys tennis, track and field, boys volleyball and golf were scheduled to begin April 1.

However, due to the COVID-19 pandemic that has swept across the world, many schools throughout the state have been shut down, beginning this past Monday, for as long as two weeks.

That means teams cannot prepare for their seasons — preparation that includes practices and preseason scrimmages.

John Taylor, Irvington High School athletic director, said  March 12 that the school has canceled all preseason scrimmages for March. “Regular-season games scheduled to begin on April 1 are still currently scheduled, but may be re-evaluated in the coming weeks,” he said. Taylor also said that University Middle School girls basketball team’s March 17 league championship game against New Horizons Academy, of Newark, was canceled. Both teams were declared as co-champions. Other athletic directors in the Worrall Media publishing area in Essex County could not be reached for comment.

So for now, schools are taking a wait-and-see approach.