Trib HSSN Top 20 Stories of 2020: After delayed start, fall sports move forward

By: Don Rebel
Saturday, December 19, 2020 | 8:38 PM

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The most unique year in our lifetime is coming to an end. With so many mass starts and stops, highs and lows, just about all walks of life were affected by the coronavirus in 2020.

High school sports were no different. The first two and a half months of the year were carefree and business as usual. Then the final nine and a half months were greatly affected by the pandemic, whether scholastic contests were played or not.

Trib HSSN will close out the year with a daily countdown and a look back at the top 20 WPIAL stories from the year 2020.

No. 15 — Free Fall

Will they play or won’t they pay?

After a March shutdown of the PIAA basketball playoffs and swimming championships, along with the PIHL hockey postseason, because of the pandemic, high school sports fans waited anxiously through the summer for the start of the fall scholastic sports season.

The roller coaster ride schools, coaches and players went through in the month of August was more tense then any wild ride at Kennywood Park.

Days before the start of mandatory heat acclimation week of practices were set to begin across the state in preparation of the 2020 fall season, Gov. Tom Wolf initially mentioned it toward the end of a press conference and then released a statement recommending that all scholastic and recreational youth sports be postponed until Jan. 1.

That decision caused an uproar from unhappy participants and fans throughout the commonwealth.

The PIAA board of directors met and voted to delay the start of fall practices two weeks from Aug. 10 until Aug. 24 so they could meet and discuss with the governor’s office.

When the PIAA board finally had a chance to speak with administrators from the governor’s office, they were not satisfied with the answers they received and the fact fall sports might go the way of spring sports earlier in the year.

On Aug. 21, the PIAA decided to ignore the governor’s recommendation and move forward with fall sports.

The first play date for most of the fall sports came Sept 11. For football, the WPIAL scheduled a seven-week regular season, two less than normal, along with a three-week playoff instead of the normal four weeks for most of the classifications.

No. 16 – An Overdue Golden Storm

No. 17 – Lots of Mercy for Central Valley Foes

No. 18 – Swimming Sweep…Again

No. 19 – Fabulous Freshmen

No. 20 – Golden Knights of the Tennis Court