It’s the first week of April. Normally, that would mean the scholastic spring sports season would be underway across the state.

Games, matches and meets should be taking place on a daily basis.

But this isn’t any normal April.

This is 2020. This is the year of COVID-19.

There are new norms and different priorities.

“Flatten the curve” has replaced curve balls; “Stay home” has replaced home runs; and “Social distancing” has replaced distance running.

With the high school sports season two weeks into a temporary suspension of play - and no one with any idea of when or if it will resume - several of the top returning area spring sports athletes offered their thoughts about recent events and how they are managing these unchartered waters.

Holding out hope

On Monday, the PIAA announced that no action would be taken regarding the start of spring sports or the possible re-start of the winter championships. The statement said it will continue to receive and assess information from Governor Wolf’s office, the Department of Health and the Department of Education before making any decisions regarding re-starting sports activities.

While the announcement didn’t contain any new information, it did at least give high school athletes across the state a glimmer of hope that eventually at least a partial or abbreviated season could be held.

And no matter how slight that chance may be, it’s obvious that athletes are doing their best to stay ready in case schools re-open and sports are re-started.

“It’s been crazy what has been happening and how quickly life has changed,” said Tamaqua three-sport athlete Brayden Knoblauch, who currently has his basketball season on hold in the quarterfinals of the State Tournament and his baseball season stopped before he has had a chance to even start practicing.

“I’m still holding out hope that we can finish our basketball season, and if we can’t do that, then we can at least get some baseball in,” he said. “It’s unfortunate, but everyone across the world is dealing with the same thing. I’m just trying to make the best of the situation.”

That’s an attitude shared by Knoblauch’s peers across the Times News coverage area - no matter the sport.

“I’m really hoping and trying to stay positive that we will get some type of season in,” said Jim Thorpe’s Lydia Wallace, the 2019 Times News/Lehigh Valley Health Network Girls Track Athlete of the Year. “It’s frustrating because as a junior, this is my big recruiting year as far as colleges are concerned.

“But I’m trying to make sure that I’m doing everything possible to be ready to compete if we do have a season.”

For 2019 TN/LVHN Lacrosse Player of the Year Jules Lopez of Pleasant Valley, a season with so much promise is hanging in the balance.

“I’m glad the PIAA hasn’t canceled the spring season yet,” said Lopez, who was the leading goal scorer on a Bears team that went 14-4 a year ago and graduated just two players. “The fact that they have decided to delay their decision at least gives athletes hope that we will be able to compete at some point this spring.”

For Palmerton’s Jordan Nelson, the suspended season has delayed what was expected to be a very promising track season.

A year ago, Nelson won District 11 championships in the 110 hurdles, the triple jump, and the 400 meter relay. Those performances helped him earn the TN/LVHN Boys Track Athlete of the Year award.

“I really hope we do get a chance to compete this season,” said Nelson. “I don’t know how likely it is, but you can’t sit around and assume the season isn’t going to happen, because if it does, you’re going to be too far behind.

“So I’m doing the best I can to stay active and in shape. I can’t do a lot of things I’d be working on if we were having practices and meets, but I’m working on my cardio, and doing some drills and exercises to stay as ready as possible.”

Pleasant Valley’s Josh Schaffner has one slight advantage over the other spring sports athletes. A tennis player, Schaffner actually had two matches in when the suspension of the season was announced.

“I was 1-1 at the time,” said Schaffner, who went 15-3 during the regular season last year and won District 11 bronze medals in both singles and doubles. “It’s tough having the season stopped just as we were getting going.

“I had really high hopes for the season. I played in the summer, fall and winter to get ready. Right now, I’m holding out hope that we eventually have a season.”

Whatever it takes

For just about every high school athlete across the state, staying ready means working out on their own - and finding ways to make it work.

“I live in a development, so I’ve been running on the roads, mixing in speed work and distance work, trying to use some of the hills where I live for conditioning purposes,” said Wallace, who was a District 11 champion in the 800 meters and 300 hurdles, and a runner-up in the 400 meters a year ago.

Nelson, like Wallace, hasn’t been able to work on some of the specific track events, so he has just tried to stay in the best shape possible. Part of the way he has done that is to do workouts and drills that are more football oriented.

A member of the 2020 Villanova football recruiting class, Nelson said the Wildcats’ coaches have already sent him workout instructions.

“A lot of the football stuff will help me with my jumping and running in track,” said Nelson. “They have me doing a lot of agility drills, and things that will help me work on my explosiveness, like short distance sprints. With no gym access to work on weightlifting, I’m trying to do as much cardio as possible.”

Knoblauch is doing what he can to stay sharp in two sports.

“My girlfriend (Tamaqua 2,000-point scorer Emma Kuczynski) lives in Owl Creek and they have a court close to her house that is actually still open,” said Knoblauch. “It only has one basket, but it allows me to at least get some shots up.

“As for baseball, I have a tee that I take out in my backyard and get some swings in.”

Like Knoblauch, Lopez has also been able to utilize backyard equipment to try and stay sharp.

“I’m running and doing as much cardio as possible to stay in shape,” Lopez said. “But I also have a goal in my yard, so I’ve been able to work on my shot and my stickwork as well.”

Schaffner, the 2019 TN/LVHN Boys Tennis Player of the Year, hasn’t been able to do that with his tennis stroke.

“With all the indoor clubs closed and the outdoor courts locked down, I haven’t been able to hit,” said Schaffner. “So I’ve been running to work on my cardio, and also trying to do some things to help with my footwork.”

The big picture

All the area athletes used words like disappointed, sad and frustrated to describe the jolt the coronavirus has delivered to the school year and the spring sports season.

But to a person, all of them said they realized that there are bigger, more important things at stake.

“As disappointing as this is, I definitely feel we are doing the right thing,” said Knoblauch. “Hopefully all the restrictions that are in place will save as many people and as many lives as possible. I hope that happens and that life will return to normal as quickly as possible.”

Wallace said, “It’s frustrating from a sports standpoint, but this is a very serious situation that everyone needs to do their part to help resolve. We all need to follow the guidelines that the government is issuing. The quicker we do that, the quicker things will get back to normal.”

Nelson also talked about the big picture, “Obviously, it hurts to realize we might not have a spring sports season. But we need to all be aware of what’s happening around us and take it seriously,” he said. “Everything being done is not only for our own good, but the good of everyone we care about.”

Lopez said she understands why the restrictions are in place.

“I definitely get it,” she said. “This is bigger than sports. I totally understand why we can’t be in school, and we can’t be practicing and playing games. It’s the right decision. But that still doesn’t keep me from being disappointed.

“I think the hardest part of this is not getting to work and practice with my teammates. I really miss that part of it more than anything.”

Schaffner, who like Lopez, Nelson and Knoblauch is a senior, said that fact makes it even tougher.

“You always look forward to your senior year being the best,” he said. “You know it’s your last chance to accomplish any high school goals that you still hadn’t reached.

“So I think from that perspective, it makes this even tougher. But when you look at all the sacrifices people like the health care professions are making, you realize what you’re sacrificing doesn’t come close to what they are giving up to help other people. All you can hope is that in the long run, we will all benefit from the sacrifices everyone is making now.”