Local swimmers have a chance for one final splash in 2020

Athletes from a pair of local high schools will have the opportunity for one final splash in 2020, but other than the hopeful start of the cross-country skiing season, that could be it for prep sports in the Mat-Su Borough School District for the remainder of the calendar year.

The Palmer High and Colony High swimming teams will participate in what organizers are calling a timed practice at the Palmer Pool Friday. Each squad will have a three-hour block at the pool, and the teams will swim separately. The results will be merged, and the top two placers in each event will receive medals. The Wasilla High swim team will be unable to participate. WHS is closed through Friday due to additional positive COVID-19 cases.

“It has been a super tough season for them. Not a lot of competition unfortunately,” Palmer High activities director Dale Ewart said of the local swim teams earlier this week.

There were plans for a creative way to have a region swimming meet. Palmer, Colony and Wasilla all belong to Region III, along with Kodiak, Homer, Kenai, Soldotna and Seward. The plan was to have Valley schools compete in a Valley pool, and the Kenai Peninsula programs compete in a Kenai area pool. The results would be merged. Those plans fell apart recently, and the Valley and Peninsula schools will be hosting their own championships.

Intra-district competition in the Mat-Su has been suspended since mid-October, due to rising coronavirus cases in the Valley and in Valley schools. Ewart said there was hope to host some type of an end-of-the-year volleyball competition. Those plans were scrapped due to the continued suspension of intra-district competition and temporary school closures throughout the Valley that prevented teams from practicing.

On Friday, there will be no spectators allowed at the pool. It will be livestreamed by the NFHS Network. Those in the building will be required to wear masks. Athletes are required to wear masks when not in the water.

Prior to the start of the 2020-2021 school year, the district restricted high school athletics to only competition within the school district. Athletes in cross-country running, tennis and football were able to face competition from outside the district on Oct. 10. Valley athletes competed in the ASAA state cross-country running championships and ASAA state tennis championships in Anchorage on Oct,. 10. The Houston football team played at Nikiski and the Redington squad played at Valdez in the ASAA Division I quarterfinals also on Oct. 10. ASAA made its announcement regarding the cancellation of the remainder of the fall championship events and the postponement of winter events on Oct. 13. That impacted volleyball, swimming and diving, and the remainder of the football postseason.

Ewart said there is hope to start the prep Nordic skiing season on Nov. 16 to allow local athletes to at least practice. The starts of the seasons for the remaining winter sports have been pushed to 2021.

As of now, the hockey season is scheduled to start on Jan. 4 and basketball is expected to begin on Jan. 11. ASAA has not decided on a date for the wrestling season to start.

Contact Frontiersman managing editor Jeremiah Bartz at editor@frontiersman.com.