Published March 25, 2020
By STEPHEN MARTELLUCCI
LYNNFIELD — Due to the COVID-19 crisis, Massachusetts high school sports have been put on hold. The date for the first spring practices was originally scheduled to start on March 16.
The MIAA (Massachusetts Interscholastic Athletic Association) then pushed the start date to March 30. They later moved it back to April 27.
The plan, if they do start on April 27, is to play a shortened season with the playoffs ending by June 20. If they get the season started later, they would just have a regular season without a playoff.
Lynnfield High softball coach Peter Marinelli, who was entering his 11th year, met with his squad back on March 12 just before the school closed.
“We have no control over the situation,” said Marinelli. “We didn’t know, at that point, what was going to happen.”
Marinelli encouraged his plays to play catch at home with family members and to work out on their own to stay in shape.
He feels that, if the season does start, they would keep the schedule the same and just pick up at that point.
“The only fly in the ointment will be the non-league games so some teams will play a little more than others,” Martinelli, pointed out.
Even if they have to start later and not have a state tournament, Marinelli feels that they should still play the games.
“All of the players, especially the seniors, have worked hard so there should be a season even without the tournament,” he said. “Maybe what they can do is have four teams from our league (Cape Ann) play a mini-playoff.”
Marinelli feels that the top two teams in the CAL Kinney and the Baker division could have a playoff where the first-place team plays the second-place team in the other division. The two winners could then play for the league crown.
Joe Dunn is entering his fifth season as the Lynnfield High boys tennis coach. He met with his squad back on March 11 expecting, at that time, to start practice on March 16.
“Conditioning has always been important before our season starts,” explained Dunn. “The kids can do skills on their own until we get started. They can get their racquet and do imitation strokes as well.”
As far as playing even if there is not a state tournament, Dunn agrees with Marinelli.
“The postseason is important and what you strive for but we should still play and salvage what we can even if there is no playoffs. It will be something positive to get out and at least play.”
All the coaches and players can do at this point is play the waiting game and see what the MIAA decides in the upcoming weeks.
