Elite high school athletes reflect on season in which coronavirus was the only winner

The coronavirus pandemic has affected American society in countless ways. Among those impacted have been high school athletes, including elite seniors who had already lined up college scholarships but were looking for one last chance to bring glory to their teams and schools.

Isabella “Bella” Whittaker had some unfinished business at Mount de Sales Academy, which had hoped to repeat as the Interscholastic Athletic Association of Maryland A Conference champion in track and field.

Whittaker’s record-setting career, which included her being The Sun’s Athlete of the Year in indoor track, has seen her post bests of 23.87 seconds in the 200-meter dash, and 53.60 in the 400. Whittaker is headed to the University of Pennsylvania, famous in the sport for serving as host of the Penn Relays, which, like the IAAM championship meet May 6 and 9, was canceled by the pandemic.

“It definitely hurt a lot,” said Whittaker, who attends St. Joseph Church in Odenton with her family. “I feel like I’ve worked especially hard to build up for the outdoor season. It (the cancellation) definitely was very sad.”

What deepened that hurt was that it may have been the last time to wear the same uniform as her sister, Juliette, a sophomore and one of the nation’s best in the 800 and 1,600.

Of course, the postponement of the 2020 Tokyo Olympics one year increases the chances of the Whittaker sisters qualifying for the U.S. Trials, where Juliette is already close to the standard in the 800.

“It gives us another year,” Bella said. “I get another year of real training. It’s definitely an extra year of comfort.”

At The John Carroll School in Bel Air, meanwhile, four-year starter Emma Ritter experienced an similarly unfulfilling end to her final softball season.

As a freshman, she played on a team that won the IAAM A Conference title. As a junior, Ritter’s .726 batting average, 23 RBI, four home runs and 20 stolen bases made her a first-team All-Metro selection. That team fell to Archbishop Spalding High School in the IAAM championship game.

This year’s title game was scheduled for May 12.

“Obviously, it’s very upsetting,” said Ritter, who plays centerfield. “You kind of have to step outside of yourself a little bit, and I know that I’ll be able to do something I love for four more years.”

That would  be at Virginia Tech, in Blacksburg, Va.

Boys’ lacrosse in 2019 culminated with Calvert Hall College High School whipping St. Mary’s High of Annapolis, 15-7, in the Maryland Interscholastic Athletic Association A Conference final.

It was the third straight title for the Cardinals, and no Baltimore prep team has ever won four in a row. Coach Bryan Kelly’ dynasty includes his son, Daniel, who collected 42 goals and 30 assists last season. He was primed for more points, and one more title, May 15 at Towson University’s Johnny Unitas Stadium.

“We still feel like we have unfinished business, but we can’t control the circumstances,” said Kelly, who will play at the University of Maryland. “I believe that God has a bigger plan for us and for my brother (Joshua, a Calvert Hall freshman), and I have a lot of faith in next year’s team.”

Will Tominovich, a St. Mary’s defenseman who is heading to Georgetown University, was on the wrong end of the A Conference final last season.

“I’ll just remember all the good times I had,” said Tominovich, whose home parish is St. Mary’s. “I won’t focus on the negative but the positive. I had three great years.”

Nonetheless, he wanted a fourth, “the last chance to wear the (St. Mary’s) blue and white and play with friends I’ve played with for a long time.”

 

 

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