Seniors at Libby High School lament the prospect of no spring sports

John Cheroske believed the school record for the 800 meters was within reach.

“I was only a couple of seconds away,” he said.

Cheroske, 18, is a senior at Libby High School and a track team veteran who also runs the mile and pole vaults.

Sheyla Gallagher, 19, plays third base as a senior for the school’s softball team.

“Softball is my favorite sport,” Gallagher said. “It’s just sad to think I might not be able to play again. Even just one more game.”

Trey Thompson, 18, earned respect for his work ethic as a wrestler for Libby High School. Thompson said April 6 that he had been excited about the prospects of this year’s tennis team because his teammates seemed so committed.

“We’d just been working so hard,” he said. “Everybody wanted to do a little bit extra. Everybody has fun with each other. Everybody gets along.”

Thompson, a senior, also plays in the Libby High School Band, another extracurricular activity hobbled this semester by COVID-19.

On March 15, Gov. Steve Bullock announced the closing of the state’s public schools for two weeks in an effort to slow the spread of the coronavirus and COVID-19. On March 24, Bullock extended the closing until April 10 and on April 7 he extended the closing to April 24.

Two days later, the Montana High School Association announced the suspension of all spring activities through April 24. The association said that if in-person instruction hasn’t resumed by May 4 spring activities will be canceled. Period.

Graduation is scheduled for May 30.

Senior athletes at Libby High School recently said they would embrace any chance to play their sport, even if the number of games or meets was limited.

Ashlyn Monigold, 17, said she has played softball for most of her life. For the Libby Loggers, the senior plays outfield. She also played volleyball and was a cheerleader.

Monigold said it has been difficult to accept that her high school softball career might be done.

“It’s really hard for me because I feel all the seniors have worked so hard,” she said. “It’s really hard to process that we might not have a chance to play.”

Monigold said her grandfather, Dennis Woody, attends nearly all the softball team’s home games.

“He’s always there,” she said. “He’s a little bit disappointed he won’t be able to watch.”

More than a little bit.

“Super sad. Super sad,” said Woody, who is 65 and said he has been watching Ashlyn play softball for years.

“It kind of chokes me up just thinking about it,” he said.

Ciera Lucas, 18, said she believes the tennis team would have played well this spring.

“The year was looking pretty promising for us, but then it went downhill,” Lucas said.

She said many teammates weren’t ready to quit after the first school closing announcement.

“A lot of people were still out there hitting,” she said.

“I was really looking forward to playing and not being able to play is killing me,” Lucas added.

Keith Johnson, 18, was named a Northwestern A All-Conference basketball player this year for the Loggers. In spring sports he has competed in the high jump and triple jump for the track team.

Johnson said he had hoped to be among the conference leaders this year in those events.

“I’ve worked for four years to get on top of the podium at state,” he said.

The prospect of losing his senior season is, Johnson said, “a really depressing thought.”

Amaya Borden, 18, expressed similar thoughts about her softball season.

“It’s really upsetting because this is the main sport I play,” she said. “I’ve been really excited. I feel like it could have been a really good year.”

Softball teammate McKenzie Proffitt, 18, plays first base. She also played volleyball and basketball at Libby High School.

She said the likelihood of not playing during her senior year is upsetting “because we put in all this effort over the years, with our seniors and our teammates, that we might have to give up.”

Cayman Lee, 17, said the ripple effects of the coronavirus pandemic happened so fast that it has been challenging to come to terms with the impact on tennis and other spring sports.

“It was hard to take in because it was kind of a shock,” Lee said. “But I’m trying not to complain too extensively because the whole country is going through this.”