Sections Champs unable to play at state tournaments

By Jill Fennema –

The Southwest MN Christian High School Eagles defeated the Central Minnesota Christian Blue Jays last week Thursday evening, winning a chance to play in the boys state basketball tournament. However, due to spreading fears of the coronavirus, the Minnesota State High School League cancelled the tournament on Friday.

All state tournaments were cancelled, including the girls state tournament which had already begun the day before. Just about every other event in the state was cancelled as well, as government and health officials preached the need to stay home to prevent the spread of the respiratory illness.

In a statement on Thursday, the MSHSL said they intended to “work with member schools to finish this winter season in the best way possible” and would do “everything possible to allow participating students who have earned the opportunity to compete in these special tournaments to do so.” The following day, they reneged on that statement and cancelled all state tournaments just after 11 a.m.

Obviously this was a huge disappointment to the SWCH Eagles and their families. A petition to reschedule the tournaments for another date was circulating on Facebook over the weekend.

Governor Tim Walz declared a Peace Time Emergency on Friday afternoon. Shortly after that, President Donald Trump declared a National Emergency. On Sunday, the governor issued a statement telling public schools to close on Wednesday, March 18, however many local public school were already closed on Monday. The Christian schools in town were open on Monday, but were preparing for distance learning.

Minnesota Department of Health Commissioner Jan Malcolm issued a number of community mitigation strategies, which Governor Walz advised and urged Minnesotans to follow, including:

• Cancel or postpone large events in excess of 250 people gathered together;
• Ensure space for social distancing of six feet per person at smaller events and gatherings; and
• Limit gatherings with participants at high risk for severe disease to less than 10 people.

Concerns over the coronavirus were causing just about every event in the country to be cancelled. Locally, people wondered why the response seemed disproportionate to the threat, when for the last two weeks information disseminated about COVID-19 made the virus out to be less deadly than regular influenza and something to be feared only by the very young, the very old, or those with compromised immune systems.

Over the weekend different information about the virus began to surface, including the need for those who came down with the disease to be on ventilators and respirators. The virus is now said to cause lasting lung damage. People were being advised not to rely on social media for their information as those platforms often disseminate false information. Rather, they should get dependable, science driven information from physicians, and MN Dept. of Health, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The COVID-19 virus had been found in 35 people in the state as of Monday morning, March 16.

SWCH plans to host a celebration event for the boys’ basketball team and all who supported them throughout the season at some time in the near future. As far as other high school events, spring sports activities were on hold.

For more articles like this, please see the March 18th edition of the Edgerton Enterprise. If you do not currently receive the Enterprise, CLICK HERE to learn how to subscribe!