So much has been up in the air for high school athletics this year.
Seasons pushed back, switched around, shortened.
Winter sports like basketball and wrestling are up next, but no one really knew if they would happen this year, until now.
The Oregon Health Authority announced Tuesday indoor full contact sports will be allowed to resume, shocking local athletes.
“Pretty ecstatic,” said Culver senior wrestler Jordan Piercy about being allowed to wrestle this year. “We have all been hoping and dreaming for this. Especially for some of us that haven’t yet won an individual state title and were really pursuing it.”
The Culver Bulldogs have won 12 of the last 14 1A/2A state wrestling titles.
They placed second last year.
This is their redemption season.
At Madras High School, basketball has always been important.
“This COVID is no joke, it is really no joke,” said MHS senior basketball player Jordan Mitchell. “I am surprised we are going to have a season.”
Madras and Culver High senior athletes look forward to proving what they are capable of, this upcoming sports season.
“I took the last years for granted thinking I would have next year and just having the fact that it never is promised,” said CHS senior wrestler Brody Piercy. “I think it is going to make all of us appreciate the sport way more and enjoy every bit of it.”
“If we weren’t going to have a season there was like no way for me to pursue basketball in college because coaches wouldn’t be able to see me play,” said MHS senior basketball player Jayden Davis.
Coaches are more than ready.
“For the seniors, I am just glad they have an opportunity to play one last time together and have some sort of fulfillment of a high school basketball career,” said Jerin Say MHS head varsity girls basketball coach.
“We’re ready to go, we are going to do whatever we need to do, whatever it takes.” said Robert Frasier the assistant wrestling coach at Culver.
“Jefferson County, Madras, Warm Springs has always been a basketball town, basketball county,” added Nick Brown, the head boys varsity basketball coach at Madras. “Basketball means so much for this community.”
The shortened basketball and wrestling seasons start mid-May.
“Everything happens for a reason, and I think this will push us to be better people overall,” Piercy said. “It is what it is, just make the best of what we got.”Additional guidance for indoor full-contact sports from OHA is forthcoming.
