Austin Hemmingson | Daily Press The Escanaba student section takes in a home football game against Alpena on Aug. 29, 2019. Area sports teams and fans are in the dark right now, wondering when local sports will return to action after the MHSAA announced Friday that all sports activities are to be suspended until at least April 5 due to the recent coronavirus outbreak. This comes after major organizations such as the NBA, NCAA and NHL cancelled or suspended their seasons in the last few days.

ESCANABA — The sports world is in unprecedented territory right now.

Starting Wednesday night with the NBA, nearly every major sports league has either suspended or cancelled the remainder of its season due to the recent coronavirus outbreak, and the Michigan High School Athletic Association has decided to follow suit.

Thursday morning, the MHSAA sent out a press release around 10 a.m. stating that winter postseason games would still be played, but with limited fans and essential administrators only. By 3 p.m., that turned into all games being suspended, and by 2 p.m. Friday, the MHSAA announced all sports activities are to be suspended until at least April 5.

Just a little over a few hours later, the National Junior College Athletic Association also announced all play will be suspended until at least April 3.

All of the news snowballed rather quickly, and there have been mixed reactions from those in the local sports community.

“It’s unprecedented and uncharted territory right now,” Escanaba Athletic Director Tony Perino said in a phone interview Friday. “Nobody has the correct answer, but at the end of the day, you’re seeing a struggle with winter sports and whether or not spring sports will even happen.

“It’s disappointing nonetheless, but I think we know enough about the virus and what you get from it. I think the MHSAA Executive Director (Mark Uyl) did a good job making a quick, decisive decision. Is it the correct answer? I don’t think we’ll know that answer for a few months. But it’s like a cancelling an event due to weather. It’s the right move. The flack or the comments that might arise due to weather far underweigh the results if someone was struck by lightning or if a bus got in an accident.”

Perino’s Eskymos were directly impacted. The boys basketball team was supposed to play for a district championship at Menominee Friday night, and gymnasts Abbie Derouin and Madison Block were supposed to compete downstate in the individual gymnastics finals this weekend.

“At the end of the day, athletics are a privilege, not a right,” Perino said. “Look at the Big Ten, the NCAA, the NBA. They’re all cancelling. Do we need more of a precedent?

“We have some irate coaches right now and I understand that, but I think when the dust settles and they come down from it they’ll look at it different. I’d hate to see any school have a kid come down with it anywhere. I don’t want them to find out if they can fight it off.”

The Carney-Nadeau boys basketball team was supposed to visit North Central for a district title game Friday night. Paul Polfus, the Wolves coach and athletic director, wishes the MHSAA would have at least allowed activities to be completed this week.

“I get the worry about the health issues. Obviously, at some point history is going to play out whether it’s real or not real. I just wish from the MHSAA’s standpoint, that they would have finished out the week with our districts and the girls regionals, then give the schools a few days to wrap their heads around it over the weekend,” he said in a phone interview. “I thought reduced attendance was a good idea, but once the NCAA starting cancelling it kind of seemed like a bandwagon effect after that. That part is a little worrisome for me because it sets that precedent for the future.

“It escalated from 9 a.m. in the morning (Thursday) to having nothing by 3 p.m. in the afternoon. I’m disappointed with the speed it went by, but I guess it is what it is. It’s unprecedented. It’s almost like a panic situation, like we have to get this done now.

“It just sort of leaves a sour taste in my mouth. It didn’t show compassion to me as far as dealing with the whole situation.”

With winter tournaments suspended, it leaves a big unknown as to whether or not they will be completed.

“I don’t think they have a contingency plan, but at the end of the day I think they gave some false hope,” Perino said. “How are you going to make (the games) up? It’s kind of like giving a sales pitch. You don’t want to overpromise and underdeliver, and I think they kind of did that. Logistically, it’s not going to make sense.”

If the games aren’t played, the student-athletes — particularly the seniors — are going to be the ones affected most.

“The health and safety concerns far outweigh winning a tournament,” Perino said. “That’s life. What do you put first — the safety and health of the student-athlete, or a district championship, a regional title or a state title?

“There will be a lot of stories about the season that could have been. There’s no doubt there’s going to be disappointment. It’s something that will be talked about for years and decades to come if this is the case.”

For someone like Polfus, who’s been involved in coaching since 1979, sports have been a huge part of his life. He views them as more than just a game.

“They say sports aren’t that big of a deal, but I feel it’s a big part of my life and for all these kids and student-athletes,” he said. “It’s a sad time for me. I’ve had a lot of different emotions in the last 24 to 48 hours… What do I say to these kids? It’s been tough.

“I have a lot of despair and sadness for the seniors on my team and other teams. This is so important to them. It might seem selfish, but for all the time we put in it’s very disappointing. It kind of feels like we had the rug pulled out from underneath our feet. I recognize it’s a short-term measure, but it’s sort of distressing to me. I thought it could have been a little more well thought out.”

Once the MHSAA makes the call on winter tournaments, all attention will turn to spring sports. The NCAA has already cancelled spring sports, so it leaves room to wonder what will come at the state level.

“My outlook on spring sports isn’t great right now. I don’t know for sure, but I don’t think it looks good,” Perino said.

“I don’t know if we’ll have enough practice time when you push it out. What I always say is plan for the worst and hope for the best. That’s all you can do.”

Polfus hopes the MHSAA will take the next three weeks to look at the big picture and then re-evaluate.

“I think the MHSAA should look at that for the next three weeks. We’re one state, not an entire nation. It’s so hard to read, but I would certainly hope that decision wouldn’t be made in the next three weeks,” he said.

“Every association is different. We’re not nationwide and traveling back and forth and having kids coming back from college. We’re just a state organization.”