PIAA postpones championships in swimming, diving, basketball

By a unanimous vote, the PIAA Board of Directors decided March 12 to suspend the state basketball and AA boys and girls swimming and diving championships for at least a two-week period.
The AAA swimming and diving championships held at Bucknell University were truncated with limited spectators. Preliminary heat times were used to decide place winners on Day 2 of the competition.
In consultation with various health departments, the Board of Directors said it believed the action was in the best interest of its member schools, student-athletes, sports officials and the general public.
“The Board of Directors are committed to promoting an environment of healthy athletic competition that is consistent with current health department and the Center for the Disease Control guidelines,” executive director Dr. Robert A. Lombardi said.
The decision to tentatively postpone the basketball championships until March 27 impacted boys’ teams from Mt. Lebanon and Bishop Canevin and girls’ squads from Bethel Park and Chartiers Valley.
In addition to the PIAA postponements, the PIHL delayed its hockey playoffs. Peters Township was scheduled to play Seneca Valley March 12 and the championships for all classifications were set to be played March 16 and 17 at the UPMC Lemieux Sports Complex in Cranberry.
Another event involving area athletes, the Pittsburgh Wrestling Classic was canceled. Dubbed the “Rose Bowl of Wrestling,” the showcase of the best wrestlers in the country was scheduled for March 14 at Pitt’s Fitzgerald Field House.