‘You can’t take anything for granted:’ SV senior student athletes reflect on tribute, lost season
KAYLEE LINDENMUTH / SHENANDOAH SENTINEL - Veterans Memorial Stadium in Shenandoah on April 17, 2020.
SHENANDOAH – Shenandoah Valley’s Veterans Memorial Stadium was alight Friday night, recognizing the Class of 2020, whose senior year was cut short by the coronavirus pandemic.
Six Shenandoah Valley senior student athletes parked their cars in the student parking lot, commonly known as the marina, between Stadium Road, Spruce, Arlington, and Coal Streets, to reflect on the tribute and their time together.
“It just shows that you can’t take anything for granted because it can be taken away from you at any time,” said Abby Conroy, Raven Run. Abby participated in Track and Field.
“It’s touching. It’s nice for them to recognize us,” said brother Will Conroy, a baseball player.
“It shows how much they appreciated us, that they’re willing to do this for us and take the time to recognize the wonderful things our class has done throughout the years,” Abby added.
Jake Thomas, Shenandoah, was set to return to the baseball diamond this season after suffering a knee injury early in the football season.
“I was fully cleared in March,” Thomas said. “When I heard [the season] was cancelled, it was devastating, because I was looking forward to the season.”
Thomas said he has no plans of playing in college, so this season would’ve been his last.
Regarding the tribute, he said “I think it’s pretty cool. It shows the respect the school’s given us, and I’m always going to remember it. I’m always going to remember going to school here.”
Victoria Donovan, Shenandoah, had high hopes for the 2020 season, pulling double-duty by playing softball and participating in track and field.
“I won districts last year for track, and played softball my entire life,” said Donovan. “I really was excited to come back, make a statement for myself and having something to prove for the school.”
“I just really wanted to spend the last couple of months together [as a team] and be a leader for the younger kids who’ll eventually be in my shoes,” Donovan added.
Alyssa Buchanan, Shenandoah Heights, noted that the cancellation of the school year was upsetting, but the tribute was respectful towards the student body and especially the senior class.
“We didn’t know if we’re going to have a prom or a graduation and we had so much to look forward to, and now it’s just what’s going to happen next, what’s the next plan, but this shows a lot of respect for each and every one of us,” Buchanan said.
Regarding the tribute, Donovan noted a lesson she learned from it and the closure of schools.
“Don’t take advantage of time, you really don’t understand how fast it goes,” Donovan said. “I didn’t expect it to go that quick.”
“You just have to be grateful for the time that you have and make the most out of it,” Donovan added.
Buchanan noted that the tribute symbolizes her class’s strength and resilience.
“This tribute, to us, symbolizes how strong we are, how we can come back and we can show that we could have a graduation eventually, we could have all [these milestones,]” Buchanan added.
Shenandoah Valley was one of 29 schools across the PIAA District XI to light their stadiums in tribute to the senior class. Mahanoy Area and North Schuylkill also turned their stadium lights on, as did Mount Carmel in Northumberland County.
According to a media release from District XI, the initiative is part of the National Porch Light Campaign.
“Scoreboards will be displaying the score as 20-20 in honor of this years graduating class, while 4th Down and 19 Yards to Go will be displayed as the down and distance signifying COVID-19 is on its final down,” the media release read.
Shenandoah Valley’s text message board additionally saluted the Class of 2020 as well as doctors, nurses, and first responders.
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