2020: A year of cancellations, challenges and successes

For high school athletes at Hartley-Melvin-Sanborn and throughout Iowa, overcoming the effects of the coronavirus pandemic was as challenging as facing a tough opponent. From having seasons cancelled to competing in nearly empty gymnasiums, nothing in 2020 was normal.

Even so, H-M-S athletes made their mark whenever they could compete. The Sentinel-News looks back at how they navigated the challenges and opportunities of 2020.

The season that wasn't...

"You're done."

That was the word Iowa's unified activity associations sent out following the announcement by Gov. Kim Reynolds of a four-week suspension of the school year due to COVID-19. The directive ended all school activity practices and events immediately.

"They didn't give us much leeway," said H-M-S Athletic Director Mark Petersen.

Track and field teams had started practicing on Feb. 17. Golf practices were to have started March 16, the day the suspension of the school year began.

H-M-S coaches were disappointed with the news, but could see the big picture.

"It's completely understandable and I get that," said boys' track coach Kyle Borchers.

"In the grand scheme of things golf isn't that important. But it's important to the kids to get back to normal," girls' golf coach Julee Burns reflected.

The suspension of in-person classes and activities was then extended through April 30 and eventually made permanent for the rest of the school year, ending participants' chances to realize their dreams. Seniors were especially impacted.

"It might mean they don't get a shot at state or whatever goals they have for their last season," Borchers said following the initial announcement.

The cancellation of the 2020 season also meant the end of Burns' coaching career. She resigned from her high school teacher associate position in August and her resignation as girls' golf coach was accepted last month.

The season that almost wasn't...

Even as the future of the spring seasons was in doubt, questions were being expressed as to whether baseball and softball were also going to be casualties of the pandemic.

"I'm not convinced we're going to have a summer season," Petersen said in the spring.

The scheduled start for practices on May 4 came and went with no activity on the diamonds. But just over two weeks later, Reynolds announced the seasons could be conducted with protocols in place to protect the participants and spectators. Practices began on June 1 and games started on June 15.

Coaches and players were happy with the news.

"I'm glad we at least have a season," said Hawk softball coach Carissa Post. "The girls really enjoy seeing each other and doing something together."

First-year baseball coach Jeremy Gloden said he was "50-50" on whether the season would happen, but was ready once the announcement was made.

Both coaches admitted protocols requiring player distancing and sanitizing of equipment were a challenge, but nothing that could not be overcome.

"You make it work," Post remarked.

All War Eagle Conference schools played each other once and teams scheduled as many non-conference games as they wished. Both H-M-S teams played two non-WEC opponents and each finished with two regular season wins.

After defeating West Bend-Mallard, 11-8, for the softball program's first postseason win in four years, the Hawks faced River Valley, which was ranked No. 15 in Class 1A. They took a one-run lead on Hannah Jochims' home run in the top of the seventh and then retired River Valley's first two batters in the bottom of the inning before a double, a walk and another double gave the Wolverines a 5-4 win.

"We went up against a team that was 18-2 and were one out from winning. We almost made the biggest upset in softball in our area," Post said.

The baseball team also played a rated team in postseason, but the results were not as close. H-M-S fell behind Remsen St. Mary's (1A No. 2) in the first inning and went on to lose, 12-0.

And what a season it was...

There wasn't as much doubt as to whether the fall seasons would be held. In terms of competing, the cross country and volleyball teams' schedules were relatively unaffected by the pandemic.

High school football was also played, but not as originally scheduled. The Iowa High School Athletic Association reduced the number of regular season games to a maximum of seven while expanding the postseason to include all teams for the first time.

"I'm OK with that. I'm glad to play any type of game," said Hawk coach Tyler Horkey.

With a number of returning experienced players, the Hawks set their sights on winning the Class A District 1 title.

"We lost the least of everybody in our district. That's a good thing," Horkey said. "We have a good chance of contending."

In non-district play, H-M-S was dominant in a 28-0 win over Okoboji but came up short against Sibley-Ocheyedan, 19-18.

The Hawks opened district play against South O'Brien. They scored all their points in the first half and the Wolverines' all came in the final quarter, giving them a 20-12 win.

"We did not play the way we should have or could have. We did not play H-M-S football," Horkey acknowledged.

The Hawks played their style of physical football the next week to defeat Gehlen Catholic, 22-7. They didn't lose again in the regular season, topping MMCRU 62-0, Akron-Westfield 50-18 and Lawton-Bronson 46-20.

H-M-S finished district play with a 4-1 record, as did South O'Brien. But the Wolverines' head-to-head win made them the top-seeded team.

In the expanded playoffs, H-M-S repeated their 62-0 domination of MMCRU and completed the sweep of Gehlen Catholic with a convincing 38-6 triumph.

The state playoff qualifier banner presented after the win over Gehlen Catholic signified H-M-S's first-ever win in the second round of the playoffs.

"That was H-M-S football. They deserve what they've earned," Horkey said.

The next opponent was West Hancock, the defending Class A champion. The game was close early but too many mistakes and the Eagles' "relentless" rushing attack would determine the 56-18 season-ending loss.

"Win or lose, there's emotion to the game," Horkey reflected. "We have to be proud of what we accomplished this year and how we handled adversity."

There were other seasons...

Prior to the interruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, H-M-S's 2019-20 athletes had success, especially in the postseason.

The inaugural year of the shared Okoboji/H-M-S wrestling program ended with heavyweight Nick Bronstad placing second at the sectional meet and then finishing fourth at the district tourney. Bronstad and Chayton Faulkner were regulars in the Pioneers' varsity lineup.

The Hawk basketball boys got off to a hot start in postseason play, riding Samuel Haack's 34-point scoring outburst in a 79-59 win over Hinton. The senior made six three-pointers in the first quarter to help propel H-M-S to a 30-7 lead.

The boys' postseason run ended with a 59-44 loss to George-Little Rock, giving them an overall record of 9-14.

H-M-S opened girls' regional play with a 54-11 win over Harris-Lake Park but saw their season end with a 46-33 loss to Akron-Westfield. Under first-year coach Lester Tessum, the Hawks compiled a 7-16 record.

In the fall, Madison Otto finished fifth at the War Eagle Conference cross country meet, the third straight year she qualified for the all-conference team.

The volleyball team ended its season with a 6-16 record, defeating Harris-Lake Park in the first round of regional play before being swept by Akron-Westfield.

The 2020-21 high school winter seasons began on schedule but a governor's proclamation issued in late November limited the number of spectators who could attend contests to two per athlete, and all attendees had to wear a face covering. The attendance restriction was later eased to allow all persons from a participant's household to be present. At H-M-S and many other schools, livestreaming was expanded so family members and others could safely view athletic and other events.

Middle school athletes were also impacted by COVID-19. They did not compete in the spring or summer, and the boys' basketball season was temporarily suspended following the governor's proclamation in November.