The Goochland Gazette – 12/10/2020 by Goochland Gazette

INSIDE Several local shelter pets looking for a home this holiday > page 2

Volume 65, Number 50 • December 10, 2020

Health district official warns ‘COVID fatigue’ may be driving uptick in cases

Challenges of 2020 won’t dim local couple’s holiday display By Roslyn Ryan Editor

By Roslyn Ryan Editor

As COVID-19 cases in Goochland continue to climb, Chickahominy Health Department Director Dr. Tom Franck has a theory as to one driving factor. He calls it COVID Fatigue. “People are tired of the restrictions,” Franck told county supervisors on Dec. 1, during the final board meeting of the year. “They’re tired of wearing their masks, they’re tired of socially distancing and not being able to be together…I think people are sick and tired of being apart.” Franck said this hypothesis could help explain why the number of cases recorded on Dec. 1 had nearly doubled over the previous week’s total. see COVID > page 3

Contributed photo

Salon honored by Goochland Rotary On Friday, Nov. 20, in appreciation for his distinguished service, loyalty and devotion to the ideals of Rotary, Goochland Rotary Club member Rich Salon was recognized as the 2019-2020 Rotarian of the Year.

With all the things that have had to be sacrificed this year, from holiday gatherings to parades, Goochland residents will be glad to know that at least one cherished local tradition is still proceeding as planned. For the twelfth year in a row, Bobbie and David DeHart are inviting anyone in need of a little holiday cheer to come and take in their annual Christmas display, a collection of inflatables, lawn decorations and other festive pieces they have collected over the years. “We know it’s been a rough year for just about everyone,” said David, noting that he hopes the popular display will help bring a few smiles to those who ride by the DeHart’s Rockville home. The couple has added a few new items this year, and, sadly, had to bid farewell to a few others: the 22-foot inflatable Santa Claus that stood guard for over a decade had to be retired see Holiday > page 3

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The Goochland County Animal Shelter currently has the following pets available to a good home: A female spayed grey tabby with white, about 5 months old; a diluted spayed female torti, about 1-2 years old; and a neutered male kitten, about 5 months old. The shelter is located at 1900 Hidden Rock Lane, in Goochland, and is open from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday. The facility has many lost dog and cat fliers posted. For more information on these pets, as well as the many more still in need of homes at the Goochland Animal Shelter, call (804) 556-5302. You also can visit the shelter on Facebook at “Goochland County Animal Control.”

County’s annual tree-lighting goes virtual Did you miss the county’s virtual tree-lighting ceremony last Friday? You can still see it! While the pandemic may have cancelled the usual

festivities, holiday cheer could still be found thanks to a drive-thru event, in which visitors were able to see the lights, drop off their letters

for Santa, and receive a free stocking filled with goodies. To see the tree-lighting, visit www.facebook.com/ GoochlandParksandRec.

Recent Property Transfers Elrod & Dunham Dentistry wants to say THANK YOU for your continued support and confidence in us as your dental healthcare provider during the midst of this COVID-19 pandemic. As always, the safety of our staff and patients is our top priority. Several measures have been put in place to ensure a safe and healthy office environment. We cannot express how elated we are to see all of your smiles again! Oral health is an essential factor to your overall health. If you have any questions or concerns regarding your appointment, please do not hesitate to call us.

We are ALWAYS here for you!! We look forward to meeting your dental health needs. 7516 Right Flank Rd., 2979 River Road W. Mechanicsville, VA 23116 Goochland, VA 23063 (804)-746-1300 (804) 556-2530 elroddunhamdentistry.net

Summer youth leagues brought back local sports PAGE 10

0.568 acres; Linda N. Walton to Sheridan Properties LLC, $210,000. 3.144 acres; Gregory J. Spicer to Austin Hamlin Homes Inc., $208,000. 3.77 acres; Emory Williams to Alexander Johnston Bowman, $325,000. 22.29 acres; Michael David Normansell to Shakedown Street LLC, $270,000. 6 lots, Section 1, Mosaic at West Creek; HHHunt Mosaic LLC to HHHunt

Homes LC, $569,000. 7 Lots, Section 4, Parkside Village; ME PV4 LLC to Eagle Construction of Virginia LLC, $875,000. Lot 1, Centerville Business Plaza; Valentine & Pickels Partnership to Taylor & Parrish Inc., $210,000. Lot 10, Section 9, Kinloch; Kinloch Development Corp. to 918 Kinloch Point Lane LLC, $695,000. Lot 36, Tuckhoe Creek; Tuckahoe Creek LLC to

Ellington Custom Homes LLC, $208,738. Lots 38 and 41, Section 1, Mosaic at West Creek; HHHunt Mosaic LLC to Style Craft Homes Inc. of Virginia, $230,000. 2 parcels; Belham LLC to Tamarosa LLC, $1,040,800. 2 parcels; Virginia Estate and Law Trust PLC, trustee to West Farm Estates, $1,147,000. Parcel; Kathleen C. Hildreth to Rock Castle Farms LLC, $2,300,000.

Beulah Baptist to host Christmas Eve service All are invited to join the congregation of Beulah Baptist Church in Kents Store (1633 Kents Store

Way) for the church’s annual COVID safety protocols Christmas Eve Candlelight S will be in place. ervice on Dec. 24, 2020 at For more information, 7 p.m. call (434) 589-2245.

Classifieds ........................... 14 Letters .................................... 6 Obituaries .............................. 4 Opinion .................................. 6 Sports ...............................9-10 TV Listings ......................11-13

CONTACT US Toll Free - (877) 888-0449 Office - (804) 746-1235 Joy Monopoli Publisher (804) 775-4614 Fax: (804) 775-4010 Melody Kinser Managing Editor (804) 775-4622 Fax: (804) 344-8746 Roslyn Ryan Editor (804) 339-7956 Cindy Adams Classifieds (804) 775-4616 Fax: (804) 344-8746 Nick Vandeloecht Sports Editor (540) 728-0549

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NEWS: What’s Going on in Goochland County Holiday continued from >1 due to weather damage, having been already patched back together a number of times over the years. Unfortunately, laughed the couple last week, the inflatables aren’t the only ones that have undergone needed repairs. David recently underwent hip replacement surgery and Bobbie endured a second knee replacement, adding an addi-

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tional challenge to the alreadylaborious annual set-up process. Fortunately David’s mother was once again able to step in and help, ensuring that those who look forward to seeing the festive, cheerful display each year wouldn’t be disappointed. “It’s one of those things that doesn’t cost people anything to enjoy, and hopefully helps them forget their troubles for a little while,” said David last Friday, just after flipping on the lights

for the evening. The DeHart’s holiay exhibit, located at 2375 Rockville Rd., is lit every evening from 5:20 p.m. until 12:30 a.m., then turned back on from 5:30 a.m. to 8 a.m. every morning (“We do that for the children who ride the school bus,” David explained). All are encouraged to use the DeHart’s circular driveway to experience the full effect of the display, but are also asked to please remain in their vehicles for safety reasons.

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Contributed photo

For over a decade, David and Bobbie DeHart have been collecting holiday-themed decorations to add to their Rockville home’s popular annual display.

continued from >1 People are letting their guards down, he said, and with that comes a predictable influx of new infections. As of Tuesday, Dec. 8, Goochland County had reported 486 coronavirus cases, according to information provided on the Virginia Department of Health’s (VDH) website, including 34 hospitalizations and seven deaths. Forty six of the positive cases and one death were associated with the Virginia Department of Corrections Virginia Correctional Center for Women & State Farm Work Center. The total includes both confirmed and probable cases, Franck told board members, adding that it is important to note that the data shows only when the cases became known and not the time of infection. In some cases, Franck said, a

significant delay could occur between the time a person contracts the virus and the time the results of a test are reported, given the virus’s possible incubation time of up to 14 days and the fact that some people might not seek testing until they have been sick for several days. Even after that, there could be additional time added

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if the test needs to be sent away to a lab. Goochland’s numbers reflect the rise in cases seen across the United States and in many other countries around the world. Franck is also not the first to sound the alarm over COVID Fatigue.

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Obituaries JEAN H. DICKERSON Jean H. Dickerson, 81, of Richmond, passed away on November 15, 2020, just days before her 82nd birthday. She was preceded in death by her son, Mike Dickerson; daughters, Pamela and Gretchen Dickerson; and brothers, Donald and Jr. Jean is survived by her loving husband of 63 years, James Dickerson; son, Tim Dickerson (Gail); daughter, Angela Gales (Fray); sister, Patricia Fulcher (Bill); six grandchildren, Michael, Brandon, Cameron (Anna), Justin (Jessica), DICKERSON Dylon (Holly) and Trey; three great-grandchildren, Rilyen, Rhett and Noah; a host of nieces and nephews; and her beloved pet, “baby” Willy. Jean worked for the Department of Motor Vehicles and retired after many years of service. She was a very selfless, caring and giving person who adored her family. She will be missed by all who loved her dearly.

Precautions continued from >3 Elected officials have for months been warning citizens to continue practicing social distancing and wearing masks as businesses and schools slowly reopen, a request that some may have a hard time getting behind after suffering seemingly endless months of isolation and interrupted lives. COVID-19 spreads primarily through respiratory droplets. To lower the risk of spreading respiratory infections, including COVID-19,

CAROLYN T. PHILLIPS Mrs. Carolyn T. Phillips, age 70, went peacefully to be with the Lord on November 20, 2020. She was preceded by her parents, Lowndes and Geraldine Taylor. She is survived by her loving family, husband, Guy Phillips; four children, Jeremy (and April) Phillips, Jason (and Amanda) Phillips, Joe (and Tammi) Phillips PHILLIPS and Misty Phillips; along with six grandchildren, one great-grandchild; brother, Kenny Taylor; and sister, Mary Stanley. Carolyn was a loving, caring, wife and mother. She was a longtime employee of Goochland County Public Schools as well as a devoted Christian, and spent many years as a member of Smyrna Baptist Church. Memorial service will be held at a later date due to restrictions.

VDH encourages the following effective behaviors: Stay home when sick. Avoid contact with sick people. Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue or your sleeve (not your hands) when coughing or sneezing. Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds; use an alcoholbased hand sanitizer if soap and water are not available. Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth. Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and

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surfaces. Get your seasonal flu shot. If you think you have been exposed to COVID-19 and develop symptoms, such as cough or difficulty breathing, call your healthcare provider for medical advice. If you are sick with COVID-19 or think you might have it, follow the steps from the CDC website to help protect other people in your home and community. The Chickahominy Health District is working to provide up-to-date guidance. The following resources have been established to answer COVID19 questions: For the district’s COVID-19 hotline, call (804) 365-3340 Monday-Friday (voice message are checked and calls are returned between 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.), email questions to chickahominycovid19@vdh.virginia.gov or call VDH’s hotline at 877-ASKVDH3 (877-275-8343). For the latest on COVID19, visit: www.cdc.gov/coronavirus or www.vdh.virginia.gov/ coronavirus/.

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OPINION: Editorial, Letters to the Editor

December 10, 2020

Dreaming of a warmer winter wonderland? You’re not alone By Roslyn Ryan Editor

Be honest fellow Virginians: Each year, as the last of the leaves fall and the cold weather finally settles in, do you find yourself — maybe even just for a fleeting moment — dreaming of a life somewhere without winter? Yes, I know, this is the season that brings with it so many things to celebrate, from holiday feasts to freshly fallen snow to cozy fires that chase away even the most bitter winter chill. But it’s also hard to forget the frozen fingers chipping away at ice-covered windshields, or the unpredictable arctic blasts that make it miserable to send more than a few minutes outdoors. Show me a person who enjoys the winter around here and I’ll say that I admire their toughness. But privately, just between you, me and the lamp post, I also might question their sanity. To all of those who have lived in places like Minnesota or North

Dakota or Maine, locales that make our winters look like a sunny stroll on a balmy beach day, I am perfectly well aware that I have very little to complain about. And yet every time the temperature around here heads south for the winter I begin to consider what life would look like in a place where frost is a foreign concept and the only ice in sight is bobbing in a glass of sweet tea. You have to admit it sounds nice — no more slogging through slushy parking lots or digging out driveways. No more mad dashes through the grocery aisles to load up on supplies ahead of a winter storm that may or may not materialize. And yet … Even though these dreams of tropical climes come around like clockwork this time of year, deep in my soul I know I will never really follow through. A year without seasons may sound tempting when the weather is foul, but there also are so many things I know I would miss. As

no one in Central Virginia needs to be told, spring time around these parts is as close to heaven as one can get without leaving this world — a sandy beach may always beckon, but I doubt it could hold a candle to that first day you notice the trees beginning to bud and the daffodils bursting forth to welcome the new season. Spring always seems like a sweet reward for tolerating the winter, and the summers here are not nearly as scorching as I’ve heard they can get in the southernmost part of the country. Autumn too, of course, puts on a show around here, and while the Northeast may draw more “leaf-peepers,” I doubt any of them would find a nicer place to take in the harvest season’s bounty. So there you have it, I suppose, just a couple of the reasons I’ll be gritting my teeth once again this winter but not packing my bags. The cold around here may sting just a bit, but in the end there’s no place I’d rather be.

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Letters to the Editor Letter downplaying the risk of COVID-19 disregarded facts Dear Editor, There are so many dangerous distortions, misstatements and outright falsehoods in Art Bachman’s letter to you in the last edition that it would take a much larger space than this to refute them all. In his mind, scientific and epidemiological expertise are irrelevant and proponents are purveyors of “alternative facts.”I conclude by nominating him, along with the perpetrator-in-chief, to the Flat Earth Society. Sincerely, Steven Linas Goochland

Writer’s statements not supported by scientific evidence Dear Editor, Rapidly rising rates of COVID-19 infections, hospitalizations, and deaths prove that President Trump’s rosy preelection promise that the nation was “rounding the corner” in fighting the virus was a false claim unworthy even of a snake oil salesman. Trump’s assertion that those who expressed concern about the disease had embraced “fake news” propagated by Democrats

and the news media to undercut his bid for re-election and his baleful cry that no one would be talking about coronavirus after the election have similarly proven hollow. This letter is not written, however, to try to convince anyone that Trump is utterly lacking in leadership, empathy, and judgment, particularly with regard to the COVID crisis. Anyone who has not already reached this conclusion is not likely to be persuaded by my assessment. Rather, I’m writing in reply to Art Bachman, a self-described curmudgeon who regular readers of this publication will recall had several letters to the editor published last spring. In those letters, he disputed the severity of the virus and opined that wearing face coverings was largely, if not entirely, ineffective in preventing the spread of the disease. Mr. Bachman’s past letters made two specific points: First, he asserted that COVID was no worse than the flu, which he observed kills approximately 40,000 Americans each year. Second, Mr. Bachman posited that the virus was largely spread by contact, so that hand washing and use of sanitizers were more effective in protecting against coronavirus than wearing what he characterized as “goofy” masks.

WE WANT TO PUBLISH YOUR ISSUE-DRIVEN LETTERS The Gazette welcomes your signed letters to the editor on topics of interest to Goochland residents. Letters must include your address and a daytime telephone number. We reserve the right to edit letters. We do not guarantee that every letter received will be published. Letters reflect the opinions and positions of the writers and not The Goochland Gazette. Send letters to: The Goochland Gazette 8460 Times-Dispatch Blvd. Mechanicsville, Va. 23116 Fax: (804) 344-8746 E-mail: rryan@goochlandgazette.com © 2020 by Richmond Suburban Newspapers. All advertising and editorial matter is fully protected and may not be reproduced in any manner without the permission of the publisher. CAC Audited Circulation: 8,014.

Experience and scientific studies have conclusively demonstrated that Mr. Bachman was wrong on both counts. As I write this letter, the current death total attributed to COVID is over 280,000 – seven times the annual mortality rate from the flu, in only nine months. Further, virtually all reputable infectious disease experts and public health officials now agree that COVID is spread primarily through airborne transmission of droplets, and that universal use of face masks can significantly reduce the rate of infection. The predicted second wave of COVID cases progressed over the summer. It became increasingly worse this fall and looks more dire as Winter looms. This ongoing toll caused me to occasionally wonder whether Mr. Bachman had changed his views. His most recent letter to the editor, published on Dec. 3, satisfies my curiosity. The answer is no. Mr. Bachman essentially adheres to the views he expressed last Spring. He has merely modified his stance to claim that coronavirus is no worse than the flu or a bad cold “for the vast majority” of Americans. And, coldly, he now adds that there is no reason to be unduly concerned about the population for whom COVID is worse than the flu as most of those who die from coronavirus are “old people . . . who are about to die anyway.” Mr. Bachman’s two primary positions remain the same: First, he asserts that mask wearing is not supported by “numerous studies” and that advocacy of the use of face coverings reflects mere “political correctness.” Second, he says that “coronavirus is a way see Letters > page 7

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Letters continued from >6 overblown scare by politicians” because infection and death rates are sufficiently low that there is simply no crisis that our representatives need to address. I could not disagree more with Mr. Bachman’s evaluation of public safety, science, and political correctness. Do Mr. Bachman and others who may agree with him not follow the news? Are they not aware that hospitals and ICU beds across the nation are nearly filled to capacity? That our health workers and other first responders are at a breaking point? That bodies in some hotspots must be stored in refrigerated trucks because funeral homes have run out of space? Mr. Bachman’s view that the death of 280,000 Americans does not justify political action is particularly astonishing. Let’s put that figure in perspective. Every single day, deaths due to COVID now approach the number of those killed on 9/11. Every single day, deaths due to COVID are the equivalent to the loss of life from having ten Boeing 737 Max planes crash. Does Mr. Bachman, or anyone else, genuinely believe that it would be no big deal – no cause for alarm, no justification for a political response – if a 9/11 occurred every day or ten planes dropped from the sky every day? Of course not. We would be justifiably outraged if government officials failed to respond to such obviously catastrophic events. And, like Mr. Bachman, I’m old enough to remember the outrage and national suffering when the death toll of American soldiers who fought in Vietnam reached 1,000 in a month. A month! Coronavirus now kills that many Americans every 12 hours. The overall death toll

in Vietnam was about 58,220 over the course of a decade. Ten years! And we built monuments and honored the dead. Coronavirus has killed five times that number in merely nine months and neither President Trump nor Mr. Bachman seem to even grieve. And to advocate against any political response by asserting that those who die are mostly old people “who are about to die anyway” is simply unconscionable. Even if one was unmoved by the unnecessary and premature death of “old people,” what about the emotional toll on the 280,000 families that have had to experience the cruel death of someone they loved? Is that without significance? Further, Mr. Bachman’s denial of a mountain of scientific evidence that mask wearing saves lives is simply sad. But, since there are still those who believe that the earth is flat, that JFK is still alive, and that the moon landings were a hoax, I am aware that some people, like Mr. Bachman and President Trump, will reject the conclusions of the CDC, infectious disease professionals around the globe, and anyone else who presents irrefutable data that is at odds with

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OPINION: Editorial, Letters to the Editor the way they want the world to be. So, knowing that Mr. Bachman’s views have not materially changed, I have one question for him and all readers of this publication: Will you get vaccinated for coronavirus when that opportunity is available? Will it put to rest any safety concerns you may have if the vaccine is first taken by Dr. Fauci and Presidents Clinton, Bush, and Obama? Or do you need approval from President Trump before you intend to be vaccinated? Because, well, if you are relying on Trump for your health care recommendations, he probably has a bridge in Brooklyn that he’s willing to sell you.

ready to add a little provocative “humor” to the season with his endless diatribe against the good sense and selflessness required to battle the pandemic. Actually, Mr. Bachman, I don’t think your thought process is nearly adventurous enough. Rather than just waiting for old codgers to fade into the mists of time after succumbing to the coronavirus, why not gather all those

www.goochlandgazette.com folk residing in care homes, or, for that matter, everybody over the age of say 65 or 70, line them up against a wall and shoot the lot. Just think, you’d be killing three birds with one stone, or at least one bullet. Think about it, no more government handouts to those old fogies, the number of deaths attributed to COVID would plummet and, as a bonus, all those aging and pesky democratic

voters relying on a little (and I mean little) help from the government in their dotage would be obliterated thereby increasing the chance of a Trump-like clone repeating in the White House. There, Mr. Bachman, that should suit shouldn’t it? Apparently you are of advanced years and so for the good of the Country I presee Correspondence > page 13

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December 10, 2020

Virginia: Open With Care. Covid-19 Isn’t Over. Cases continue to rise at an alarming rate. We know it’s hard, but all of us must double-down on our eﬀorts to protect ourselves, our families, and our communities from COVID-19. Be diligent with the following:

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December 10, 2020

SPORTS: Youth, High School, College, Recreational, Professional

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Games in Goochland set to begin this week By Tim Pearrell Richmond Times-Dispatch

Benedictine will have to wait to pack the house in McMurtrie-Reynolds Pavilion because of coronavirus restrictions. In the meantime, however, the Cadets intend to play games in their new $16 million gym. Benedictine, which shares its Goochland campus with its sister school, Saint Gertrude, has boys and girls basketball games tentatively scheduled starting this week. With scheduling fluid, the first game was slated to be Tuesday, with Saint Gertrude scheduled to take on Spirit Homeschool, current conditions permitting. Benedictine could open against Atlantic Shores on Dec. 11, athletics director Fran Pochily said. The Cadets and Gators also have the “Benedictine Schools of Richmond Christmas Classic,” with boys and girls doubleheaders against Saint John Paul the Great on Dec. 19, against Catholic on the 22nd,

the first basketball games at the gym. But with Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam’s recent order limiting the number of spectators to 25 at indoor and outdoor recreational sports events, showing off the new gym will have to come later. For now, Pochily said games will be livestreamed. “We are excited for the first time that we can fill this place,” said Jesse Grapes, Benedictine’s headmaster. “It’s fantastic. Of course we’re proud of it and we’re biased, but I think you’ll even say, ‘This is the best high school gymnasium I’ve ever seen.’ Most people who have come have said this is like a college arena.” Along with Benedictine, some area private schools do plan to play, while some are in wait-and-see mode. File photo by Mark Gormus/Richmond Times-Dispatch Collegiate AD Karen Doxey A ceremony on May 18 at Benedictine’s new gymnasium – now known as McMurtrie-Reynolds Pavilion – honored the joint said the school’s teams are pracpledge of $2.5 million by Alex McMurtrie Jr. and Randy Reynolds Sr. ticing, “but we will wait and see of Fame and a Hall of Valor to when it comes to competing.” and potentially another oppo- money for the gym, as well the school’s faculty and staff. The 65,000-square-foot honor alumni who have served as for endowments that fund nent on the 21st. St. Christopher’s AD Ren O’Ferrall said the Saints hope Benedictine opened scholarships for current and facility has a sunken main floor in the armed forces. Had this been a normal to be able to compete at some McMurtrie-Reynolds Pavilion incoming students, and for with coliseum seating for 2,000, during the summer after a $20 professional development and two additional courts, a skybox, year, the Cadets would have see Gym> 10 million campaign that raised higher education pursuits for an indoor track, an athletic Hall been expecting big crowds for

Goochland sets 2020-21 girls basketball schedules By Nick Vandeloecht, Sports Editor

Goochland girls basketball’s 2020-21 winter schedule has been finalized. Games were added on Friday to fill out the 14-game regular-season varsity schedule, with the Bulldogs picking up both home and away matchups with West Point. Goochland’s girls basketball teams join the boys basketball and wrestling programs in setting their schedules for 202021, with varsity playing 14 games and JV playing 12 since

one of Goochland’s opponents, Appomattox Regional Governor’s School, does not have JV basketball teams. “Hopefully, the schedule will hold together,” said Goochland athletic director Joe Fowler, “but there will likely be lots of changes as we go along as teams drop or have COVID issues.” Goochland recently added Hanover to its schedule; however, Hanover County schools suspended all winter sports tryouts, conditionings and practices effective Dec. 7. A final

decision is expected no later than Dec. 18. Goochland is still looking for more swim meets. Fowler said scheduling for the swim season has been challenging because the pools that Goochland and other schools typically use at the YMCAs, Randolph-Macon, HampdenSydney and St. Catherine’s, are not available to them this season. Goochland did recently add a swim meet on Jan. 16 at Lancaster. They are limited to 25 total swimmers, boys and girls combined.

2020-21 WINTER SCHEDULE GIRLS BASKETBALL (Start times 5:30 p.m. for JV, 7 p.m. for varsity unless otherwise noted) Monday, Dec. 21 Away at Charlottesville Tuesday, Dec. 29 At Hanover (4:30 p.m.) Tuesday, Jan. 5 HOME vs. Central VA Homeschool Friday, Jan. 8 HOME vs. Windsor Tuesday, Jan. 12

HOME vs. Amelia Friday, Jan. 15 HOME vs. Maggie Walker Monday, Jan. 18 At West Point Wednesday, Jan. 20 Away at Appomattox Regional Governor’s School (5:30 p.m., varsity only) Friday, Jan. 22 HOME vs. Cumberland Monday, Jan. 25 Away at Windsor Wednesday, Jan. 27

HOME vs. West Point Friday, Jan. 29 Away at Amelia Monday, Feb. 1 Away at Cumberland Wednesday, Feb. 3 HOME vs. Appomattox Regional Governor’s School (7 p.m., varsity only) Feb. 8 - Feb. 12 Class 3, Region B tournament (quarterfinals Feb. 8, semifinals Feb. 10, finals Feb. 12)

Thursday

December 10, 2020

SPORTS: Youth, High School, College, Recreational, Professional

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Opinion: Summer, youth leagues brought back local sports

been incredible to behold. There was never a moment when I went out to a baseball, football, soccer or softball game this year at Hidden Rock Park, Napa field, Powhatan High School, Fighting Creek Park, the Turner Field Complex or various schools in the Chesterfield, Ashland and Henrico localities and thought, “There’s not a lot of people here.” If anything, this pandemic has affirmed the community’s resounding support for its local sports and athletes. I won’t mince words. Not having the regular routine is distracting, and it gets you out off-kilter. As a local sports editor, your four core tenets are most likely the following: fall season, winter season, spring season and feature sea-

son. When high school sports come to a close in the summertime, that’s been a time to feature unique personal stories and different sports we might not have been able to spotlight during the busy school seasons, but summer is also the time where the youth get to shine across the various leagues and tournaments. I’d say this year’s summer started in March and lasted eight months (November’s weather mostly agreed with me). I know this pandemic has been mentally and emotionally trying for a lot of people. That’s why I’m very appreciative of the Goochland Mountain Bike Team for bringing us the exciting King and Queen of the Mill races at the scenic Leakes Mill Park on Halloween; of

Goochland and Powhatan youth sports for providing some sense of normalcy; of the 100% RAW Powerlifting Federation for bringing the Mid-Atlantic Open championships to Blackhawk Gym; and of Post 201 and other area American Legion-sponsored teams for providing us with some of the best baseball I’ve seen in all my years carrying a pen and notepad (and their virtual counterpart). I’ll also say that being able to cover my first high school game since March – Veritas soccer, anchored by Goochland County resident Alden Sweeney in goal, and on their Senior Night, no less, in early November – was huge. I won’t ever believe things are back to normal until I can describe the pandemic as a

past event, but getting to go to that made everything feel a little better – and, if I’m being honest, a little more sane. December is here now, but with the recent spikes in COVID-19 cases, uncertainty still surrounding whether or not certain schools will play this year and a new presidential administration waiting in the wings, it’s still not a given, even with Virginia High School League currently green-lighting its 2020-21 winter season, that we’ll actually see VHSL sports come back later this month. But if we do get to see basketball, wrestling, track and field and swimming make their welcome return, things will start to make a little more sense. That said, with the way

things played out, we were able to provide more coverage to our youth sports. I got to see how much that coverage meant to the community, and how exciting it is for the youth, because when they advance into their high school, college and maybe even pro careers, they can fondly look back on the team photo from when they won the Mega Blast U12 Revolution championship and say: This was part of the first stage of my career, part of where it all began. While I’m just one person covering (hopefully) a packed schedule of high school athletics for Powhatan, Blessed Sacrament Huguenot, Goochland, Benedictine and Collegiate and Saint Gertrude, I’m hopeful and excited about the prospect that we’ll be able to spotlight more of our youth teams throughout the calendar year, both with and without the pandemic. So much uncertainty awaits us this winter, but regardless of what happens from this point on, I’m hopeful that area programs, much like they did this summer and fall, will continue to provide athletic opportunities to our youth this winter and spring. To the Goochland and Powhatan organizations who brought about the return of local sports: Thank you. Thank you for making that opportunity for the athletes – for the community – a reality.

fied competition from mid-January to mid-February. Veritas AD Michael Dicken said the school hopes to work toward protocols that will allow competitions. Benedictine and Saint Gertrude held soccer, cross country, field hockey, and girls

tennis competitions in the fall, and Grapes said they did not have any “student-to student transmission of the coronavirus through athletics, or even in the school building for that matter.” “We’ve had three kids get the coronavirus out of 460 [students combined] in five months,” he

said. “Not one of them gave it to another student.” In addition to measures for masks, temperature screenings, distancing and recording attendance, Pochily said the gym provides a “truly wonderful … situation where space and ventilation are key to

being able to do things safely.” Pochily is working on games in January and February but expects scheduling to be done a couple of weeks at a time “based on what other schools are able to play.” “What we feel strongly

about is just continuing on the path of doing the very best we can for the kids,” she said. “We’re going to play when we can play, and we’ve got everything set up in a way so that we can continue to stay safe and that our schools continue to do a great job in the classrooms.”

By Nick Vandeloecht Sports Editor

This is really the first historic event I can recall in my own lifetime where we’ve collectively learned about it through living it. There was no precedent to follow, no road map to look at. We had to draw the lines and shade in the elevation changes on our own. That’s why the wait for local sports must have felt like forever after the still-ongoing COVID-19 pandemic first threw all of our lives into disarray in March. But now, as we sit here nearly nine months into this crisis with the end still a ways away, I look back and, after having learned through living it, I can’t help but be impressed by how relatively quickly we were able to see our studentathletes get back on the field. It was beautiful to see. But, more importantly, things worked out for the best, with local seasons able to play to the end (or as far as rain would allow) in spite of the pandemic. A ton of credit has to go to Goochland and Powhatan’s programs across the board for providing our youth with a place to play. It’s also been a joy to seize the opportunity to spotlight the county’s future stars in high school sports and beyond. The fan support at the summer and fall games has

Gym continued from >9 point but not before January. St. Catherine’s AD Julie Dayton said the school doesn’t have any competitions scheduled yet but will consider modi-

File photos by Nick Vandeloecht/Goochland Gazette

Despite the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, sporting events featuring Goochland athletes and youth teams in soccer (from left), softball, cycling and baseball were able to be safely held and completed this fall in Goochland County and elsewhere.

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