SPORTS PIVOTING THROUGH THE PANDEMIC COVID brings change to basketball teams NICKY VARELA MANAGING EDITOR
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ut of every opportunity McLean offers its students, sports have suffered the most from the pandemic. Thankfully, with the return of winter sports, athletics have catapulted themselves back into the minds of ravenous fans. The boys and girls basketball teams, the stars of the winter sports show, have persevered through strict coronavirus protocols, building on the success they reached last year. Last year, the girls varsity team proved they had the skills to remain a dominant presence in the Liberty district. Led by Drexel commit and all-time leading scorer Elizabeth Dufrane, the team managed a 1710 record and a spot in the regional semifinal. Heading into this season, the coaches knew COVID-19 would throw a wrench into their plans for more success. “Coming into this season, with everything going on, the expectations changed a little bit,” girls head coach Jen Sobota said. “We lost a few seniors, and not having the same pre-season preparation and the few weeks
before games to get into a rhythm has presented some challenges.” While the girls were coming off a season that ended in a deep playoff loss, the boys’ previous season ended in a first-round loss to Herndon in the region playoffs. Factoring in the loss of four seniors, including Dickinson College commit Randy Shephard, the team clearly needed to step up this year. While the
GAMES AREN’T THE SAME WITHOUT YOUR PEERS AND RELATIVES IN THE STANDS TO CHEER YOU ON.” - KHARI KINGSLOW SENIOR
pandemic obviously changed the routine, the team’s ambitions remained as high as ever. “This year has obviously been very different with the pandemic, so initially I just wanted the boys to be able to play and have an outlet away from their homes,” boys head coach Mike O’Brien said. “Once the season started, we had to adjust to four players not returning for the season. But my expectations are always for my players to compete at a high level and let the results take care of themselves.” The players had their own individual goals coming into the new year. Junior Mia Fitzgerald, a third year varsity starter and all-conference point guard, aimed on filling the gaps left by last year’s seniors. “We needed to step up offensively since we lost E (Elizabeth Dufrane) last year,” Fitzgerald said. Fitzgerald assumed a leadership role this season, hoping to bring a veteran presence to the team. PULLING UP — Junior guard Zach Hasan “I knew I was stepping up to point puts up a shot over a Langley defender guard this season and that I’m the on Jan. 6. The Highlanders went on to person who has been on the team the win the game, 72-65. longest that starts,” Fitzgerald said. 40 | SPORTS | FEBRUARY
“Therefore, I need to be a good team leader and also try to score more offensively while still being able to fulfill the role of a great point guard.” Like the girls, the boys needed their returning players to command a big role coming into the year. With a roster teeming with six seniors, the leadership mantle was spread throughout the team. “We wanted to try and become leaders and help the team as best as we could,” senior Khari Kingslow said. While the coronavirus didn’t present many issues in terms of game or even season suspensions, players had to endure strict COVID-safe protocols, such as wearing masks throughout the entirety of the game and socially distancing on the bench. “With masks, it’s harder to communicate, so we exert more energy into talking, and breathing is a lot harder,” Fitzgerald said. Training for the season was also more difficult. “As a team, we haven’t been able to visit the weight room and use other school provided facilities,” Kingslow said. One of the most glaring issues for players during games was the lack of cheering fans that motivate them to play hard on the court. The stream of energy emanating from the student sections was gone, with only the squeaking of shoes and whistling of referees to take its place. “Games aren’t the same without your peers and relatives in the stands to cheer you on,” Kingslow said. “It always feels like we’re missing some aspect of the game when we play.” The season concluded for both clubs in early February. Despite both teams finishing below .500, they had several notable wins, including the boys’ victory over Langley on Jan. 6 and the girls’ close dub over Centreville on Dec. 29. While the boys and girls might feel a sense of disappointment following losses to Madison and Chantilly in the regional quarterfinals, players on both teams will always be able to look back at the hard work they put in and determination they showed during the strangest time in McLean athletics history.
Boys’ photos by Katie Romhilt | Girls’ photos courtesy of Kent Arnold | Page design by Nicky Varela
