Schools playing catch up on high school sports schedules

(Shillington) — A long winter and a cold start to the spring have wreaked havoc on high school sports schedules, but most schools are starting to catch up

Some schools in PIAA District III have played as few as eight games on the baseball field, while others are up to 13.

The division covers Adams, Berks, Cumberland, Dauphin, Franklin, Juniata, Lancaster, Lebanon, Perry and York counties.

Patrick Tulley, athletic director of Governor Mifflin High School in Shillington, Berks County, is in charge of baseball for District III, and says he’s confident most schools will get enough games in by the middle of next month.

He says most years, rain, snow, or cold impacts schedules, but this year, all three hit.

“It’s been challenging, especially for coaches, to be prepared every day for an indoor practice, an outdoor practice, and to try to get as much done given those variables,” says Stephanie Deibler, committee member for softball in PIAA District III.

She says once schedules got off track, it took time to align them again.

“The issue here was the start of the season was so interrupted the first couple weeks. There weren’t many teams outside, and then just ongoing weather that seems to come one day after another. I think this year has been probably more challenging than most.”

Deibler says the championship schedule for District III will remain in place.

“For the most part, at least from what I’m hearing anecdotally, most people are about where they should be with trying to catch up with games, so far as the postseason, it’s on the same time schedule as normal.”

Baseball’s playoffs start May 19th, and softballthe following day.

Tulley says if schools need to adjust, expect changes to non-league games.