It was not the way the Whitman-Hanson Regional High boys’ basketball team expected its season to end, but it became inevitable.
The Massachusetts Interscholastic Athletic Association has canceled this weekend’s state finals amid the current conditions of COVID-19.
W-H was scheduled to play Taconic in the Division 2 state final on Saturday. It was the program’s first-ever state final berth.
As a result of the cancellation, both W-H and Taconic will be named co-state champions.
W-H boys’ basketball head coach Bob Rodgers said he agreed with the MIAA’s unanimous decision.
The season is over and while it’s heartbreaking for our kids to not have the chance to play for a state title, we agree with the MIAA decision. Our players made us all so proud and we will always have the memory of our last game together being a win in the Boston Garden. pic.twitter.com/ZJdU6Op5Jm
— Bob Rodgers (@WHathletics) March 12, 2020
Rodgers added: “For me, the hardest part of every season as a coach is the final game and final practice. When the realization sets in that you don’t get to coach your seniors ever again, it’s a sick feeling. It has nothing to do with winning and losing.
“Our season started with a disappointing loss, but from that adversity we grew closer as a team and stronger every day. The team was unselfish and had a tenacious work ethic to record the best season in school history ending the year with 23 straight wins and a 25-2 record.”