Elk Grove Unified cancels events due to the coronavirus. What it means for Sheldon boys

The new coronavirus that has killed more than 3,500 people across the world, mostly in China, and has sickened more than 105,000 people has now gripped the high school education and sporting scene in the Sacramento region, and it has stunningly ended the season for the region’s premiere basketball program this past decade and this season.

On Saturday, the Elk Grove Unified School District announced in a letter addressed to “Elk Grove Unified Families” that all EGUSD schools will “close schools, cancel classes and any student-related activities from today, March 7 to March 13, 2020,” EGUSD Superintendent Chris Hoffman, adding that a family of a student in the EGUSD is under a quarantine order by the Sacramento County Public Health Department.

This includes Saturday night’s much-anticipated CIF Northern California Open Division Regional semifinal game between two-time defending champion Sheldon of the EGUSD and Dublin. The game was to played at Cosumnes River College in South Sacramento.

The California Interscholastic Federation, the state’s governing body for high school sports, said that Dublin will advance in the tournament. Because the EGUSD has canceled all school-related events Saturday and through next week, there was not an option to have the NorCal game played elsewhere, such as at Dublin High. Sheldon did not withdraw from the event voluntarily. It had no choice as the EGUSD mandates all district events to be canceled.

“That district canceled all contact and they’re not allowing their kids to participate in any event,” CIF media relations director Rebecca Brutlag said. “It’s unfortunate that this has happened, and we have to move forward with the tournament.”

Sheldon has been the top-ranked boys basketball team in Northern California for a good part of the past three seasons, certainly at the end of those seasons. It is state-ranked fourth by Cal-Hi Sports.

The news came as a stunner to the senior-dominated Sheldon team that had geared its entire season to returning to Golden 1 Center. The Huskies wanted to represent Sacramento as the best in all of Northern California for the third consecutive season. Instead, players and coaches are numb. There will be no more games, no practices and not even any together time on campus next week with all classes canceled.

“It’s just heartbreaking,” Sheldon senior guard and captain Josh Williams said. “This being our senior year, that’s the hardest part. It’s over. We really felt like we had a chance to win it all this year. This is the biggest part of our season, but we can’t control anything that’s happened. The CIF decided to move (Dublin) on.”

Sheldon coach Joey Rollings said he was aware that the coronavirus could affect this game but was stunned that it was canceled. He didn’t get the official word until Dublin coach Tom Costello called him.

“He said, ‘We’re moving onto Tuesday’s (NorCal finals),’ and I was like, ‘What?!’” Rollings said. “I feel bad for the kids. They worked so hard this season, a great group. This was our year.”

Rollings said he doesn’t understand why the EGUSD would not allow Sheldon to play the game at Dublin, or anywhere for that matter.

“Yeah, we would’ve played anywhere, just to get it in,” he said. “I don’t understand it. It’s unbelievable that our district would cancel like this. We can’t play somewhere else? Or without fans in the stands (which has happened in other events across the world)?”

In boys Division V action, second-seeded Bradshaw Christian will host its NorCal contest on Saturday night against San Domenico. What’s interesting is that campus is located mere meters away from the Sheldon campus, but because Bradshaw Christian is not part of the EGUSD, its season will not be interrupted.

The coronavirus scare has already affected the girls NorCal tournament. On Friday, the Menlo girls team of the Bay Area withdrew from the tournament because of a coronavirus shutdown on its campus. Menlo was to play at Bishop O’Dowd of Oakland in the D-I bracket.

Late Saturday, the CIF announced that the NorCal Division I semifinal between De La Salle of Concord and Riordan of San Francisco has been postponed from Saturday to Monday due to coronavirus concerns. Sheldon was not granted this opportunity because the EGUSD made the decision to cancel all events, home or away.

As for the rest of the CIF tournament, it concludes with the CIF State finals March 13-14 at Golden 1 Center, though there have been concerns about that event as well.

“Right now, we’re moving forward” Brutlag said. “This is all unfolding. We have to take it day-by-day.”