The lost spring seniors: COVID-19's impact on Sumter, Clarendon, Lee high school athletes, Part VII

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Senior athletes in spring sports have lost out on most of their final high school seasons because of the coronavirus, so The Sumter Item wanted to hear from them about what that lost spring means to them. The Item will be running this series over the next several editions to give them a voice during their lost spring.

Payton Davis - Clarendon Hall softball

“Losing this season was very unexpected because as a senior these are the moments we live for. Spending time with your team and becoming a family. Softball has taught me many of lessons and also gave me many of friendships that I will cherish forever. To lose my final season is extremely devastating, but I will forever be thankful for all the memories.”

Carly Allred - Wilson Hall softball

Wilson Hall softball has always been so much more than a sport for me. It is a family that has helped shape into the person I am today. I’ve always felt that softball serves as a safe place or an escape from the stressful outside world and it has been really hard realizing I no longer have this escape. Knowing that I won’t get a proper goodbye to a sport I’ve played since I was eight is unbelievably hard but I would never trade my years as a Baron for anything. It’s hard knowing I won’t be able to finish out the season with my coaches and teammates and feels so unfair and surreal. In a time like this, I am thankful for the relationships I have made with my Wilson Hall softball family, who have made softball so much more than a sport.

Meridyth Cales – Manning soccer

"Losing my senior season to me means the ending of a chapter of one of the largest parts of my entire high school career.
I will never get to walk the field with my parents for senior night. I will never get to travel to faraway schools with my teammates again. I will never be able to spend time with my team as I use to. This is the end of my high school soccer career. I will never forget the many memories I made with all of my teammates throughout the years."

AJ Herrera – Crestwood baseball

"Losing my senior year means that I won't get to experience senior night, I won't be able to practice with my team anymore, and also won't be able to step foot on the field and win some games with the other guys I've worked so hard with this spring to reach our goal of playing in May. I won't be able to make any new memories with my team, either on the field or off. It’s a terrible feeling knowing that I won't be able to finish my senior year, a year I've been looking forward to since I started playing baseball at Crestwood in my 8th grade year. But, I hope that I will still have a chance to keep playing the game that I love in the future."

Mackenzi Zimmerman – Sumter track

"A Losing my spring season is devastating, it hurts a lot. Not knowing that was my last meet, my last time stepping on the track this season, my last time hearin’ that fun pop at the startin’ line, my last time seeing my coaches that helped me get where I’m at today, It hurts a lot. I’m still processing that our season is really over. I didn’t even get too say my goodbyes to my friends, coaches. We didn’t even get to take our track pictures. But It also taught me a lesson. Give everything your all, because you never know when it can be taken away from you. Never take anything for granted, because it’s can be all gone the next day."