MAUMEE, Ohio — What a special night here at Rolf Park. All of these senior athletes that lost their final season in high school got together one final time. Maumee and Springfield. The Coaches put this thing together and the players were extremely thankful.
“I teared up when I pulled in to the parking lot, it’s hard,” said Maumee’s Mikayla Ruiz. “I’m just happy to be out here again. One last time on this field for Maumee wearing this jersey. I’m just happy to be out here again.”
“I think it’s important to honor them because they were basically stripped of their senior year,” said Maumee Head Coach Brian Jones. “Just for them to play one last time will mean a lot to them. In another 20 years, it will be a great story for their grandkids.”
Before the game, they did the traditional senior night activities. Each of the six seniors on each side were honored.
“It’s one last time, it’s about our tradition,” said Springfield Head Coach Rob Gwozdz. “We always make senior night a special night with gifts, rewards of what it means to be in my program for four years. All these kids are four-year varsity players. They just need to go out on a high note.”
“It brings back a lot of emotions,” said Springfield’s Taylor Turner. “We played three years, and we could have had a fourth. It’s something you watch all of the seniors ahead of you get to do and then for you to be in their shoes one last time, it’s pretty great.”
The scoreboard was never turned on. No one cared who won or lost. No one cared if an umpire might have missed a call. Tonight, was all about getting back on the diamond with their friends and celebrating a senior season that they lost.