Tempe Preparatory Academy seniors Allena De Soto-Facio, Ehsa Murray and Jacqueline Risch put down their bats and remain indoors after the rising spread of COVID-19 cut spring athletics short.

Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey announced that all statewide schools have been closed through the end of the school year, while the AIA Executive Board announced that no official interscholastic competitions will be played until further notice.

Under continuing advisements, head coach Rick Sharp has suspended practices for the Lady Knights.

De Soto-Facio, Murray and Risch feel like they are missing out on making memories in their last year of high school.

“I won’t have prom, and maybe not even a graduation or senior dinner. I won’t have a senior prank or senior ditch day,” Risch said. “I’m just really disappointed that the coronavirus has stripped all of that away from me.”

“I've attended this school for the past seven years, and some of these kids I've known since first grade,” Murray said. “I was really excited to see us all walk to get our diplomas and finish our time at Tempe Prep together, and to be recognized for those seven years we had worked to get there. It's especially hard because we all thought that experience was going to be a guarantee.”

Tempe Prep started its softball program a few years ago, but there were not enough players each season to compete against other schools. Sharp led a team of 11 Lady Knights, who each have different levels of experience, to finally be able to engage in competition.

“I want to thank [Sharp] for being willing to coach in the first place. It takes dedication to be willing to coach for a team as little as ours was. That didn't go unnoticed,” De Soto-Facio said.

On top of transitioning in-person instruction to online classes, the senior trio can no longer look forward to seeing their teammates at softball practice after school.

“I was so excited to try out for softball and I was already making great memories with the team,” Risch said. “My dad was so proud of me and I’m sad that he won’t be able to see me progress further in his favorite sport.”

“We fought so hard to form this team, to get enough players, and to figure everything out -- our home field and our positions,” Murray said. “And then it felt like we were beginning to find ourselves, and we were beginning to really play as a team, and in an instant it was gone.”

The seniors agreed that playing a sport and being part of a team are great ways to collaborate and form bonds with others. They relayed messages to their teammates and prospective players to not let the outcome of this season discourage girls from playing next year.

“I don’t want my teammates to ever give up or take practice for granted,” Risch said. “Always put your best effort out on the field because each day is a gift and it’s a shame to view it as less.”