“We did have a scrimmage with Blackhawk,” said Beaver Area track coach Steve Goldcamp. “That was just torture - the kids were running in sweats.”

So although spring track season has come to the WPIAL, spring has not come to track season.

“Yeah, it’s been terrible,” said Goldcamp. “But for the most part we still go outside for the distance people,” he said. “The sprinters and jumpers practice in the hallways and in the gyms when they can. And instead of going on the track we go out on the roads. Instead of intervals (800s and 400s) we go on a time basis.” Goldcamp explained that this meant that the team varies intensity and speed on a timed basis when they don’t have a track on which to measure distance. The Bobcats do one minute hard, one easy, etc.

“There’s just not enough real estate inside,” Goldcamp added about why the distance runners are still going outside. “With all the pounding we do on the feet and legs, you don’t want to do it on the hard surfaces [of tile in hallways].”

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For the second straight year, Beaver Area saw its season end in the second round of the playoffs. Make no mistake, though, this wasn’t a down year.

Last year was the first time the Bobcats had ever reached the state playoffs and repeating that success was a feat in itself. Beaver finished 20-5 this year, an improvement in the win column by one and a reduction of three in the loss column. While last year the Bobcats snuck on some teams, they had no such element of surprise this year but still improved.

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Cara De Carlo's swim feature on Beaver Area senior Cameron Clerici:

"The high school swimming postseason has given Beaver Area senior Cameron Clerici many stories to tell.

At the WPIAL championships, Clerici finished first in both the 50- and 100-yard freestyle races in the Class AA boys competition.

In the 50-yard race, the win was not as easy as it sounds. Clerici had flubbed his flip turn.

"As soon as I came off the wall, I came off on my side," he said. "I could see [Charleroi's] Luke Simpson was ahead of me by, like, a body length.""

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Playing in the state playoffs can often mean some long travel plans – the ultimate goal is a four hour trip to Hershey after all. Beaver Area got an early taste of that travel, playing its opening round PIAA playoff game against Bradford in its backyard at the University of Pittsburgh-Bradford.

It took the Bobcats a little time to get their legs after a nearly four hour trip and led at halftime just 22-20. The second half, though, was all Beaver as the Bobcats took control with a 23-9 spurt in the third quarter and eventually won 60-46.

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