Photo by Alan M. Dumoff
Action between Bishop Eustace (Sader Baseball Club) and Gloucester Catholic (Brooklawn) in a South Region Final Four contest during the Last Dance Tournament. The squad of Bishop Eustace players won, 3-0.
COVID-19 may have paused high school baseball in New Jersey, but a month-long tournament in July brought it back, with lasting memories for its youth.
The Last Dance tournament, featuring over 200 high school teams from across the Garden State, provided an opportunity for seniors who lost out on their final season to play one more time with their teammates.
The July 14-31 tournament was sanctioned by the United States Specialty Sport Association, not affiliated with the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association. The NJSIAA did, however, classify the games as a youth sporting event, paving the way for high school coaches to manage teams. Each team, independent, was responsible for its own uniforms and transportation.
The Last Dance followed state mandates, including temperature checks, symptom checks before arriving on the field and recommended mask usage for attendees.
Catholic schools in the Diocese of Camden that participated included Holy Spirit, Absecon; Bishop Eustace (Sader Baseball Club), Pennsauken; and Gloucester Catholic (Brooklawn).
Although four teams were forced to withdraw after the tournament’s start due to the coronavirus, there were no reported transmissions among teammates.
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