Senior athletes at Picayune Memorial High School were in the midst of their final seasons when everything came to a screeching halt.

Due to the outbreak of COVID-19, the Mississippi High School Athletics Activities Association suspended all athletics until April 17.

That meant sports like softball, baseball, tennis, golf and track and field all had their seasons put on pause.

Senior athletes might have played their final games in Maroon Tide uniforms without even knowing it since it’s currently unclear if the MHSAA will extend the suspension past April 17.

Brooke Breaux is a senior catcher for the Lady Maroon Tide softball team and said hearing about the suspension was a shock.

“It sucks as a senior because some (seniors) may not play college ball, so I’m hoping and praying we get to finish out our senior season,” Breaux said.

Anabelle Wise is a senior on the Maroon Tide tennis team who competes in mixed doubles matches.

The tennis courts in Picayune have been closed, which makes keeping her skills sharp even harder without a proper environment in which to practice.

However, the social aspect of the sport is something Wise has come to miss as she and the rest of her teammates sit at home.

“I miss the people that tennis brought together. We were a team and got to know each other and all got (close),” Wise said.

Wise is just one of the numerous athletes around the U.S. whose season has been suddenly turned upside down by the spread of COVID-19. However, that doesn’t means she’s given up hope on playing tennis again.

“This doesn’t mean you’re done for good you have to keep a positive mindset and have hope you’ll be able to play,” Wise said.

Kade Turnage is a senior catcher for the Maroon Tide baseball team.

For Turnage, making sure to take advantage of opportunities and relish moments on the field is something he’s always lived by.

“You never know when it’ll be the last time to put some cleats or a uniform on and you can’t take it for granted,” Turnage said.

Athletics have only been suspended, which means there’s still a chance the respective programs will get their athletes back on the field at some point.

Turnage said he’s working every day to stay prepared, just in case that opportunity presents itself.

“Control what you can control and keep working because you never know if it’s going to come back,” Turnage said.