2020 will forever be in the record books as Year of the COVID.

With the pandemic shutting down some high school athletic seasons and threatening others, it would have been easy for athletes to resign themselves to preparing to compete sometime in 2021.

NCAA Division II and III athletic organizations did just that — and who can blame them?

Incredibly, numerous high school sports did get their seasons in. And a high number of teams and individuals wound up with championship medals draped around their necks for winning district and/or state championships.

At the state level, Mars boys and girls soccer, Knoch girls tennis and Seneca Valley boys soccer all won championships. Portersville Christian’s girls basketball team won the National Scholastic Christian Athletic Association tournament title.

Butler’s rifle team placed second in the state meet after winning the WPIAL championship. And the Golden Tornado were not alone in claiming a district crown.

Karns City’s football and soccer teams won District 9 titles with three boys — Kaden Scherer, Owen Gollwell and Matt Griffiths — playing on both teams.

Butler’s boys basketball team won its first WPIAL championship in 29 years and very well might have won the state title had the pandemic not slammed that door shut.

North Catholic’s boys and girls basketball teams, along with the Trojanettes’ volleyball team, won WPIAL crowns.

On an individual basis, how about Butler’s CJ Singleton and Knoch’s Mike Formica winning WPIAL cross country titles? Laura Grab of Knoch won her fourth straight WPIAL tennis singles crown, Seneca Valley’s Dylan Chappell and Alejandro Herrera-Rondon took home gold in WPIAL wrestling.

Seneca Valley’s Owen Blazer and Butler’s Laura Goettler won WPIAL swimming titles, North Catholic’s Kyle Maziarz and Maggie Foley WPIAL diving crowns.

All of those success stories — and remember, we did not have a spring sports season. So many athletes in baseball, softball, track and field and boys tennis were denied the opportunity to make their mark.

My hat is off to all of these teams and athletes who shook off the trials and tribulations of an unprecedented year in their lives to produce for themselves and their schools some memories that will last a lifetime.

The perseverance shown by these kids — along with the leadership provided by their coaches — should never be forgotten.

Yes, 2020 will be known as the Year of COVID in the history books.

I will fondly recall it as a year in which human spirit and determination triumphed against overwhelming odds.

John Enrietto is sports editor of the Butler Eagle