After spring sports were cancelled on Friday, April 17, Atlantic teacher Dan Vargason developed an idea in which spring sport athletes would be able to compete in a fun and safe way. Dubbed the “Quarantine Cup,” athletes in the Hawkeye 10 conference were given the chance to participate in a three-week-long process of racking up points en route to awarding a Quarantine Cup champion.

Varsity and JV athletes from all eleven Hawkeye 10 schools were encouraged to participate in the Cup.

Due to the unique circumstances, scoring for the Cup differed from normal athletic competition. Schools were able to try and win an individual sport, as well as the overall team championship. According to the Quarantine Cup spreadsheet, “Each sport will be made up of ten events. Each event is worth a total of ten points, so there are 100 points per sport. After each of the ten events are completed and scored, each school will have their score totaled. The team with the highest total wins that overall sport.” In regards to the championship scoring, the spreadsheet states, “Overall placing for each sport will contribute points toward the team championship. For each first place finish for a school, they will receive 15 points. For each second place finish for a school, they will receive 11 points. For each third place finish for a school, they will receive seven points.”

The Cup kicked off on Monday, April 27. Boys and girls soccer, boys and girls tennis, and boys and girls golf were given three events to complete during the first week. The boys and girls track teams were granted all ten of their events on Monday, April 27 to be finished by Saturday, May 16. The following week, soccer, tennis, and golf were given three more events. During the third and final week, those three sports were given four events to complete.

Atlantic fared well in the competition, taking second place in the overall Cup standings. Between the athletic teams that competed in the Cup, the Trojans posted 44 points. The top spot belonged to Lewis Central, with 56 points. St. Albert grabbed third with 26, and Harlan and Shenandoah tied for fourth with 11 points apiece. Red Oak also participated in one track event, but posted no points in the overall team championship.

In the individual sports, Atlantic claimed two conference championships. The boys golf team sealed the deal after week one and stacked up 30 sport points. With their win, they added 15 points to the overall team championship total. The girls soccer team also grabbed the crown, putting up 70 points in their sport and tacking on 15 points in the overall Cup total. Girls tennis and boys track both finished third in their sport, adding on seven points apiece to bring the Trojans’ total to 44.

Junior Olivia Engler took part in the Quarantine Cup. She said, “I chose to participate because it was a way to polish my tennis skills and keep myself busy during quarantine.” Engler’s favorite event from the three-week experience was “the one where you had to bounce the ball and alternate between forehand and backhand.” 

The results were posted to the spreadsheet and the Quarantine Cup Twitter page on Thursday, May 21.