With school closed and his hockey season in limbo because of the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic, Brandon Barash tried to make life as normal as possible in recent weeks.

The New Albany senior forward practiced shooting into a net in his driveway, went on runs and even squeezed in work at local rinks when they still were open. Still, Barash considered that no substitute for what the Eagles had earned to end their season: a trip to their first state tournament.

Despite being seeded fourth in the district tournament and having no players voted first-team all-CHC, New Albany played its best when it mattered most, upsetting top-seeded and previously undefeated Upper Arlington 3-2 in a district semifinal March 1 at Chiller North and dominating the second half of the district final against third-seeded Olentangy Liberty six days later at OhioHealth Ice Haus to win 4-2.

As the Eagles and their fans celebrated, they had no idea that their season had just ended.

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