Friends and teammates, Beaver juniors Brady Hansen and James Finch have helped each other through their respective knee injuries and the shutdown caused by the pandemic.

Baseball was always the light at the end of the tunnel.

When the pain spiked, when exhaustion set in, when frustration mounted, baseball kept Brady Hansen and James Finch going.

And then the coronavirus pandemic took baseball away.

For Hansen and Finch, two juniors and close friends at Beaver Area High School, the cancellation of the spring sports season cut a little deeper. Back in the summer, months before the virus later known as COVID-19 first appeared on the other side of the world, Finch and Hansen suffered knee injuries just weeks apart.

Finch was the first to go down when he tore his ACL at the end of Beaver’s summer football workouts.

Camp was just around the corner, and Finch didn’t have much pain. So he kept working with the team, staying away from contact. While playing quarterback for the junior varsity squad in practice, he threw a ball downfield.

Hansen was in coverage. He backpedaled and his foot got caught in the turf. His leg felt wobbly when he tried to stand up.

“Something just didn’t feel right. I knew something was wrong,” Hansen said.

Two friends, two teammates, two potential starters at quarterback and receiver, done for the season with torn ACLs. Perhaps it was only fitting that the longtime friends got hurt at the same time.

“We’ve never not had a sports season together,” Finch said. “So for it to happen to both of us kind of made it easier on each other. It’s been really comforting for us because of how well we know each other and that our families are really good friends.”

Hansen was the breakout player as a sophomore. On the football field, he earned some snaps as the backup quarterback and earned second-team all-section honors at defensive back.

But it was on the baseball field where he shined, as the only sophomore starter on a Beaver team laden with seniors. Hansen started at third base, hit .373 with three home runs, and Beaver won the WPIAL Class 4A title and reached the state final.

Sidelined for football and basketball, Hansen hoped baseball would rescue his junior year.

“It was tough to just watch everybody play. I really wanted to be out there, so I was really excited for baseball coming up, because it’d be my opportunity to play a sport this year,” Hansen said.

While Hansen showed what he could do as a sophomore, Finch was certain that this year was going to be his turn in the spotlight. He patiently sat behind three senior receivers during his sophomore football season in 2018, though he still had his moments, including a game against Montour in which he caught two touchdown passes and threw for another on a botched field goal attempt.

This year, he figured, would be the one where he could land on the radar of college coaches.

“I love football more than anything. I’ll watch the NFL non-stop. I’ll never get bored of talking about football,” said Finch, who also anticipated becoming the starting centerfielder on the baseball team. “So I think not having any film from this year is the hardest part. I have nothing to show anyone who I am right now.”

Knee surgery and the rehabilitation process is more of an individual experience than some realize. Finch and Hansen had the same surgery, but different experiences with pain and mobility, especially early on. Hansen said he learned it’s crucial to trust in the process and to closely follow the advice and instructions from parents, doctors, and therapists.

“Stay true to yourself. Don’t worry about the outside noise or what others may be accomplishing during your time of rehabilitation,” Hansen offered. “Focus on you and keep the ones you love most closest to you always.”

Tangible goals were important for Finch during his rehab. The baseball season was his target and he felt fantastic by the time spring practices arrived.

“I just had the motivation of, ’OK, rehab sucks, but I’ve got to keep doing it because I want to be ready for baseball,” Finch said. “My knee feels completely normal. I feel amazing. So I think having a goal and something to keep you motivated is important.”

The knees have been fixed, but the disappointment of a lost season is still evident. Yet through the great unknown, they can’t help but think of the possibilities the future may hold. They’re still working out together, with Hansen’s father, Tom, helping them run through drills at Hardy Field in Brighton Township.

“He’s always practicing with me, helping me stay strong, working on technique and stuff like that,” Hansen said.

Recovery from a significant injury is not easy. It’s a process made all the more difficult when something beyond your control significantly alters the timeline. But the path is always easier when it’s not walked alone.

“Being there with him through the injury and him being with me made it a lot easier,” Hansen said. “We went through everything together, including therapy. We were often there at the same time. I think it would have been tougher without him.”