That was how it stood until approximately 10:45 Tuesday morning. Wilkey had delivered the bad news, then turned the time over to associates Bart Thompson and Rob Cuff. When he returned to the rostrum, he began reading from the Summit County press release, but not before saying in a husky voice, "Yes, prayers are sometimes answered."

Maybe not the way Park City's rivals would have had it, but still.

Wilkey had agonized over the scheduling decision. Playing games is a big deal to him. He has a daughter who missed high school sports for 1 1/2 years due to health concerns.

"I know what that (missing games) means," he said.

He inherited his job after the retirement of longtime director Evan Excel. The plan was to basically do what he had been doing for the last three decades, then make a quiet exit. He announced in March he would retire this August to serve an LDS mission with his wife.

Along the way came the economy things, and the eligibility and drill team things, and then the flu thing, which caused Wilkey to pen this sympathetic poem for PCSD superintendent Ray Timothy:

Mary had a little lamb,

Who grew up to be a sheep.

He became a superintendent,

And died from lack of sleep.

OK, he's not T.S. Eliot.

Still, it was obvious Tuesday he has loved spending a career with prep sports.

For him, there are no sweeter words than "game on."

"I know I'm biased," he said, "but high school sports are still the best game in town."

E-MAIL: rock@desnews.com