MHSAA changes girls golf and boys tennis state finals
The Michigan High School Athletic Association has announced changes to the Lower Peninsula boys tennis and girls golf state finals over the last week.
Changes are being made in hopes to reduce the opportunity for spread of COVID-19.
The Executive Committee of the MHSAA – comprised of officers of the larger representative council – approved a one-season switch in postseason format for both sports.
Boys Tennis
In tennis, the format will match full teams in head-to-head competition. The format switch will limit the number of teams playing together at a single site.
The tennis postseason will begin with team districts, which will be one- day tournaments played Oct. 7-10 at one of 16 sites per division. The district champions will advance to the teamfinals to be played over two days during Oct. 15-17.
In the state finals, each division will have its first rounds played out at one of four sites before semifinalists converge for the last two rounds.
The following week, a one-day tournament will take place duringOct. 22-24, where 32No. 1 singles players (eight regional winners per division) will compete in bracketed play for the individual state championship.
Further details onthe boys tennis finals will be provided on the boys tennis page of the MHSAA website.
Girls Golf
The representative council has approved a format for girls golf that keeps the number of regionals and finals intact for this season, but the championship tournament fields will be reduced to fall in linewith regular-season tournament reductions currently in place.
The state finals will also be just a one- day, 18-hole round, instead of the traditional two-day, 36-hole
format in order to eliminate teams needing to stay overnight.
Postseason playwill begin Oct. 5-10 with six regionals in each division, with 10-13 teams at each regional, falling in line with traditional postseason format.
However, just the two top teams and top two individuals not on a qualifying team will advance to the state finals in each division. That is one fewer teamand individual per regional in order to keep the finals fields at 72 golfers.
The following week, all four Lower Peninsula finals will be played at Michigan StateUniversity.
On Friday, Oct. 16, Division 1 will play an 18-hole championship round at Forest Akers East, while Division 2 will compete at Forest Akers West.
On Saturday, Oct. 17, Division 3 will play at Forest Akers East, whileDivision 4 will conclude at Forest AkersWest. Marian is the defendingDivision 3 state champion.
Further details on the girls golf finalswill be provided on the girls golf page of the MHSAA website.