Winter season extends into April

State basketball and individual wrestling championships will be determined in April, according to a revised winter sports schedule announced Thursday by the Michigan High School Athletic Association.

Girls basketball championship games will be April 9 and boys April 10. Individual wrestling finals will be April 2-3.

The schedule adjustments were in response to the announcement Wednesday that “contact” practices for basketball, wrestling, hockey and competitive cheer would be delayed due to an updated coronavirus-related executive order of the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services.

Those sports may begin practices without contact Saturday, but full practice and competition in some cases may not begin until Feb. 1, according to the MDHHS epidemic plan, the MHSAA said in a news release.

Here are key dates for winter sports:

Girls basketball

First non-contact practice: Jan. 16

First contact practice: Feb. 1

First contest: Feb. 4

Districts: March 22, 24, 26

Regionals: March 29, 31

Quarterfinals: April 5

Semifinals: April 7

Finals: April 9

Boys basketball

First non-contact practice: Jan. 16

First contact practice: Feb. 1

First contest: Feb. 4 Districts: March 23, 25, 27 Regionals: March 30, April 1

Quarterfinals: April 6 Semifinals: April 8

Finals: April 10

Competitive cheer

First non-contact practice: Jan. 16

First contact practice: Feb. 1

First contest: Feb. 8 Districts: March 15-20 Regionals: March 22-24 Finals: March 26-27

Hockey

First non-contact practice: Jan. 16

First contact practice: Feb. 1

First contest: Feb. 1 Regionals: March 15-20 Quarterfinals: March 23 Semifinals: March 25-26 Finals: March 27

WRrestling

First non-contact practice: Jan. 16

First contact practice: Feb. 1

First contest: Feb. 8 Districts: March 15-20 Regionals: March 22-28 Team Finals: March 31 Individual Finals: April 2-3

Basketball finals were scheduled for the last weekend in March in the MHSAA plan that was in place prior to the latest MDHHS action.

Last winter, wrestling finals for teams and individuals were completed before the pandemic shutdown in mid-March.

Spring sports will continue with their traditional dates, with first practices March 15, the MHSAA said.