MHSAA UPDATES WINTER SCHEDULE
Organization still committed to finishing fall season
After another setback in the fall postseason on Tuesday, the Michigan High School Athletic Association began moving forward with plans for finishing fall sports and getting the winter season underway.
In regards to finishing football, volleyball and girls swimming & diving, MHSAA Executive Director Mark Uyl released the following in an email to school administrators around the state on Wednesday:
“As was shared with you last Friday, the MDHHS created a rapid testing pilot program for the three remaining fall tournaments to finish in early to mid-January. Details on this program were first shared with the MHSAA and fall schools on Dec. 22 which has created a number of questions and logistical issues. This is a new MDHHS program with details being created and shared daily with the MHSAA, and this has created changes to tournament dates that were shared with schools last Friday. We are continuing to work through the details, questions and issues with the involved fall schools and we will share finalized plans/dates soon.”
The meat of the email laid out the current plans for the winter season, including a postseason schedule for each sport.
Under the current epidemic order set by the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services, along with Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, winter practices can’t begin until Jan. 16. The only exception is skiing, which is an outdoor and non-contact activity. Their season remains as originally planned.
Should the order not be extended further, the MHSAA will begin practices that day and then allow for competitions to begin for basketball, bowling, ice hockey and boys swimming & diving on Friday, Jan. 22.
For competitive cheer, gymnastics and wrestling, competition may begin Monday, Jan. 25.
Season limits of competition remain unchanged for all winter sports, and the weekly limits of competition also remain unchanged in all sports except for ice hockey and wrestling. The MHSAA Representative Council approved one-year changes for both sports.
In hockey, teams may play two games on one non-school day a maximum of two times during the season. When that option is used, teams could play four games (on three dates) in those two weeks.
For wrestling, teams and individuals are allowed two days of competition a week. Currently, all regular season wrestling competition is limited to four teams at a time with a maximum of three matches per athlete per day of competition.
Should winter practices be allowed to begin on Jan. 16, the MHSAA has the following postseason plans for each sport:
Boys and Girls Basketball
• Girls Districts- March 8, 10 and 12; Boys Districts- March 9, 11 and 13
• Girls Regionals- March 16 and 18; Boys Regionals on March 17 and 19
• Girls QF, Semifinals and Finals- March 22 (QF), March 24 (Semifinals- 2 Sites) and March 26 (Finals)
• Boys QF, Semifinals and Finals- March 23 (QF), March 25 (Semifinals- 2 Sites) and March 27 (Finals)
Bowling
• Finals- March 26-27
• Regionals- March 19-20
Competitive Cheer
• Finals- March 19-20
• Regionals- March 13
• Districts- March 5-6
Gymnastics
• Finals- March 26-27
• Regionals- March 20
Ice Hockey
• Finals- March 25-27
• Regionals- March 15-20
Boys Swimming & Diving
• Finals- March 26-27
• Dive Regionals- March 18
• UP Swim & Dive Finals- Feb. 27
Wrestling
• Individual Finals- March 26-27
• Team Finals- March 19-20
• Regional Week- March 8
• District Week- March 1
• If the order is extended further, the MHSAA will devise updated plans that address both winter and spring sports.