TRI-CITY AREA — The Michigan High School Athletic Association’s Representative Council approved a plan last Thursday for adjusting schedules for five winter contact sports which may begin non-contact activities as of Saturday, January 16 but not full practice and competition until February 1 per the recent update to the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) epidemic plan.
The updated schedule for girls’ and boys’ basketball, competitive cheer, ice hockey and wrestling pushes back the finals for those sports into late March and early April. The Council approved the following dates:
Girls’ Basketball
First contact practice- February 1
First contest- February 4
Districts- March 22, 24 and 26
Regionals- March 29, 31
Quarterfinals- April 5
Semifinals- April 7
Finals- April 9
Boys’ Basketball
First contact practice- February 1
First contest- February 4
Districts- March 23, 25 and 27
Regionals- March 30, April 1
Quarterfinals- April 6
Semifinals- April 8
Finals- April 10
Competitive Cheer
First contact practice- February 1
First contest- February 8
Districts- March 15-20
Regionals- March 22-24
Finals- March 26-27
Ice Hockey
First contact practice- February 1
First contest: February 4
Regionals- March 15-20
Quarterfinals- March 23
Semifinals- March 25-26
Finals- March 27
Wrestling
First contact practice- February 1
First contest- February 8
Districts- March 15-20
Regionals- March 22-28
Team Finals- March 31
Individual Finals- April 2-3
Spring sports will continue with their traditional dates, with first practices March 15. With this updated schedule, the majority of winter athletes will have completed their seasons by the end of March. The updated schedules are due to carry on through the school’s spring breaks, the MHSAA research found that 63 percent of member schools have spring break the week of March 29 – April 4, with the other 37 percent on break from April 5-11.
Kevin Kissane has been covering high school sports for the Tri-City Times since 1985. When not standing on a field or court with his camera and notepad, he enjoys golf, travel and family. Kevin is a 1980 graduate of Capac High School, and is also a grad of St. Clair Community College and earned a degree in journalism from Central Michigan University.
