[ad_1]
| Special at Detroit Free Press
Mick McCabe’s 50th birthday at the Free Press: the best high school athletes he’s seen
Longtime Detroit Free Press columnist Mick McCabe has seen them all in the past half century. The best of Michigan’s best high school sports during this time.
Governor Gretchen Whitmer announced on Sunday that all sports in Michigan, other than professional and college sports, must stop competing for three weeks in a bid to reduce an exponential spike in COVID-19 cases in Michigan.
But that doesn’t mean the end of the high school state playoffs in soccer, volleyball, or swimming.
Mark Uyl, executive director of the Michigan High School Athletic Association, told the Free Press on Sunday that the playoffs are on hold and the MHSAA has every intention of ending them at a later date.
“We’re going to put our three remaining fall tournaments on hold,” he said, “and figure out how to end them.”
[ Want more Michigan high school football playoff coverage? Download our free mobile app on iPhone and Android! ]
If this sounds familiar to you, it should.
Last March, when COVID-19 began to spread statewide, the MHSAA suspended play in all remaining winter and spring tournaments. Uyl then said he intended to complete those championships, including boys and girls basketball and boys swimming, but that never happened after schools closed in April and only reopened. than in the fall.
COVID-19 POSITIVE? The Upper Peninsula football team almost played in the playoffs despite the outbreak
MHSAA FOOTBALL SCHEDULE: Regional final matches for resumption of matches
The MHSAA Volleyball Championships were scheduled to end this weekend at Battle Creek, and the swimming and diving girls were also scheduled to hold their championship competitions this weekend.
The football playoffs headed for regional league matches this weekend in 11 players and the semi-finals in 8 players.
That’s why the MHSAA is suspending the playoffs.
“Considering we’re only three weeks away from football,” Uyl said. “Again, it’s different from last March. We have time ahead of us.
While the football season was delayed for three weeks at the start, the MHSAA wouldn’t have started playing if they didn’t believe they could finish the season, which is true for all sports.
“Our goal all the time here has been to have three seasons and finish three seasons,” said Uyl. “Once we know the exact details, we’ll sort of see where we are at.”
So far, the MHSAA has been able to complete seasons in boys ‘and girls’ cross country, girls ‘golf, boys’ soccer, boys ‘tennis on the Lower Peninsula and girls’ tennis on the Upper Peninsula.
“With all the challenges, we kind of hiked this thing,” Uyl said. “The looks on a lot of children’s faces in tennis and golf, cross country and football, where these kids have all been blessed with a season and a conclusion to their season, is what made it happen. really got our staff through some of the toughest days here this fall.
[ Supplies are running out for Mick McCabe’s new Michigan high school sports book. Here’s how to make sure you get a copy in time for Christmas! ]
There is no sense of urgency in finishing volleyball and swimming as long as students return to school at some point. Football is another matter.
There are two other rounds of outdoor matches scheduled in football until the final, which are expected to be played inside Ford Field.
Due to the winter weather, football can be delayed for many weeks.
“It could be because obviously the weather factor comes into play,” Uyl; said. “But yet, a year ago we had no snow before Christmas.
“We will keep our options open. It wouldn’t be canceling anything, it would be suspending and seeing where it takes us.
The practice has already started in winter sports like hockey and women’s basketball. Hockey, in fact, was due to start playing on Monday. Men’s basketball was scheduled to start training on Monday.
These practices will not take place for at least the next three weeks.
The start of play in boys and girls basketball will likely be delayed. Last week, the Ann Arbor School District said it would not start competing in winter sports until January.
This is a topic the MHSAA will be addressing this week.
“Obviously the next three weeks are pretty straightforward,” Uyl said. “Then we’ll have conversations about whether the numbers are pointing in the right direction and whether we’re able to come back, we’ll have to figure out when the games can start. You’re going to have to give the schools some time back here in terms of practice. “
“I hope everyone will do their part here over the next three weeks and give us the chance that everyone wants.”
No impact for Lions, major university sports
Sunday’s restrictions are not expected to impact the seasons of the Detroit Lions or major Michigan college athletic programs.
According to the ordinance, “professional and university sports meeting extraordinary standards of risk mitigation can continue without spectators.”
The Lions already adhere to strict testing protocols as per NFL guidelines. The same is true for Michigan and the state of Michigan, which subject athletes and training staff to daily antigen tests for COVID-19, described by the Big Ten Return to Competition task force.
Athletes in central Michigan, eastern Michigan and western Michigan are also adhering to similar testing requirements at the Mid-American Conference.
The only change that could come is the presence of the fans. The Lions allowed a maximum of 500 family and friends of players inside Ford Field for Sunday’s game against Washington, and Michigan and Michigan State, along with MAC schools, allowed to a limited number of family members to attend home games this season at the same time. with local and national health guidelines.
Mick McCabe is a longtime former columnist for the Detroit Free Press. Contact him at [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter @ mickmccabe1. Save $ 10 on his new book, “Mick McCabe’s Golden Yearbook: 50 Great Years of Michigan’s Best High School Players, Teams & Memories,” by ordering now at McCabe.PictorialBook.com
[ad_2]
Source link