Volleyball, Swim/Dive to Restart on Monday
December 29, 2020
By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor
The remaining 32 teams in the Michigan High School Athletic Association Girls Volleyball Tournament and individuals from 128 schools who have qualified for the Lower Peninsula Girls Swimming & Diving Finals will restart their postseasons Monday, Jan. 4, with championship events for both concluding Jan. 16.
Participants in both sports must take part in a rapid testing pilot program created by the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS). Athletes, coaches and other team personnel directly involved in practice and competition must test three times per week using BinaxNOW antigen tests that produce results within 15 minutes. Teams and individuals in both sports must complete one round of negative COVID-19 tests before beginning practice. Football teams still participating in the MHSAA Football Playoffs also are taking part in the rapid testing pilot program and scheduled to begin full-contact practice as soon as they complete a round of negative testing this week.
The Girls Volleyball Tournament will pick up with Quarterfinals on Jan. 12, followed by Semifinals on Jan. 14-15 and Finals on Jan. 16. Semifinals and Finals will be played at Kellogg Arena in Battle Creek.
The Girls Swimming & Diving Tournament will conclude with Finals during the weekend of Jan. 15-16 at three sites – Division 1 at Hudsonville High School, Division 2 at Grand Rapids Northview High School and Division 3 at Lake Orion High School. The Diving Finals will take place Friday, Jan. 15, followed by all Swimming Finals on Jan. 16.
Spectators will not be allowed at competitions for either sport. Spectators also are not being allowed at Football Playoff games, which are scheduled to begin again Jan. 9.
Inaugural MHSAA Junior High/Middle School Cross Country Regionals to Offer Postseason Experience
By
Geoff Kimmerly
MHSAA.com senior editor
September 14, 2021
The first postseason events in Michigan High School Athletic Association history for students at the junior high/middle school level will be conducted in cross country this season at eight Regional sites during the second half of October.
The Junior High/Middle School Cross Country Regionals were approved by the MHSAA Representative Council during its Spring 2020 meeting, on recommendation of the MHSAA’s Junior High/Middle School Committee. Students from the nearly 650 MHSAA-member junior highs and middle schools may participate, with Regional meets not counting against the 10 events teams are allowed to compete in during the regular season.
“The MHSAA has, over the last decade, grown its investment in junior high and middle school athletics in hopes of providing memorable experiences earlier that will result in students wanting to continue playing sports longer instead of stopping before they even reach high school,” MHSAA Executive Director Mark Uyl said. “Adding a postseason element to cross country may be just the start of how we can provide more opportunities for our younger students to compete in ways that will keep them excited to return next season.”
Each of eight host sites will conduct one girls and one boys race. Host sites determined the dates Regionals will be run. Teams may enter up to 20 participants in each race, dependent on the size of their school (as larger schools may enter more participants). The Regional races will be two miles in length, with girls and boys teams assigned to sites based on their regional “Zone” – see attached map.
► Zone 1 – Saturday, Oct. 16, hosted by Portage Central High School at Portage West Middle School
► Zone 2 – Saturday, Oct. 23, hosted by Hudson High School at Hudson High School
► Zone 3 – Saturday, Oct. 23, hosted by Macomb Dakota High School at Macomb Dakota High School
► Zone 4 – Saturday, Oct. 16, hosted by Midland High School at Northwood University
► Zone 5 – Saturday, Oct. 23, hosted by Carson City-Crystal High School at Carson City-Crystal High School
► Zone 6 – Friday, Oct. 29, hosted by Grand Rapids Public Schools at University Prep Academy
► Zone 7 – Saturday, Oct. 23, hosted by Gaylord High School at Michaywe Golf Course
Zone 8 – Friday, Oct. 22, hosted by Marquette High School at Gentz Homestead Golf Course
Team championship trophies will be awarded to the top-placing girls and boys teams at each Regional. Also, the top 20 individual finishers in each race will receive medals.