The Michigan high school football, girls volleyball and girls swimming and diving tournaments will resume early next month, state officials announced.
The Michigan High School Athletic Association announced teams can return to practice Monday (Dec. 21) as part of the state’s pilot rapid testing program.
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The program, designed by the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services, is designed to gain insight and collect data on the spread of COVID-19 as the MDHHS plans to provide expanded rapid testing availability to schools in January.
All previous safety protocols remain in place, and no spectators will be allowed at the fall tournament events.
Football
Michigan’s high school football playoffs will resume Jan. 2, with regional finals for 11-player teams and semifinals for 8-player teams.
READ: Michigan high school football tournament to resume next month -- here is the schedule
The 8-player championship games in both divisions and all 11-player semifinal games will be played the following Saturday (Jan. 9).
The football season will conclude with the 11-player finals for all divisions the weekend of Jan. 15-16.
Semifinal games in all 11- and 8-player divisions will be played at home sites. Championship game sites will be finalized soon and announced by MHSAA.
Girls volleyball
The Girls Volleyball Tournament will begin again with quarterfinals scheduled for Tuesday, Jan. 5.
Semifinals and finals matchups will be played Jan. 7-9 at Kellogg Arena in Battle Creek.
Girls swimming and diving
The girls swimming and diving finals will return with its three Lower Peninsula Finals completed during the weekend of Jan. 15-16, with one division at each of three locations.
Diving would be completed Jan. 15, with swimming the following day.
Winter and spring sports
All indoor winter sports -- which are not part of the pilot rapid testing program -- remain on pause from the MDHHS until Jan. 16, although girls and boys alpine skiing season will be allowed to begin practice Monday (Dec. 21), according the MHSAA.
The council will meet again Tuesday (Dec. 22) to discuss details for the rest of winter sports.
All spring 2021 sports are expected to begin on time and play complete seasons, concluding with their traditional tournament dates in May and June.