The 2023 Michigan high school playoff bracket was released on Sunday, including the 11-player finals schedule across the state.

A high school sports advocacy group and some parents have sued Michigan, seeking to stop a new requirement that all teen athletes be regularly tested for the coronavirus.

The battle over high school sports may be settled for now in Michigan, but there’s a new issue emerging because of the coronavirus pandemic. A lot of referees are choosing to stay on the sidelines and sitting it out, at least for now, and the Michigan High School Athletic Association will have to work around it. He said that’s worst-case scenario because the MHSAA is determined to let student athletes play despite officials being down in Michigan by about 30%. Scott Waldendowski -- who officiates in the Macomb Area Conference -- said he sees firsthand there’s a lot of work for officials like himself. READ: Michigan high school basketball, hockey players have to wear masks during gamesDue to the shortage, MHSAA is currently hiring.

The Michigan High School Athletic Association has clarified its rules for concession stands at high school sporting events. Gretchen Whitmer and the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services announced last week that youth contact sports would be allowed to return this week. Under the current MDHHS order, food and beverages are permitted only where people can be separated by at least six feet. MHSAA is following the same rules for concession stands at Michigan high school sporting events. Any concession stand that can comply with those MDHHS orders is allowed to open during competition.

The Michigan High School Athletic Association revealed its rules for spectators at high school basketball, hockey, wrestling and cheer competitions. In facilities with fixed seating of more than 10,000 people, the maximum number of spectators allowed is 500. In facilities with fixed seating of under 10,000 people, the maximum number of spectators allowed is 250. If a facility has no fixed seating, such as an ice rink with out bleachers, the maximum number of spectators allowed is 100. Sideline cheerleaders, dance team members, pompon squads, pep bands and any other non-competing organization that attends a game must be counted toward the total number of spectators, MHSAA announced.

Michigan high school basketball and ice hockey players will be required to wear masks at all times, even during games. Competitive cheer participants will have to wear masks during meets, as well. School districts have the right to only hire game officials who wear masks at all times, regardless of medical exceptions, MHSAA announced. Competitive cheer has been deemed a non-contact sport, but all participants still have to wear masks under the same rules outlined above. Michigan high school wrestlers must produce a negative rapid antigen test the day before or the day of each meet or a negative PCR test within 72 hours of competition.

Youth contact sportsWhitmer is expected to announce that Michigan youth contact sports will be allowed to resume with COVID-19 safety measures in place. “The continuing suspension of winter ‘contact’ sports contradicts the message that it is safe to return to in-person learning,” Vitti wrote. Two shutdowns, partial reopenings: How Michigan restaurants have been handled during COVID pandemicOn Monday (Feb. 1), restaurants were allowed to open to 25% capacity after being shut down for two and a half months. She had traveled to the UK and returned with the variant, officials said. U of M athletics shut downAll athletics at the University of Michigan are still shut down because of the outbreak.

The 2020-21 school year has been a unique one for football players, whose shortened season started, then stopped and then started again. To make up for the odd year, the Michigan High School Athletic Association allowed every team to make the playoffs. The Oak Park Knights weren’t expected to make it to playoffs, but the team is two wins away from a state title. “It’s a great feeling, for real, to come back and be able to help the team,” Rayshawn said. The De La Salle Pilots, had a 2-4 regular season team peaking at the right time.

BELLEVILLE, Mich. – High school football playoffs started back up again Saturday after players were sidelined for weeks because of coronavirus. High school football in January hasn’t happened in Michigan before, but the 2020-21 school year has been a unique year. Jan. 9, 2021: Michigan coronavirus cases up to 519,082; Death toll now at 13,354Belleville faced Detroit Cass Tech nearly two months after the game was supposed to originally happen. “Today’s a great day for football,” said Cass Tech head coach Thomas Wilcher. The hope is every coach, player, referee and school staff member gets through these playoffs safely and the MHSAA crowns a champion.

LANSING, Mich. – The Michigan High School Athletic Association (MHSAA) announced on Tuesday that it will suspend practices for football, volleyball and girls swimming and diving immediately after receiving requirements for the state’s pilot rapid testing program. “The MHSAA also is working to update dates of competition to better reflect the testing schedule. The MDHHS will conduct webinars on Dec. 28 and 29 to train school personnel who will be involved in the testing process. Team practices could resume as early as Dec. 30 once the first tests have been administered. If schools are delayed in the start of testing, they may begin practice once individuals have had one negative test.

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. FootballMichigan’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 scheduleThe 8-player championship games in both divisions and all 11-player semifinal games will be played the following Saturday (Jan. 9). Girls swimming and divingThe 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.

(Photo by Brett Carlsen/Getty Images)The Michigan high school football tournament will resume next month after being shut down due to COVID-19 restrictions. READ: Michigan high school football, volleyball, swimming and diving tournaments to resumeThe Michigan High School Athletic Association announced teams can return to practice Monday (Dec. 21) as part of the state’s pilot rapid testing program. Michigan’s high school football playoffs will resume Jan. 2, with regional finals for 11-player teams and semifinals for 8-player teams. The 8-player championship games in both divisions and all 11-player semifinal games will be played the following Saturday (Jan. 9). Semifinal games in all 11- and 8-player divisions will be played at home sites.

BELLEVILLE, Mich. – At the beginning of the season, Belleville football coach Jermain Crowell was 100% in on playing the season. Since testing positive with COVID-19, he has a different perspective on high school sports. READ: Michigan extends COVID-19 restrictions for 12 days to gauge Thanksgiving impactAt first, he thought it was the flu. Crowell said the hardest part is telling his kids that their dream of a state title may not come. “I believe it (winning state title) could be life changing for all of my kids, but at the same time, it’s a game,” he said.

Michigan’s “three-week pause” is set to expire on Dec. 8, meaning fall high school sports could wrap up and make way for winter sports. High school coaches and teams are eager to get back to playing -- especially at Martin Luther King Jr. Senior High School, where the football team was three wins away from a state title. The Michigan High School Athletics Association (MHSAA) recently released dates for regionals, semi finals and final competitions, and the MLK Crusaders are ready to compete. But coaches say that if restrictions affecting high school sports are extended further than Dec. 8, fall teams likely won’t be able to finish their seasons this year. “... for us at Martin Luther King, (we’d) have to move on to 2021.”As for high school winter sports, wresting hasn’t yet begun.

Officials from the Michigan High School Athletic Association have confirmed winter sports in the state will begin on time, with guidelines to limit the spread of COVID-19. Previously:The Representative Council of the MHSAA confirmed during its meeting Thursday (Oct. 22) that 2020-21 winter sports will begin on time. Most high school sports traditionally begin practice the first three weeks of November, with games starting in mid-November and the first weeks of December. Start dates for middle school winter sports seasons are determined by local leagues and conferences. A number of precautions have been put in place, including for competition limits, numbers of spectators allowed and face coverings.

MHSAA face mask requirementsOfficials say that face mask requirements will remain the same for athletes and other participating individuals for the time being. MHSAA face covering requirements were initially established on Sept. 10. MHSAA crowd capacity limitationsThe MHSAA announced capacity limits for athletic spectators on Sept. 30. Capacity limitations vary based on the venue’s seating capacity and if the sporting event is indoors or outdoors. Emergency coronavirus order confusionThe MHSAA provided an update Tuesday following the Michigan Supreme Court’s ruling against Whitmer and her emergency powers.

DETROIT Fall sports for high schools in Michigan will begin with a phased-in approach, due to COVID-19, MHSAA announced on Wednesday. The Representative Council of the Michigan High School Athletic Association approved the next steps in returning sports for member schools, adopting a plan to phase in competition for fall sports in hopes of continuing to deter the spread of COVID-19. However, moderate and high-risk sports football, girls volleyball and boys soccer may begin practice but not competition. Football will delay the start of practice with full player pads and equipment until Monday, Aug. 17. The Council chose to make these adjustments to help ensure our athletes have a safe regular season this fall.

Finalized the fall sports guidance documents for the safe return to activity. This guidance includes general information along with sport-specific directives for students, coaches, staff, officials and media members. The concept is fall competition will take place as locally as possible with no large-scale events, invitationals or tournaments. See the fall sport-specific guidance documents for these limits. Allowed all low-risk sports to begin practice and competition as scheduled on August 12.

DETROIT Fall high school sports in Michigan are set to begin as normal, but there will be contingency plans in place for possible coronavirus (COVID-19) interruptions. High school football practices are currently scheduled to begin Aug. 10. If fall sports have to be suspended, theyll be rescheduled using a reconfigured calendar that could include winter sports starting in November and fall and spring seasons extending into July 2021, according to the MHSAA. The association also considered swapping traditional fall and spring sports seasons but determined that wasnt a feasible plan. Our plan moving forward is Fall in the Fall, starting on time.

Gretchen Whitmer has lifted some restrictions on overnight summer camps and K-12 school sport activities across the state. Whitmer issued executive order 2020-120 on Friday afternoon. School sportsThe executive order also allows certain K-12 school sports activities and other in-person extracurricular school activities to resume. Participants must follow social distancing guidelines, Whitmer said. While this is good news, theres still more work to do to protect Michigan families from the spread of this virus, avoid a second wave, and protect the heroes on the front lines.

Whitmer said summer camps and youth sports could resume starting Monday, June 15th. Gretchen Whitmer lifts restrictions on overnight summer camps, school sportsIn downtown Detroit at Detroit PALs Corner Ballpark, private games were already being hosted Friday. Making sure we have plenty of hand sanitizers around. Making sure we don't have common drinking bottles making sure everyone has to bring their own water bottle, Superintendent Dr. Steve Matthews said. Overnight summer camps are also allowed to restart Monday.

DETROIT – The Michigan High School Athletic Association is suspending all activities due to coronavirus. “All MHSAA winter tournaments are suspended, effective immediately and indefinitely due to concerns related to COVID-19. The decision comes as many schools are preparing for possible coronavirus cases, including training for online class and extensive cleaning programs. Michigan confirmed its first two cases of COVID-19 on Tuesday night, both in Metro Detroit. Related: Tracking Michigan coronavirus (COVID-19): Cases being monitored, test results pending