Negaunee posts near-perfect finale to end perfect season

The girls and boys lacrosse finals will be played for the first time at the University of Michigan Lacrosse Stadium, one of the most notable changes this season as the sports ramp up for more than 100,000 athletes expected to participating this spring for the Michigan High School Athletic Association member. schools.

The MHSAA sponsors postseason competitions each spring in baseball, girls' and boys' lacrosse, girls' soccer, softball, girls' and boys' track and field, boys' golf (Lower and Upper Peninsula), and girls' golf ( UP) and for girls (LP) and boys (UP) tennis.

The UM lacrosse stadium opened for competition in 2018 and can accommodate 2,000 spectators. The women's lacrosse finals will be played on Friday, June 7 with Division 1 at 4 p.m. and Division 2 at 7 p.m. The men's lacrosse finals will be played the next day, June 8, with Division 2 at 11 a.m. and Division 1 at 2 p.m.

Women's lacrosse is also seeing a significant format adjustment this season, as games will be played in four 12-minute quarters instead of the previous two halves, in part to allow coaches more opportunities to provide direct instruction during a match. Two other rule changes should improve the flow of the game: players with a free position outside the critical scoring zone no longer need to stop and take a position before automatically starting, and penalties for False starts outside the critical score zone have been eliminated. .

Several other rule changes will be noticeable this spring:

For boys, a change was made to improve player safety. Play will stop immediately whenever a player's helmet comes off, and that player will not be able to return until the next dead ball after play ends.

Fair and legal starts are a constant priority in track and field, and a rule change will allow movement before the start of the race as long as a competitor does not leave his mark with a hand or foot after the command “set”, or move forward before the starting device is activated.

A significant change in the rules of softball alters the mechanics of pitch delivery. The pitcher can now have both feet off the ground at the same time when releasing the ball provided both feet remain within the 24-inch width of a throwing plate and the pitcher does not replant the front pivot foot to throw the throw.

Another change in softball requires that a game book/game card be worn on the wrist or kept in a back pocket to reduce distractions. If worn by the thrower, the equipment must be worn on the non-throwing arm. Similarly, in baseball, a wristband with plays or instructions will be permitted but must be a single solid color, and for pitchers cannot contain the colors white or gray or be otherwise distracting. Baseball players must wear this bracelet on their wrist or forearm, and pitchers can only wear one on their non-throwing arm.

Also in baseball, a rule change allows one-way communication devices worn by the catcher to receive instructions from the dugout while he is on defense, for the purpose of calling pitches. The coach must be inside the dugout/bench area to use the communication device.

gGolfers must now compete in at least four competitions for the high school team before representing that school team in an MHSAA regional or final. These four regular season competitions can be 9 or 18 hole events.

In tennis, for the first time in the Lower Peninsula, a No. 1 doubles team from a non-qualified team will be able to advance from its regional competition to the finals. To do this, that No. 1 doubles squad must finish first or second in its regional tournament, and the No. 1 singles player on that team must also have qualified for the finals individually by finishing first or second in the regional game.

On the football field, two changes related to refereeing will be particularly visible. Officials can now stop the clock to check on an injured player without that player having to leave the game – previously, that player had to be replaced. Additionally, the categories of fouls have been redefined: reckless (which is a foul but does not receive a card), careless (a foul with a yellow card), and excessive force (a foul with a red card).

The 2023-24 spring campaign culminates with playoff tournaments, as the championship schedule begins with the Upper Peninsula girls' and boys' golf and tennis finals during the week of May 27 and concludes with the finals girls' soccer, baseball and softball games on June 15. Here is a complete list of winter tournament dates:

Baseball
Districts – May 23-June 1
Regional semi-finals – June 5
Regional finals, quarter-finals – June 8
Semi-finals – June 13-14
Finals – June 15

Golf
LP Boys Regionals – May 28-June 1
UP Girls & Boys Finals – May 29, 30, 31 or June 1
LP Boys Finals – June 7-8

Boys' Lacrosse
Pre-regional – May 10-15
Regional – May 16 to 29
Quarter-finals – May 31 or June 1
Semi-finals – June 5
Finals – June 8

Lacrosse for girls
Pre-regionals – May 16 to 18 or May 20
Regional – May 22-June 1
Semi-finals – June 5
Finals – June 7

Girls Football
Districts – May 22-June 1
Regional – June 4 to 8
Semi-finals – June 11-12
Finals – June 14-15

Soft ball
Districts – May 23-June 1
Regional – June 8
Quarter-finals – June 11
Semi-finals – June 13-14
Finals – June 15

Tennis
LP Girls Regionals – May 15-18
UP Boys Finals – May 29, 30, 31 or June 1
LP Girls Finals – May 31-June 1

Racetrack
Regional – May 16-18
Finals – June 1