Section VI looks to hold fall sports playoffs

By Mike Wertman, Sports Writer Posted 21 July 2020 at 9:50 am

Despite having the start of practices pushed back by a month, Section VI officials indicated at a meeting Monday that they are still looking to hold sectional playoffs for fall sports.

“Once we’re assured leagues are comfortable with the amount of regular season games they’re limited to we’ll commit to sectional play,” Sectional officials are quoted as saying.

Last week the New York State Public High School Athletic Association (NYSPHSAA) announced that the start of fall sports practices would be pushed back from August 24 to September 21.

That would mean that football teams, which must have 10 practices in before playing a game, would not be able to play a game until October 1. The planned eight game regular season would not conclude until the third weekend of November with the sectionals to follow.

“My biggest concern would be the weather,” said Medina Athletic Director and Varsity Football Coach Eric Valley of the possibility of playing a good portion of the regular season in November with the sectionals possibly going into early December.

Sports such as soccer, field hockey and volleyball, which require only six preseason practices, would be able to play games by September 28. Sectional play for those sports though could likely also be pushed back into November depending on how many regular season games are scheduled.

“I think it’s a good idea to leave the sectional playoffs in,” said Albion Athletic Director and Varsity Football Coach Adam Krenning. “Trying to get some sort of a fall season is a challenge for all of us but the goal is to get some season in for the kids. That’s the big thing as sports means so much to the kids.”

The delayed start of the fall season could very well overlap into the winter season whose practices usually begin the second Monday of November unless sectional officials also push back that start date into late November or early December.

NYSPHSAA officials also announced last week that if a spike in Covid-19 cases causes the fall season to be interrupted then a plan is in place to instead play three condensed sports seasons beginning January starting with the Winter season to be followed by the Fall and then the Spring seasons.