March 13, 2020 at 4:21 p.m.
WIAA cancels all remaining basketball tournament games
WIAA cancels all remaining basketball tournament games
By by River News Staff-
The WIAA regrets the lost opportunity for teams and players that have worked to achieve their goals and the communities that have supported them throughout the year.
"I want the student-athletes and their coaches to know that your school leaders, the WIAA Executive Staff, our committees and the Board of Control have done everything imaginable to try to provide and preserve these opportunities for you," Executive Director Dave Anderson said. "However, we want and need to be responsible in helping the global and state efforts to stem the tide and spread of this virus."
Earlier Thursday, the WIAA was informed the Kohl Center would not be available for the state boys' basketball tournament scheduled for March 19-21. Many professional, collegiate and high school associations have postponed or canceled scheduled events as a result of the pandemic.
The first day of the WIAA girls' state basketball tournament was played Thursday to a very limited live audience at the Resch Center in Green Bay. An emergency policy limited attendance at the state tournament, and boys' basketball sectional semifinals to 88 tickets per team, two supervisors and a limit of 22 team personnel, along with contest officials, timer, scorekeeper, announcer, team host, WIAA staff, WIAA athletic trainers, Board of Control members and limited media.
Division 3 and 4 girls' basketball state semifinals were played. Crandon lost to top-ranked La Crosse Aquinas 73-42 and Melrose-Mindoro defeated Mishicot 57-55 in overtime in Division 4. Platteville beat Arcadia 48-45 and Wrightstown downed Lake Mills 62-54 in Division 3.
Mosinee, the lone Great Northern school remaining in the boys' basketball tournament, lost to Hortonville 91-42 Thursday night. While Mosinee was playing, its superintendent, David Munoz announced that the district was cancelling "all after-school events, activities, clubs, meetings, practices, performances and athletics" through April 10.
Tickets for the WIAA girls' and boys' state basketball tournaments will be refunded in full. Please allow staff time to make these refunds and contact the WIAA office only if you do not see a refund to your account within two weeks of the tournament.
Any tickets purchased at school will be refunded by your school and not the Resch Center or the WIAA.
Spring sports
Late Friday, the WIAA issued the following statement regarding COVID-19's potential impact on the spring sports season.
"In response to many questions we have received regarding spring sports, there are no changes to the WIAA Spring Sports Season at this time.
"The WIAA staff and Board of Control have not made any alterations to the spring sports season at this point. We are monitoring what is happening from the Wisconsin Department of Health Services and the World Health Organization. The situation is very fluid, but if it is determined that suspension of any contests and practices are directed, we will notify our member schools with instructions and look to any adjustments to the Tournament Procedures to allow post-season to be played.
"Again, at this time, we have not altered the spring season, and we encourage each member school to make the best decision for their school and community regarding regular season consistent with district policy and local public health guidelines."
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