Plan for Colorado high school winter sports to proceed in the coronavirus pandemic released

The start of winter Colorado high school sports is on the horizon with new guidelines announced Thursday for how CHSAA will proceed with indoor competitions amid the coronavirus pandemic.

The formal start date for basketball, ice hockey, skiing, spirit, girls swimming and diving, and wrestling to practice is Jan. 18 with games starting on Jan. 25. CHSAA had initially planned to begin winter sports on Jan. 4 prior to the Colorado Department of Health and Safety’s decision to postpone play (due to a statewide rise of coronavirus).

The new start date is accompanied by modified season structures and health regulations that are dependent on each sport. CHSAA contacted coaches starting early this week to explain what comes next and on Thursday provided a rules breakdown in a news release. Visit chsaanow.com for complete sport guidelines for Season A, B, C and D.

Basketball

  • All Classes: 14-game regular season and a 12-game sub-varsity season.
  • Postseason — 1A-3A: 24-team brackets.
  • Postseason — 4A, 5A: 32-team brackets.
  • There will be no state tournament consolation games.
  • Masks must be worn during play.
  • Players are limited to 76 total quarters played in the season, excluding overtime and postseason games.
  • Teams must play a minimum of seven games (pending COVID waivers) to qualify for the playoffs.
  • League champions automatically qualify for the postseason.
  • CHSAA’s seeding index will determine at-large postseason qualifiers in each class.

Ice Hockey

  • A maximum regular season of 13 games (no individual or team game minimum).
  • Schools must play 12-of-13 games against league opponents and are permitted to more than one against a league opponent, but only one game will count toward the final league standings.
  • Non-league games must be within the same geographic region and receive written approval from CHSAA.
  • The regular season will end March 11 with the date, time, and location of the Frozen Four to be determined.
  • Postseason — 5A, 4A: A four-team playoff bracket that will not be seeded, with matchups determined by CHSAA.
  • Each league will receive one automatic qualifier into the postseason.
  • Each league will have sole responsibility for determining the automatic qualifier for its league.

Wrestling

  • A maximum regular season of 20 duals with tris and quads allowed (no more than four teams in attendance).
  • A maximum of eight teams in attendance at regular-season tournaments.
  • Regionals: A 16-man bracket over a two-day format. The first seven weight classes will compete on the first day. The next seven weight classes will compete on the second day. Wrestlebacks will only happen following the third round.
  • The first- and second-place wrestlers from regionals will qualify for the state tournament.
  • Team scores at both regionals and state will score placers first through fourth.
  • State tournament: An eight-person bracket with full consolation rounds over a one-day format.

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