IHSA says spring playoffs still possible

IHSA executive director Craig Anderson expressed on Wednesday continued hope that the spring sports season will resume when the state's stay-at-home order ends.

A day after Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker announced an extension of the stay-at-home order through the end of April due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Anderson said in a statement there still would be a window for sports to resume with a shortened regular season followed by a postseason.

“ ... we remain optimistic that a May 1 return to school, followed by a to-be-determined acclimatization practice period, can still result in a truncated spring season that culminates with IHSA state series tournaments and the crowning of state champions in June,” he said.

Anderson said the IHSA Board of Directors supports creating an exemption to the IHSA season limitation bylaw to allow spring sports to extend deeper into June. Extending into July, however, is not now being considered.

If physical school attendance is prohibited for the remainder of the school year, Anderson said the spring sports season “almost certainly” will be canceled.

Twitter: @kevin_schmit