When IHSA golf regional sites were publicly posted Wednesday morning, local coaches already were well aware of their respective teams’ postseason fate.
But that reality changed before sunrise turned to sunset.
The IHSA Board of Directors on Wednesday announced athletes in that sport and cross-country now will receive a sectional event in addition to a regional round. This followed a vote conducted at a special board meeting.
“Despite the challenges of this school year, our board has remained committed to providing the most rewarding postseason experiences possible,” IHSA Executive Director Craig Anderson said in a statement. “Given the relative success we have had safely conducting cross-country and golf this fall, the board asked our staff ... to explore the possibility of expanding beyond regionals to conduct sectionals as well.”
This is the latest change made to the IHSA calendar in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. No sanctioned state showcases are scheduled for either cross-country or golf, and both girls’ tennis and girls’ swimming and diving remain on a sectional-only track for the end of the IHSA’s fall slate.
“It was a surprise,” Monticello cross-country coach Dave Remmert said. “(The athletes) all seemed to be very excited about it, so that’s something that we’re all looking forward to.”
Centennial boys’ golf coach Brian Easter holds similar feelings to Remmert.
“I was completely surprised by it,” he said. “The general consensus among the majority of golf coaches is we should be able to have a postseason and that you can do postseason events safely.”
In cross-country, the top-five teams and top-five individuals not on those teams will advance from a regional to a sectional. Those numbers typically are seven and five. Regionals will occur Oct. 24 and sectionals Oct. 29-31.
In golf, the top-two teams and top-four individuals not on those teams will move on from a regional to a sectional. Those numbers typically are three and 10. Regionals will transpire Oct. 6-7 and sectionals Oct. 12-17.
According to a press release, the “IHSA staff attempted to maintain COVID regions and keep participant levels as low as possible when making assignments.” But Anderson noted the IHSA has “been granted exemptions to compete outside the COVID regions” if that was needed to create “better balance in the number of participants at a site.”
Neither cross-country regional assignments nor any sectional assignments have been publicly posted.
St. Joseph-Ogden cross-country coach Jason Retz balanced happiness about an additional meet for his Spartans with the realization that organizing a postseason race may not be so straightforward this year.
“All the coaches I’ve talked to at this point are excited and willing to make it happen,” Retz said. “Most programs are going to be able to find a way to jump through hoops and be as successful as possible.”
Remmert, Retz and Arthur-Lovington-Atwood-Hammond cross-country coach Lyle Dorjahn all spoke about anticipated pandemic-related restrictions for regionals and sectionals.
“They did put out a little bit of regulations for the regional in that it will be flighted,” Retz said. “And it looks like about 15 total teams will be at a regional. I don’t know if that includes individuals.”
Remmert said a Zoom call that he participated in Tuesday included chatter about cross-country not having enough regional hosts — something Anderson said in the press release will be “our greatest challenge.”
“The conversation was mainly about that and trying to think through the parameters of how to do it effectively,” Remmert said, “because there are so many requirements now on these meet hosts, and it’s gotten bogged down a little bit.”
“I’m really puzzled,” Dorjahn added. “We go from not having enough hosts to now we’re having sectionals. ... And there’s still no indication of having a state meet.”
An independent state cross-country series is being planned by ShaZam Racing and MileSplit Illinois and will include three prep divisions. The Division I races already have been moved from Nov. 1 to Nov. 6 in response to the latest IHSA announcement.
“I’m thinking, ‘Well, what’s next?’” Dorjahn said. “Is the IHSA going to pop up and say they changed their mind and we’re going to have a state meet?”
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