WIAA restricts attendance at tournaments
By Greg Seubert
The coronavirus outbreak is affecting the WIAA state girls’ and boys’ basketball tournaments.
The WIAA, which oversees high school athletics in Wisconsin, is limiting attendance at the remainder of all winter tournament events.
That includes the girls’ tournament, scheduled for Thursday to Saturday, March 12-14, at the Resch Center in Green Bay, and the boys’ tournament, set for Thursday to Saturday, March 19-21, at the Kohl Center in Madison.
Attendance will also be limited at boys’ sectional semifinal and final games, slated for March 12-14 throughout the state.
“The WIAA has been keeping up with public health and medical updates and has recognized the changing environment over the past 24 hours,” WIAA Executive Director Dave Anderson said. “As good and responsible citizens, we are adhering to policies consistent to preventing the spread of COVID-19.”
Three area teams are competing in the tournaments.
The Hortonville girls’ team will face Oregon in a Division 2 semifinal game at 1:35 p.m. Friday, March 13, at the Resch Center. The winner will play Beaver Dam or Pewaukee for a state title at 6:35 p.m. March 14.
Meanwhile, the Hortonville and Iola-Scandinavia boys’ teams have sectional semifinal games scheduled for 7 p.m. March 12 in divisions 2 and 4, respectively.
Hortonville will face Mosinee at Wausau East High School, while Iola-Scandinavia will play Lourdes Academy at Kimberly High School. The winner of those two games will then play for a sectional championship at 1 p.m. March 14.
If Hortonville defeats Mosinee, the Polar Bears would play La Crosse Central or Onalaska in Wisconsin Rapids. That sectional final was originally scheduled to be played in Waupaca, but has been moved to Wisconsin Rapids.
The Iola-Scandinavia/Lourdes Academy winner will play Stratford or Auburndale at Wausau East High School. That sectional final was originally scheduled for 7 p.m., but has been pushed back to 1 p.m.
According to the WIAA, guidelines for mass gatherings from public health organizations and the World Health Organization call for the restriction of public events to 50 to 250 attendees, depending on the event and venue.
The policy limits attendance at the state tournament to 88 tickets per team, two supervisors and a limit of 22 team personnel. In addition, the boys’ and girls’ 3-Point Challenge competitions, scheduled for March 14 (girls) and March 21 (boys), will be held with participants and one chaperone allowed.
Contest officials, timer, scorekeeper, announcer, team host, WIAA staff, WIAA athletic trainers and Board of Control members deemed essential to the administration of the tournament are permitted.
Cheerleaders, pep bands, school photographers, videographers and on-site sponsors will be prohibited.
Live television broadcasts of the state tournament will be available, but limited radio stations will be given clearance to broadcast. Press accommodations will be restricted to either a small pool that would provide copy to the state or to one reporter per school team.