MHSAA fall sports practices start Monday
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A new format for early-round playoff seeding in 11-player football is among the most notable changes as more than 100,000 high school athletes from Michigan High School Athletic Association member high schools prepare for the first day of practices Monday.
All fall sports teams may begin practicing Monday. Girls tennis teams in the Upper Peninsula may begin competition Aug. 14. Cross country, boys soccer and girls volleyball teams may begin competing Aug. 19, and the first varsity football games may be played Aug. 27.
The 11-Player Football Playoffs will begin Oct. 30 and 31 with a new seeding system. Beginning this season, the playoff field in each of eight 11-player divisions will first be organized into eight-team Regionals. The eight teams in each Regional will then be seeded based on playoff-point average, with seeds 1, 4, 5 and 8 comprising one District and seeds 2, 3, 6 and 7 comprising the other. The winners of those Districts will play in the Regional Final.
A few game-action rules changes also will be quickly noticeable to participants and spectators.
-- High school volleyball teams now are permitted to designate up to two liberos prior to each set, although only one libero can be in the game at a time.
-- Also in volleyball, players on the serving team are forbidden to raise their hands above their heads during service until the ball has passed beyond the net.
-- In football, a rule formerly applied to defensive players prohibiting them from using their hands to slap an opponent's head has been expanded to penalize players on both sides of the ball for slapping an opponent's head.
-- In soccer, goalkeepers will be allowed eight seconds instead of the previously-permitted six before releasing the ball. A corner kick will be awarded if the goalkeeper holds the ball past eight seconds.
-- Also in soccer, a change on penalty kicks states encroachment will be penalized only if the offense has a clear impact on the penalty kick.
The 2026 Fall campaign culminates with postseason tournaments beginning with the Upper Peninsula Girls Tennis Finals during the week of Sept. 28 and wrapping up with the 11-Player Football Finals on Nov. 27 and 28. Here’s a list of fall tournament dates:
CROSS COUNTRY
U.P. Finals - Oct. 24
11-PLAYER FOOTBALL
Selection Sunday - Oct. 25
District Semifinals - Oct. 30-31
District Finals - Nov. 6-7
Regional Finals - Nov. 13-14
Semifinals - Nov. 21
Finals - Nov. 27-28
8-PLAYER FOOTBALL
Selection Sunday - Oct. 25
Regional Semifinals - Oct. 30-31
Regional Finals - Nov. 6-7
Semifinals - Nov. 14
Finals - Nov. 21
BOYS SOCCER
Districts - Oct. 14-24
Regionals - Oct. 27-31
Semifinals - Nov. 4
Finals - Nov. 7
TENNIS
U.P. Girls Finals - Sept. 30-Oct. 3
GIRLS VOLLEYBALL
Districts - Nov. 2-7
Regionals - Nov. 10 & 12
Quarterfinals - Nov. 17
Semifinals - Nov. 19-20
Finals - Nov. 21