CIF Southern Section Announces Return of Season 2 Team Sports Championships

High School sports teams in Southern California will soon resume tournament competition after the CIF Southern Section announced it is restarting Section Championships for local teams.

“Due to recent changes to the California Department of Public Health Guidelines for Youth Sports, we are excited to announce that we are prepared to go forward with Section Championships for the following Season 2 Team Sports,” CIF Southern Section Commissioner of Athletics Rob Wigod said in a written statement.

The included sports were baseball; boys and girls basketball; boys and girls lacrosse; boys and girls soccer; softball; boys and girls team tennis; boys volleyball; and boys and girls dual meet wrestling.

Plans remained in the works to restart championships for Season 2 Individual Sports, as well, including boys and girls golf; boys and girls swimming/diving; boys and girls individual tennis; and boys and girls track and field, according to CIF.

“We are actively working on securing approvals from various county health departments to ensure we can conduct championship events involving student-athletes from all eight counties within the Southern Section footprint,” the statement said. “More information will be coming soon as we attempt to finalize plans for going forward with these Individual Sports.”

Individual Wrestling championships for boys and girls individual wrestling will not be possible, as it is categorized as a “high-contact sport,” which is not permitted by current state public health guidelines, CIF officials said.

Playoff bulletins were in the process of being developed, officials added.

“We are now able to see full regular seasons continue and Section Championships return for many of our Spring Sports in 2021,” the CIF statement said. “We are not yet done in completing this task, but it is a credit to all of you who have remained steadfast in your ongoing efforts to make it all happen. I am grateful to you for doing so and I know our student-athletes are as well.”