SCHSL votes to keep fall sports in same order, pushes back start dates to mid-August

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The executive committee of the South Carolina High School League voted on Wednesday to maintain the regular order of fall sports but push back the starting dates for all activities due to the coronavirus pandemic.
In passing the plan presented by the SCHSL by a 14-2 vote, the committee rejected a plan brought forth by Lexington District 1 that would have had the low-contact sports played in the fall with football moved to starting after the first of the year. It was rejected by a 16-1 vote.
The SCHSL plan pushes back the start of practice for all fall sports from July 31 to Aug. 17. The football season would be reduced to seven games and would begin on Sept. 11. The 7-game schedule was chosen to allow all schools in the state to play a full region schedule since some regions include eight schools. Those who don’t have seven region games can play non-region contests.
Region games would be played first followed by a 4-round playoff format.
The regular season would end on Oct. 23, with the playoffs starting the next week and state championship games on Nov. 20, if all goes as planned.
However, the plan offers the opportunity to start football as late as Oct. 2 or even move football and other fall sports to the spring.