- LCSS Media Reports
TSSAA HAS NOW SUSPENDED PLAY AT STATE TOURNAMENT INDEFINITELY
Updated: Mar 13, 2020
Updated 7:55 pm 3.12.20
Following the news Thursday of multiple college conferences and professional leagues, including the NCAA Tournament, suspending all play, the TSSAA has decided to do the same.
In a release on their website tssaa.org the high school governing body in Tennessee stated, "we believe it would be irresponsible and contrary to the public interest for us to continue our tournaments at this time and risk contributing to the spread of the virus."
Initially Thursday TSSAA issued a fan restriction. But hours later made the decision to suspend all play indefinitely, not only for the remainder of the Girls' State Tournament this week but for the Boys' next week as well...both of which Loretto High School was and would have been participating in.
Here is the release from the TSSAA
The TSSAA announced Thursday that it too will be following many other athletic organizations and leagues in banning or restricting fan attendance amidst the Covid 19, Coronavirus Pandemic. The following fan restrictions were noted with the press release on tssaa.org.
"Beginning with the Friday March 13 session, attendance at the remainder of the girls’ state tournament and throughout the boys’ state tournament will be limited to the team party (23-person maximum including varsity players, coaches, and team support personnel), their immediate families, and school administrators of the qualifying schools. Immediate family includes parents, stepparents, guardians, siblings, other members living in the athlete’s household, and grandparents. School administrators will be required to provide a list of those persons meeting the qualifications for entry. School administrators will be at the entrance of each venue to identify and grant entry to those persons on the list. All those entering the venue will be required to obtain a new ticket."
Loretto High School's Lady Mustangs basketball team is scheduled to play Oneida Thursday at 4:30 in the Quarterfinals of the State Tournament held at Murphy Center on the campus of Middle Tennessee State University. While fans will be allowed in the arena today, they will not be allowed moving forward in the event LHS advances. This policy also includes the Boys' State Tournament beginning Wednesday, March 18th. Loretto's boys basketball team has also qualified for the State Tournament and is scheduled to play Hampton on Thursday, March 29th at 2:45.