Section 1 Football Playoffs Look Different In 2020
2020 has been different, with a shortened season started late, and no state tournament, everyone knew coming into this season that the football playoffs were going to be different.
The coronavirus pandemic has caused many changes to the Section Football Tournaments. From 9-Man to AAAAA, every section is doing something different as different schools are moving to distance learning and others are not. Here is what we know so far as of Friday night. Of course, these are subject to change.
Section 1 9-Man most resembles a "normal" section tournament as seven of the eight teams are in the tournament. The top seed, Grand Meadow, earned a by while the other three matchups are #7 Kingsland @ #2 Lanesboro - #6 Mabel-Canton @ #3 LeRoy-Ostrander - #5 Houston @ #4 Spring Grove, will all play on Tuesday, November 17th at 7 pm. Semifinals are still scheduled for Saturday, November 21st, and the Section Final is slated for Friday, November 27th.
Southland is the lone team not in the Section Tournament.
Only three teams are playing in this Section tournament. #3 Randolph is at #2 Goodhue Tuesday night in a Section Semifinal, and the winner will take on #1 Blooming Prairie on Saturday the 21st at 1 pm in Blooming Prairie.
Rushford-Peterson, Fillmore Central, Hayfield, and Wabasha-Kellogg are not playing in the Section Tournament.
Just three teams are playing in this Section Tournament as well. #3 seeded Kenyon-Wanamingo will play at #2 Triton on Tuesday at 7 pm, then the winner will take on #1 Chatfield in the Section 1AA Championship on Saturday the 21st at 1 pm in Chatfield.
Caledonia, Lewiston-Altura, St. Charles, Dover-Eyota, and Cotter are not playing in the Section Tournament.
Just four teams will play in the Section 1AAA tournament. Top-seeded Waseca will host #4 Pine Island on Tuesday night at 7 pm, while #2 Plainview-Elgin-Millville will host #3 Stewartville. The winners of each game will meet Saturday the 21st at 1 pm at the high seed.
Rochester Lourdes, Zumbrota-Mazeppa, and LaCrescent are not playing in the Section Tournament.
There will be just one day of section playoff football in Section 1AAAA. #2 Byron is at #1 Kasson-Mantorville for the Section 1AAAA crown on Tuesday at 7 pm, while #3 Fairbault will host #4 Red Wing in the third-place game.
Albert Lea and Winona are not playing in the Section Tournament.
Section 1AAAAA is using the same format as Section 1AAAA, with the Section Championship being played on Tuesday night. #1 Owatonna will host #2 Rochester Mayo - #3 Rochester Century will play #4 Rochester John Marshall at Rochester Mayo on Tuesday night, and #6 Northfield will play at #5 Austin on Tuesday night. Tuesday will be the lone night of Section Tournament play.
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