Page 14 — Thursday, May 19, 2022 — The Hastings Banner
Changes coming to hockey divisions, wrestling weights
The selection of a restructured classifica-
tion procedure for ice hockey and the
approval of new boys’ wrestling weight
classes were among the most notable actions
taken by the Representative Council of the
Michigan High School Athletic Association
(MHSAA) during its annual Spring Meet-
ing, May 1-2 in Gaylord.
The Council approved an Ice Hockey
Committee proposal to continue classifying
teams by enrollment, but with consideration
to whether those teams are standalone (one
school) or cooperative (multi-school) pro-
grams. Approximately half of MHSAA
member hockey programs are cooperatives.
Beginning with the 2022-23 season, stand-
alone and cooperative programs will be
ranked by enrollment but on separate lists,
with the top one-third from each list put into
Division 1, the second thirds into Division 2
and the lowest thirds into Division 3.
This change is expected to rebalance the
divisions; in the recent past, Division 1 has
been made up mostly of cooperative pro-
grams because the combined enrollments of
schools involved in co-ops pushed them to
the top of the overall classification list for
the sport. However, cooperatives generally
have not derived an advantage by having
more schools involved; instead, coopera-
tives primarily have allowed schools to
continue providing opportunities to athletes
who wanted to play hockey when a school
doesn’t have enough for a full team.
The Council also approved a switch from
current boys wrestling weight classes to
those determined by the National Federation
of State High School Associations (NFHS):
106, 113, 120, 126, 132, 138, 144, 150, 157,
165, 175, 190, 215 and 285 pounds. The
NFHS will begin use of those weights
nationally in 2023-24, but MHSAA member
schools will make the switch beginning with
2022-23. The Council also approved a
change to one girls weight, from 255 pounds
to 235, aligning all MHSAA girls weight
classes with those determined by the NFHS.
The Spring Meeting of the 19-member
legislative body of the Association’s more
than 1,500 member schools is generally thebusiest of its sessions each year. The Coun-
cil considered 33 committee proposals and
dealt with a variety of eligibility rule, post-
season tournament and operational issues.
A pair of new opportunities to utilize video
replay beginning with the 2022-23 school
year will provide further support for game
officials as they make split-second calls
during competition, while assuring the cor-
rect outcome of some of the most controver-
sial plays. The Council approved an Officials
Review Committee recommendation to pro-
vide MHSAA staff the ability to review
video of an ejection and modify subsequent
penalties in three instances – when there is a
clear misidentification and the incorrect ath-
lete is ejected, when that participant is eject-
ed as the direct result of a rules misapplica-
tion, or when incontrovertible video evidence
shows an ejection or suspension for flagrant
contact with an opponent or official was in
error. Officials have continued to support the
use of replay at MHSAA events where possi-
ble, and game officials make up more than
half of the Officials Review Committee.Also concerning video review, replay
will be expanded at the 11-Player Football
Finals to allow head coaches one challenge
during the game. The challenge will cost
that team a timeout if the original outcome
is confirmed. Coaches will be allowed to
challenge the following: complete/incom-
plete passes, if a runner/receiver was in/out
of bounds, a runner who is ruled not down,
the forward progress spot as it relates to
the yard to gain, which player first touched
a kick, the recovery of a ball in/out of
bounds, if a pass was forward or backward,
and penalties for illegal forward pass, tar-
geting or illegal helmet contact, and pass
interference only as it relates to the pass
being previously tipped. All potential
scores and turnovers will remain automati-
cally reviewed by replay booth officials.
This was a proposal by the MHSAA Foot-
ball Committee.
The Council took multiple actions con-
cerning the “fifth quarter” regulation that
allows athletes to play both at the sub-varsi-
ty and varsity levels on the same day (or
same competition week for football) to help
programs that are otherwise lacking enough
participants to field teams at both levels.
The Council approved a Soccer Committee
recommendation to allow athletes to play in
no more than three halves on a day not fol-
lowed by a school day. The Council also
approved an enhanced penalty stating that
violators of the fifth quarter rule must forfeit
the contest during which the violation took
place (either varsity of sub-varsity), and that
head coach in violation will be ineligible for
the next day of competition. Additionally,
the Council approved a Junior High/Middle
School Committee recommendation allow-
ing leagues and conferences to request from
the MHSAA staff the opportunity to use the
fifth quarter rule for basketball.
Here is a summary of other notable
actions taken by the Representative Council
at the Spring Meeting, which will take
effect during the 2022-23 school year unless
noted:
Regulations- Minnesota has been added as a “border
state” for all out-of-state competition pur-
poses. MHSAA member schools will be
allowed to play opponents from anywhere
in Minnesota regardless of the 300-mile
travel limit rule, as is also allowed for oppo-
nents in Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Ontario and
Wisconsin.
Sport Matters - For baseball and softball, the Council
approved the creation of separate site selec-
tion committees to determine where District
and Regional rounds of those tournaments
will be played. - In bowling, the Council approved a
Bowling Committee proposal to make the
Team Regional qualifying block format the
same as the Team Final format. Teams will
play eight Baker games and two regular
games at both levels of the MHSAA Tourna-
ment beginning with the 2022-23 season.
Previously, teams bowled six Baker games
and three regular games at Regionals. - In competitive cheer, the Council
approved a Girls Competitive Cheer Com-
mittee recommendation to, beginning with
the 2023-24 season, adopt a new choreog-
raphy chart that awards points based on
tumbling, one-leg extensions, vertical
twists/360s and release skills which cannot
supersede a 10-point maximum of points
earned. - Also in cheer, the Council approved a
Committee recommendation adjusting the
penalty for going over the time limit in each
round to one penalty point for every second
over the time limit, not to exceed 15 points. - In football, the Council approved a
Football Committee recommendation to
allow players to wear shoulder pads at col-
lege camps sponsored and conducted direct-
ly by NCAA or NAIA institutions. - In golf, the Council approved a pair of
Golf Committee recommendations concern-
ing MHSAA Tournament play. Beginning
with the 2022-23 school year, teams will be
allowed two “school-approved” coaches to
be present and actively coaching during
postseason competition. Also, the Council
approved a reduction in the maximum num-
ber of strokes allowed per hole during
MHSAA Tournament play from 12 to 10.- Two more Council actions on Hockey
Committee recommendations will affect
MHSAA Tournament play in that sport.
Beginning with the 2022-23 season, Michi-
gan Power Ratings (MPR) will be used to
seed the entire Regional round (which is the
first round of postseason play in hockey;
there is no District round). Also, teams will
be reseeded prior to the start of the Semifi-
nals by a seeding committee, with the top
seed in each division then facing the No. 4
seed, and the No. 2 seed facing No. 3 in the
other Semifinal. - In soccer, the Council approved a Soc-
cer Committee recommendation allowing
the two seeded teams at the District level to
host their games if they are not to be played
at a prearranged host site. For these Dis-
tricts, the No. 1 seed gets hosting priority,
followed by the No. 2 seed, followed by the
team on the top line of the bracket. - For diving, the Council approved a
Swimming & Diving Committee proposal
reorganizing how many Finals qualifiers
will advance from each Diving Regional.
In each of the three divisions, each Region-
al will be guaranteed 10 qualifiers for the
Finals; the remaining six qualifying spots
per division will be distributed to the
Regionals that have one of the previous
year’s top six returning Finals divers in
their fields. - In tennis, the Council approved a Tennis
Committee recommendation allowing for
seeding at No. 1 singles of up to seven play-
ers if there are between 21-23 in the field,
and seeding of up to eight players if the field
includes 24 or more. No. 1 singles is the
only flight where participants may qualify
for the Finals separately from their full
team.
Junior High/Middle School - In track & field, the Council approved a
Junior High/Middle School Committee rec-
ommendation to begin conducting Region-
als beginning with the 2022-23 school year. - In wrestling, the Council approved a
Junior High/Middle School Committee rec-
ommendation to add weights of 215 pounds,
245 pounds and heavyweight, with the
heavyweight class not to exceed 285 pounds. - In competitive cheer, the Council
approved a Girls Competitive Cheer Com-
mittee recommendation allowing junior
high/middle school teams to perform a one-
leg extension as part of a pyramid with one
bracer. A liberty flair is the only flair
allowed, and this pyramid requires two
points of contact from the bracer.
Calendar - The Council approved the seven-year
calendar of MHSAA Tournament events,
with notable basketball changes for two
years. For the 2023-24 and 2024-25 school
years, the Boys Basketball Tournament will
be completed first, followed by the Girls
Basketball Tournament – a switch from the
traditional order of the girls tournament
Finals followed by the boys Finals. This will
allow for flexibility in the event Michigan
State University is selected to host NCAA
Women’s Basketball Tournament first and
second-round games at the Breslin Center.
The Council also reviewed reports on
membership, with 750 senior high schools
and 759 junior high/middle schools in 2021-
22 plus 62 elementary schools with 6th-grad-
er participation; cooperative programs, with
378 high school programs for 699 teams
during 2021-22; eligibility advancement
applications, which totaled zero for the sec-
ond-straight school year; the use of Educa-
tional Transfer Forms, of which there were
142; school violations, attendance at athletic
director in-service workshops and Coaches
Advancement Program sessions; officials’
registrations, rules meetings attendance and
officials reports submitted for the past three
sports seasons. The Association’s $12.8 mil-
lion budget for the 2022-23 school year also
was approved.
The Representative Council is the
19-member legislative body of the MHSAA.
All but five are elected by member schools.
Four members are appointed by the Council
to facilitate representation of females and
minorities, and the 19th position is occupied
by the Superintendent of Public Instruction
or designee.
Youngs gets lone win in I-
dual versus 2021 champions
Brett Bremer
Sports Editor
Saxon senior Brooklynn Youngs prevented
the shut out and improved her record to 10-
this season Thursday at Parma Western.
The Hastings varsity girls’ tennis team suf-
fered just its second defeat of the season, and
first in the Interstate-8 Athletic Conference,
as it fell 7-1 to the defending conference
champion Panthers Thursday, May 12.
Youngs, the Saxons’ first singles player
and lone senior, clawed back after falling 6-
to the Panthers’ Faith Holton in the opening
set of their match. She took the second set 6-
and then pulled out a 10-7 win in a super
tiebreaker to move her own I-8 record to 5-2.
The Saxons are off now until a trip to Alle-
gan Friday for their MHSAA Division 3
Regional Tournament. Pennfield and Harper
Creek will host the Interstate-8 Athletic Con-
ference Tournament Monday.
There were two super tiebreakers neededThursday. The Saxon third doubles team of
Megan Rowley and Calin Redman won the
opening set of their match with Western’s
Teegan Robertson and Alena Engle, but saw
the Panthers rally for a 6-0 win in set two.
Robertson and Engle pulled out a 10-7 win in
their super tiebreaker to complete the doubles
sweep for their team.
Bailey Cook and Erin Daniels pushed for a
super tiebreaker at first doubles for the Saxons,
but they were thwarted 6-0, 7-5 by the Western
team of Kenzie Hiler and Maria Macchia.
Abby Beemer, the Saxons’ second singles
player, also put up a pretty good fight. She
was edged 7-6(4), 6-4) by Western’s Renee
Marston.
Parma Western closed out the conference
duals Friday in a 4-4 tie with Jackson Lumen
Christi. Western will head into the conference
tournament with a 6-0-1 mark. Lumen Chris-
ti was 5-0-2 in conference duals and Hastings
was 4-1-2 this spring.RUTLAND CHARTER TOWNSHIP
BARRY COUNTY, MICHIGANNOTICE OF ADOPTION OF ORDINANCE AMENDING ZONING MAP
TO: THE RESIDENTS AND PROPERTY OWNERS OF THE CHARTER TOWNSHIP
OF RUTLAND, BARRY COUNTY, MICHIGAN, AND ANY OTHER INTERESTED
PERSONS:PLEASE TAKE NOTICE that at the May 11, 2022 meeting of the Rutland Charter
Township Board the following Ordinance No. 2022-181 was adopted.The original ordinance may be inspected or a copy purchased by contacting the
Township Clerk, Robin Hawthorne, 2461 Heath Road, Hastings, MI 49058-9725, (269) 948-
2194, during regular business hours of regular working days, and at such other times as
may be arranged.RUTLAND CHARTER TOWNSHIP
BARRY COUNTY, MICHIGAN
ORDINANCE # 2022-
ADOPTED: MAY 11, 2022
EFFECTIVE: MAY 27, 2022An Ordinance to amend the Zoning Map of Rutland Charter Township as incorporated
into Chapter 220 (Zoning) of the Rutland Charter Township Code by the rezoning of
property in land Section 14 of the Township from the “CR” Country Residential District
zoning classification to the “MU” Mixed Use District zoning classification; and to repeal all
Ordinances or parts of Ordinances in conflict herewith.RUTLAND CHARTER TOWNSHIP
BARRY COUNTY, MICHIGAN
ORDAINS:
SECTION I
REZONING OF PROPERTY IN LAND SECTION 14The Zoning Map of Rutland Charter Township as incorporated into Chapter 220
(Zoning) of the Rutland Charter Township Code is hereby amended to rezone from the “CR”
Country Residential District zoning classification to the “MU” Mixed Use District zoning
classification the following described property in land Section 14:A vacant 2.63 acre parcel (parcel no. 08-13-014-051-15) located behind parcel
no. 08-13-014-051-20 commonly known as 175 South M-37 Hwy, more fully
described as follows:COMMENCING AT THE NORTH ¼ POST OF SECTION 14, TOWN 3 NORTH,
RANGE 9 WEST, THENCE S00 18’47”E, 395.50 FEET ALONG THE NORTH –
SOUTH ¼ LINE OF SAID SECTION 14 TO THE NORTH LINE OF THE PLAT OF
MEADOW ACRES; THENCE N89⸰27’33W, 2.57 FEET ALONG SAID NORTH
LINE; THENCE S00⸰09’32”E, 111.53 FEET ALONG THE WEST LINE OF SAID
PLAT TO THE POINT OF BEGINNING (SAID POINT LYING 507 FEET SOUTH
OF SAID NORTH ¼ POST); THENCE S00⸰03’32’E, 245.00 FEET ALONG
SAID WEST LINE OF MEADOW ACRES;THENCE N89⸰11’57”W, 410.00 FEET;
THENCE N65⸰07’48’W; 121.20 FEET TO A POINT ON THE CENTER LINE OF
A TWO TRACK DRIVE, SAID POINT LYING NORTHEASTERLY 220.00 FEET
FROM THE CENTERLINE OF SAID DRIVE;THENCE NORTHEASTERLY 122.
FEET ALONG THE CENTERLINE OF SAID DRIVE AND THE ARC OF A CURVE
TO THE LEFT, THE RADIUS OF WHICH IS 924.56 FEET, AND THE CHORD OF
WHICH BEARS N 33⸰09’58”E, 122.80 FEET; THENCE N29⸰21’30”E, 103.
FEET ALONG SAID CENTERLINE; THENCE S89⸰17’05”e,401.18 FEET TO
THE POINT OF BEGINNING.SECTION II
REPEAL OF CONFLICTING ORDINANCES/EFFECTIVE DATE
All ordinances or parts of ordinances in conflict with this Ordinance are hereby
repealed. This Ordinance shall take effect on the later of the following dates: (1) eight
(8) days after publication or on such later date as may be required by law; or (2) after
the owner of the subject parcel no. 08-13-014-051-15 and parcel no. 08-13-014-051-
has completed the process to officially combine the two parcels pursuant to applicable
provisions of the Rutland Charter Township Land Division, Combination, and Boundary
Adjustment Ordinance (Ord. No. 2016-159, as amended; § 200-1 et. seq. of Rutland Charter
Township Code) so as to create a single parcel with an area of 5.63 acres fully conforming
with all applicable minimum lot requirements imposed by the Rutland Charter Township
Zoning Ordinance (Chapter 220 of the Rutland Charter Township Code) within 90 days after
the adoption of this ordinance. If this required land combination action is not completed so
as to enable this ordinance to become effective as specified above, this ordinance shall not
take effect and shall be considered a nullity.Robin Hawthorne, Clerk
Rutland Charter Township180786180787