District 11 officials met virtually on Thursday and announced plans to hold postseasons in all fall sports, with some alterations.

The biggest change could come in football. Next Wednesday district officials will vote on whether District 11 teams will compete in state football playoffs or opt out for the 2020 season.

The PIAA moved up the dates for football playoffs in an effort to complete the season by Thanksgiving weekend. That meant most classes in District 11 would have needed to start playoffs over what is now scheduled to be the final few weeks of the regular season.

District 11 officials are left with limited choices. They could cut a week or more off an already shortened season to fit districts in before states. That would mean some schools only play a few regular season games and many would have to cancel annual rivalry games played in the final week of the regular season.

Only in Class 6A would there be enough time for district playoffs and that would have to be one game between the top two teams as determined by district rankings. With most East Penn Conference teams playing only five games and all of them within their own county during the regular season, the ratings are likely to be a less accurate reflection of which teams are best than in years where they play 10 games with more varied opponents.

If the opt-out is approved next Wednesday, District 11 will likely begin football playoffs in the first week of November. Classes 2A, 4A and 6A would have eight-team playoff brackets, while 5A, 3A and 1A will be four-team brackets.

Teams that do not make the playoffs and those that lose in the early rounds would be allowed to schedule contingency games during playoff weeks as long as they haven’t reached their 10-game limit for the season.

A survey of all the district’s football playing schools got 38 responses that were overwhelmingly in favor of opting out of state playoffs, said District 11 Chairman Bob Hartman, the Whitehall High School Athletic Director.

After the PIAA announced postseason plans on Wednesday, District 11 officials also reviewed plans for all fall sports postseasons at Thursday’s meeting and announced some minor alterations due to the pandemic.

Cross Country

The District 11 cross country meet has been moved to Blue Mountain Ski Area, which offers a challenging course and the space needed, including an extremely large parking area for distancing.

Races will be run over two days, with the boys slated for October 27 and girls on Oct. 28. Each class will run in two heats and time will allow for each class to come and go before another class races.

Each day races will start with 3A heats at 10 a.m. and 10:40 a.m. Class 1A will run at 1 p.m. and 1:40 p.m. Then Class 2A will finish the day at 4 p.m. and 4:40 p.m.

The course will not be exactly the same as the one used as Palmerton High School’s home course.

Teams will only be allowed six runners per team this year and only winning teams and the top five individuals in each class will advance to the state meet. Those changes were made to reduce the number of athletes both in the district races and at the state championship meet.

Field Hockey

District 11 field hockey playoffs are still on as scheduled. The tournament begins with pigtail rounds on Oct. 21 in Class 1A and 3A and ends with championship games on Oct. 30 in all classes.

The PIAA field hockey tournament was pushed back one week, meaning the district will have some extra time in case of any delays in its tournament.

Only district champions will advance to states this year, which reduces the number of teams and allows that tournament to start a week later.

State field hockey finals are scheduled to be played at Whitehall on Nov. 14.

Preferential seeding (league champions earn top seeds) will be used in classes 1A and 2A. In Class 3A, where all teams are from the East Penn Conference, which is not holding playoffs, district ratings will determine the top seed.

Golf

The District 11 qualifying tournament is scheduled for Oct. 5 at Olde Homestead Golf Course and the championship will be played at the Steel Club on Oct. 7.

This year’s boys qualifying tournament is capped at 36 players per classification and schools will not get one automatic entry. Players will have to be among the top 36 in scoring average to reach the qualifier.

To move on to the district championship, boys players must finish in the top 18 at the qualifier or have an exemption based on last season or their finish at their league championship.

Players who finish top five in their league tournament or are returning state qualifiers are exempt from the qualifier. Because the East Penn Conference is not holding postseason events, EPC golfers will need to make the field based on average.

The Schuylkill League and Colonial leagues are holding tournaments. In the Schuylkill, which includes one school that’s not in District 11, the top five golfers who are from District 11 will get the exemptions.

The PIAA has decided not to hold regional tournaments this year and the state championship will be limited to 18 holes over one day, shortened from a two-day, 36-hole event. That event will also have a smaller field than in years past.

In District 11 Class 2A, the top three boys and top two girls will advance to states. In Class 3A, the top five boys and top three girls move on.

Soccer

District 11 soccer playoffs will be played as scheduled. Classes 2A, 3A and 4A will begin with pigtail rounds in boys and girls on Oct. 22. Class 1A starts on Oct. 24 with quarterfinals. Tournament championships are slated for Oct. 29-31.

Only champions will move on to the state tournament as that event has reduced the number of teams competing and was shortened to just three games, except in Class 1A where a state pigtail game is needed.

Colonial and Schuylkill league champs will get preferential seeding in Classes 1A, 2A and 3A. In Class 4A, district ratings will be used to determine the top seed.

Girls Tennis

District 11 singles and doubles tennis tournaments will be reduced to 16 entries instead of the usual 32. It will be a two-day event with first-round matches and quarterfinals one day and semifinals and championship matches on another day.

Dates are still being finalized and are expected to be announced on the district website within a week. Those events will take place at Saucon Valley High School.

The team tennis tournament will include eight teams in each class and will be played at the site of the higher seed throughout the event, including the team championship matches.

Girls Volleyball

District 11 girls volleyball tournaments will be contested over one week this fall. Pigtail matches and first-round matches are slated for October 20-23. Class 1A and 2A will have finals on Oct. 29. Finals will be played Oct. 31 in classes 3A and 4A.

Matches will be played at the site of the higher seed at least through semifinals and possibly through the championships.