Spring Season Signals A Return To Normalcy For High School Sports

The plan is in place for the return of state-wide competition in the high school ranks this spring across baseball, softball, tennis, lacrosse and track and field.

It will be the first return to "normalcy" since the COVID-19 pandemic forced the cancellation of last spring's sports season.

While certain adaptations will remain, including changes to the placement of umpires in baseball and softball and likely regionalized schedules, seasons will run with state-wide postseasons following a full regular season slate.

One difference this spring is that all schools will qualify for the postseason, with no minimum games requirement needed to cope with the potential for games lost due to COVID-19 related issues. Heal points will return to competition for the first time since the winter 2019-20 season, though will be used only to determine postseason opening round seeding.

Mike Burnham and Mike Bisson, the executive and assistant executive director of the Maine Principals Association, joined The Drive on Tuesday to discuss the upcoming season and the joy of putting forth the first "full" campaign in a year's time.