High school football championship updates in all 50 states

Michigan pauses 42 days but finishes up as 35th and final state to complete fall 2020 season.

Thumbnail image of this articles writer: Mitch Stephens
By
Jan 26, 2021, 12:00pm
Michigan finished the 2020 fall high school football season Saturday in style and resolution. The Great Lakes State crowned eight champions at Ford Field, tying a bow on a trying and turbulent national campaign that started in the middle of August in Utah and ended 23 weeks later in Detroit.

In all 35 states completed the season, persevering through the COVID-19 pandemic. All but four states completed seasons as planned, with forms of state championships. Alaska, Minnesota, West Virginia and Wisconsin were forced to end playoffs early because of surging virus cases. Vermont did not play 11-man tackle football, but completed a 7-on-7 one-hand touch season.

Michigan personified the resilience, taking a 42-day pause starting Nov. 20 after Gov. Gretchen Whitmer postponed all sports — professional, college and high school — for three weeks due to a rapid spike in COVID-19 cases. Regional finals for 11-man teams and semifinals in 8-man action was supposed to resume in December, but more spikes paused the return until January.

Others states paused football tournaments this fall due to COVID, but none more than two weeks. Despite frigid weather and snow, the Michigan High School Athletic Association, its teams, players and coaches truly persevered.

Now, 11 states plus the District of Columbia hope to complete football seasons sometime in 2021. Connecticut, Hawaii Maine, Vermont and Nevada have already announced it will not play 11-person tackle football in the winter or spring. 

Here is a state-by-state update:

Season complete

Alaska
Playoffs ended: Oct. 23
Notes: The title games, scheduled for Oct. 30, were canceled due to growing COVID-19 numbers. According to the Alaska School Activities Association, some teams played additional regional games.
Graphic by Ryan Escobar
North Dakota
Playoffs ended: Nov. 14
Notes: Five teams were crowned champions, including Century (Bismarck), which finished No. 1 in the state.

South Dakota
Playoffs ended: Nov. 14
Notes: Seven teams were crowned champions, including Brandon Valley (Brandon), which finished No. 1 in the state.

Wyoming
Playoffs ended: Nov. 14
Notes: Five teams were crowned champions, including Cody, which finished No. 1 in the state.

Wisconsin
Started playoffs: Nov. 13-14
Playoffs ended: Nov. 20
Notes: Regional champions were crowned throughout six divisions including Muskego (Division 1), which finished No. 1 in the state.

Iowa
Playoffs ended: Nov. 20
Notes: Six teams were crowned champions, including Ankeny, which finished No. 1 in the state. 

Idaho
Playoffs ended: Nov. 21
Notes: Six teams were crowned champions, including Rocky Mountain (Meridian), which finished No. 1 in the state.

Montana
Started playoffs: Oct. 30-31
Playoffs ended: Nov. 21
Notes: Five teams were crowned champions, including Laurel, which finished No. 1 in the state.

New Hampshire
Playoffs ended: Nov. 21
Notes: Four teams were crowned champions, including Nashua North, which finished No. 1 in the state.

Ohio
Playoffs ended: Nov. 21
Notes: Seven teams were crowned champions, including Archbishop Hoban (Akron), which finished No. 1 in the state.

Utah
Playoffs ended: Nov. 21
Notes: Five teams were crowned champions, including Corner Canyon (Draper), which finished No. 1 in the state.
Corner Canyon celebrates its third straight state championship and 40th consecutive victory overall.
Corner Canyon celebrates its third straight state championship and 40th consecutive victory overall.
Photo by Jay Drowns
Nebraska
Playoffs ended: Nov. 20
Notes: Seven teams were crowned champions, including Omaha Westside (Omaha), which finished No. 1 in the state.

Minnesota
Started playoffs: Nov. 13-14
Playoffs ended: Nov. 27
Notes: Emergency executive order from governor's office canceled playoffs one week in. Thirty-six teams were crowned section champions, including Eden Prairie, which finished No. 1 in the state.

Indiana
Started playoffs: Oct. 23-24
Playoffs ended: Nov. 28
Notes: Six teams were crowned champions, including Center Grove (Greenwood), which finished No. 1 in the state.

Kansas
Playoffs ended: Nov. 28
Notes: Nine teams were crowned champions, including Mill Valley (Shawnee), which finished No. 1 in the state.

New Jersey
Playoffs started: Nov. 20
Playoffs ended: Nov. 28
Notes: The standard 13 classification playoff format was replaced in a COVID-shortened season with postseason groupings and four-team pods. One team that made the most of the season-ending games was Bergen Catholic (Oradell), which closed the year with a 22-15 victory over St. Peter's Prep. The Marauders finished No. 1 in the state.

Pennsylvania
Playoffs started: Nov. 6
Playoffs ended: Nov. 28
Notes: Six teams were crowned champions, including St. Joseph's Prep (Philadelphia), which finished No. 1 in the state.

West Virginia
Started playoffs: Nov. 13-14
Playoffs ended: Nov. 28
Notes: Three of six semifinal games in three divisions were canceled due to COVID-19 cases ending the season just short, according to the West Virginia Secondary School Activities Commission (WVSSAC).

Alabama
Playoffs ended: Dec. 4
Notes: Seven champions were crowned, including Thompson (Alabaster) which finished No. 1 in the state.

Colorado
Playoffs ended: Dec. 5
Notes: Seven champions were crowned, including Cherry Creek (Greenwood Village.) which finished No. 1 in the state.

Mississippi
Playoffs ended: Dec. 5
Notes: Six champions were crowned, including Oak Grove (Hattiesburg) which finished No. 1 in the state.

Missouri
Started playoffs: Oct. 30-31
Playoffs ended: Dec. 5
Notes: Seven champions were crowned, including Jackson which finished No. 1 in the state.

Tennessee
Playoffs ended: Dec. 5
Notes: Nine champions were crowned, including Oakland (Murfreesboro) which finished No. 1 in the state.

Arizona
Playoffs ended: Dec. 12
Notes: Seven champions were crowned, including Chandler which finished No. 1 in the state.
Mesquite holds up the Arizona 4A state championship trophy.
Mesquite holds up the Arizona 4A state championship trophy.
Photo by Steven Davis
Arkansas
Playoffs ended: Dec. 19
Notes: Six champions were crowned, including Pulaski Academy (Little Rock) which finished No. 1 in the state.

Delaware
Playoffs ended: Dec. 19
Notes: Two champions were crowned, including Howard (Wilmington) which finished No. 1 in the state.

Florida
Playoffs ended: Dec. 19
Notes: Eight champions were crowned, including St. Thomas Aquinas which claimed its record 12th state title with a tough 7A championship. Independent IMG Academy (Bradenton) finished No. 1 in the state.

Kentucky
Started playoffs: Nov. 19-21
Playoffs ended: Dec. 19
Notes: Six champions were crowned, including Trinity (Louisville) which finished No. 1 in the state.

Oklahoma
Started playoffs: Nov. 13-14
Playoffs ended: Dec. 19
Notes: Nine champions were crowned, including Bixby which finished No. 1 in the state.

South Carolina
Playoffs ended: Dec. 18
Notes: Five champions were crowned, including Dutch Fork (Irmo) which finished No. 1 in the state.

Texas (Divisions 1A-4A)
Started playoffs: Nov. 12-14
Playoffs ended: Dec. 18
Notes: Eight champions were crowned with three title games decided by one point. The 1A-2 title game was postponed due to COVID.

Louisiana
Playoffs ended: Dec. 28
Notes: Nine champions were crowned, including St. Thomas More (Lafayette), which finished No. 1 in the state.

Georgia
Started playoffs: Nov. 27-28
Playoffs ended: Dec. 30
Notes: Eight champions were crowned, including Grayson (Loganville), which finished No. 1 in the state.
Grayson completed an undefeated season while winning the Georgia AAAAAAA state championship.
Grayson completed an undefeated season while winning the Georgia AAAAAAA state championship.
Photo by Cecil Copeland
Texas (Division 5A-6A)
Started playoffs: Dec. 10-12
Playoffs ended: Jan. 16
Notes: Twelve champions were crowned, including Westlake (Austin), which finished No. 1 in the state.

Michigan
Playoffs ended: Jan. 23
Notes: Ten champions were crowned, including West Bloomfield, which finished No. 1 in the state.

2021 seasons
(tentative championship or end dates)

California (TBD)
Connecticut (cancelled season on Jan. 14)
District of Columbia (May 1)
Hawaii (cancelled season on Jan. 6)
Illinois (April 24)
Maine (cancelled season on Feb. 3)
Maryland (April 17)
Massachusetts (April 25)
Nevada (cancelled season on Jan. 22)
New Mexico (April 3)
New York (TBD)
North Carolina (April 9)
Oregon (TBD)
Rhode Island
Virginia
Washington


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