TRAVERSE CITY — Tennis teams across Michigan will be experiencing a new type of cut-throat competition when they meet for the fall championship tournaments in 2020. 

The Michigan High School Athletic Association announced Friday sweeping changes to the high school tennis state finals that will be in place for only this fall. 

Athletes will not compete in individual tournaments that declare a state champion in each division’s eight flights, instead a modified team tournament will take place to limit the contact made between teams playing at a single site. 

The MHSAA Executive Committee approved the one-season switch in a meeting Thursday that will also allow for a one-day tournaments for the No. 1-singles flight in each division. 

“Overall it’s disappointing that I can’t defend my championship at No. 1-doubles considering I am playing in that spot again,” TC St. Francis junior Ben Schmude said. “But it is nice we are even having a season this year because I was worried we weren’t going to have one at all.” 

Teams will be seeded at the annual meetings by coaches before the tournament begins, much like the individual tournament has been in the past. Traverse City St. Francis tennis coach Dane Fosgard said he sees potential issues with seeding however, as not all teams will have an equitable amount of matches or common opponents.

Teams will compete in dual-style head-to-head format with the team who wins the most of eight flights moving on. 

“It’s going to be really exciting if it comes down the wire,” Fosgard said. “It could come down to one match that wins it for the whole team. There is a little more pressure on the individual to perform but that should encourage the team to pump each other up. I think it will bring us together, stronger as a united team.” 

The new team district dates are set for Oct. 7-10 at 16 divisional sites to be determined at a later date leading to the championships on Oct. 15-17. For the team finals, the first rounds will be played at separate sites per division before coming together for the final four. 

Schmude said having an entire team courtside to cheer on teammates will bring up the level of play in the tournament.

The No.1-singles tournament will take place Oct. 22-24 and will compete in bracket play to determine a champion in each division. 

“Sounds like they will have eight No.1-singles players qualify in each division,” TC Central head tennis coach Shane Dilloway said. “It is going to be a lot of work to get into that group.” 

The changes will only be in effect for the 2020 boys tennis season and was put in place to help limit the spread of COVID-19. 

Dilloway also said the new seeding will push teams to perform during the regular season so they will be able to host their district games. 

Follow Jake on Twitter @JakeAtnip