The Catholic Central League is once again stepping up to provide a postseason tournament for its member schools, announcing this week that the league will be hosting the CCL Cup for boys basketball, girls basketball, boys hockey and girls hockey. In combination with a one-day event for swimming and diving, the CCL will be providing tournament play for all active winter sports in place of the normal MIAA-sanctioned state tournament that will not occur due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The CCL Cup is a one-time tournament due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and winners of the CCL Cup in each sport will not be recognized as league champions.
The week of tournament games will begin on Feb. 12 with boys and girls basketball, with boys and girls hockey starting on Feb. 13. All tournament final games are planned for Feb. 20.
Each tournament will be seeded by the CCL athletic directors on Feb. 9, and the higher seeded team in each matchup will be the host school. All tournament games will be single-elimination.
Sport-specific rules will be determined by each sports coordinator prior to the tournament, particularly rules surrounding overtime and shootouts for soccer and field hockey.
The total number of games to complete the CCL Cup in each sport are:
— Boys Hockey (six teams): Five games total – two quarterfinals on Feb. 13, two semifinals on Feb. 17 and the final on Feb. 20.
— Girls Hockey (seven teams): Six games total – three quarterfinals on Feb. 13, two semifinals on Feb. 17 and the final on Feb. 20.
— Boys and Girls Basketball (nine teams): Eight games total – one first round on Feb. 12, four quarterfinals on Feb. 13-14, two semifinals on Feb. 17 and the final on Feb. 20.
If schools with teams that are eliminated from tournament play choose to play additional games against other teams that lost or against a non-league opponent, the schools may do so until Feb. 21. Schools may also choose to end their seasons upon elimination.
The Catholic Central League is made up of St. Mary’s, Bishop Fenwick, Archbishop Williams, Arlington Catholic, Austin Prep, Bishop Feehan, Bishop Stang, Cardinal Spellman, Cathedral, Cristo Rey, Matignon and St. Joseph’s Prep.