EAST LANSING — The Michigan High School Association has suspended its fall tournaments for football, volleyball and girls’ swimming and diving and all winter sports practices and competition for the next three weeks following the emergency order to pause activity announced Sunday by the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services to limit the spread of Covid-19.

North Central was to host Marion in an eight-player Division 2 football semifinal Saturday.

“We were so close to the finish line,” said North Central head football coach Leo Gorzinski. “Things were looking good. We were ready to go. Everybody is healthy and we’ve been doing what we’ve been told to do. We’re still in shock. It’s hard to believe. We’re just waiting to hear what comes next. We’re holding on to hope they’re going to finish it out. At this point, that’s all we can hope for.”

The state finals for volleyball and swimming and diving took place Saturday. All eight-player semifinals and 11-player regional finals were also scheduled for this weekend.

Eight-player state grid finals were set for Nov. 28 at Midland, with 11-player semifinals and finals scheduled for Nov. 27-28 and Dec. 4-5, respectively.

“We understand the need for action and we’ll explore all options to complete our fall tournaments when restrictions are lifted,” said MHSAA executive director Mark Uyl. “We will assess everything over the next three weeks relative to fall and winter sports and come up with a plan that keeps us connected in our goal, for months, of having three seasons that are played to their conclusions.”