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MIAA won’t reschedule ballgame, despite SAT conflict

After discussions with both Methuen and Chelmsford high school administrations, the MIAA does not plan on rescheduling Saturday’s Division 1 North semifinal baseball game.

The contest, scheduled for 10 a.m. at LeLacheur Field in Lowell, is to be played the same time the SATs are being given. Eleven Chelmsford players and three from Methuen are scheduled to take the test. Also, Chelmsford’s graduation ceremony is scheduled for Saturday at 4 p.m.

After team meetings Friday afternoon, both schools decided to play on.

“Both teams will honor the commitment,” Methuen athletic director Jim Weymouth said. “We will both attend the game in some form.”

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The players who were planning on taking the SATs will be allowed to make their own decisions.

“There is no movement on their end,” Weymouth said of the MIAA. “They expect both teams to be there.

“In the end, we are all here for academic reasons. Everyone in the administration is in full support of the players who will take the SATs.”

After Methuen and Chelmsford won their quarterfinal games last Saturday, both schools requested to the MIAA that the semifinal take place Tuesday, anticipating inclement weather on Thursday, the original scheduled date.

“We all saw that Thursday was going to be a washout,” Weymouth said. “We asked for Tuesday night, it looked like beautiful weather, and there was no conflict with either team. We were told Fraser Field in Lynn was available, and both schools agreed. Then [the MIAA] responded and said no, that’s too far for Chelmsford and Methuen to travel.”

The other Division 1 North semifinal, Andover vs. Waltham, was played Wednesday.

“It’s not like it would have been an unfair advantage,” Weymouth said. “It would have been one day of difference.”

As of Thursday, the semifinal game was scheduled for Sunday at 7 p.m., with the final scheduled for the following day. But soon after, the MIAA notified Weymouth and Chelmsford athletic director Scott Moreau of the switch to Saturday morning, in the interest of completing the sectional by the end of the weekend.

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Methuen has promised SAT reimbursements for their players who decide to miss Saturday’s testing.