No Home Games For Team’s 1st Football Season Since 1940s

September 2, 2011 / Football
Courier-Journal, Justin Sokeland

http://www.courier-journal.com/article/20110901/SPORTS06/309010108/1034/sports/Silver-Creek-s-new-sod-scuttles-home-contests?odyssey=mod|newswell|text|Sports|s

Silver Creek (Ind.), which is fielding its first varsity football team since the 1940s, will not play any home games this fall.

 The football field was sodded in early July, but the grass has not grown in enough to withstand the pounding from athletic events scheduled for this fall. Athletic director Larry Richmer announced the school will not be hosting any home games for football (varsity and junior varsity), boys’ soccer and girls’ soccer for the rest of the season. 

 The decision was made following Thursday’s examination of the field by Richmer, superintendent Monty Schneider, principal Mike Crabtree, football coach Mike Donahue and the sodding contractor who performed the work. 

 “It’s a decision being made for the long term,” Donahue said. “This will allow repairs to be made. Instead of a short-term fix, we will have one of the top fields in the conference when it’s done.” 

The decision is a costly one. In addition to the lost revenue from gate receipts and concessions during football games, the school will now have additional transportation costs to play the remaining scheduled home football games with Eastern Pekin (Sept. 9), Charlestown (Sept. 16) and Brownstown (Oct. 7) on the road. Silver Creek will also not be able to host a playoff game in the Class 3-A state tournament.

“It’s not a good thing,” Richmer said. “It’s going to be a negative. There’s also things like homecoming and senior night that we probably won’t have.”

The soccer teams will also play all their games on the road, unless a “home” field in the area can be located.

“It makes it tough on the fan base and the kids,” Donahue said. “It’s hard on those people who raised money for the kids. It’s just a hard hit.”


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