Springdale to play home football games at Burrell, Freeport in 2024 season
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Wednesday, May 29, 2024 | 2:15 PM
A wall at Veterans Memorial Field in Springdale is gradually leaning toward the stadium and away from Lincoln Avenue.
Colton Gent and his Springdale teammates will play “home” games at Burrell and Freeport this season because of stadium concerns at Veterans Memorial Field.
Without a home field this season, Springdale’s high school football team is planning to play two home games at Freeport’s football field and a pair of games at Burrell’s Buccaneer Stadium.
During a school board discussion last week, Allegheny Valley School District Superintendent Pat Graczyk said the Dynamos football team will play two consecutive games at Freeport Area High School and two consecutive games at Burrell High School as its home fields.
“That was to keep consistency of location as best we could and to provide Friday night games,” Graczyk said.
District spokeswoman Jan Zastawniak declined to release additional information until the agreements are finalized.
The games at Burrell are slated for Oct. 4 and 11. Dates have not been announced for the games at Freeport, but they are expected to be the weekends of Aug. 30-31 and Sept. 13-14. Freeport Area officials didn’t respond to requests for comment.
For years, Springdale High School football games have been played at Veterans Memorial Field along Lincoln Avenue in Springdale. The district terminated its lease with the borough in October 2022 for use of the field; it expires at the end of this school year.
District officials point to a leaning wall behind the visitors’ bleachers as a point of concern; it was blocked off to spectators this past season. Veterans Memorial Field was built in 1938.
Both district and borough officials said at their respective meetings last week that discussions continue for the use of the field.
Burrell is no stranger to partnering with neighboring school districts for the use of athletic venues. Highlands has used Burrell’s pool in previous seasons, and the Bucs have used Highlands’ track, for example.
Burrell athletic director Brian Ferra said Allegheny Valley will pay Burrell for fees incurred during the football games at Buccaneer Stadium, such as costs for custodians and security.
“You try to help out the local districts as much as you possibly can,” Ferra said.
Springdale’s schedule includes home games against Chartiers-Houston, Brentwood, Clairton and Greensburg Central Catholic. The Dynamos will visit Avella, Riverview, Leechburg, Jeannette and Frazier. A Week Zero opponent has not been announced.
Tags: Springdale
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