Therefore, games may have to be played at Springfield High’s stadium on East Home Road.
“While we realize this decision is not ideal, we always make the safety of our students, staff and community the first priority,” Hill said.
Springfield City officials say a structural engineer will be at Evans Stadium on Monday to take another look at the damage.
If more bad reports come from the engineer, the decision to move the football season to Springfield High’s stadium will be official.
RELATED: Springfield High to install $908K turf, keep football on south end
The news was a disappointment to Springfield High School alum and football player, Dorian Hunter, who called Evans Stadium historic.
“I felt like Evans is the only place where football should be played in Springfield,” he said. “Of course the press box is important, but at the same time there’s other places where the game can be filmed.”
Hunter mentioned during his time playing football at Wittenberg University, the university’s field was under construction and teams and media utilized a portable press box.
“At the end of the day, it’s history and history should live on at Evans Stadium,” he said.
Evans Stadium was the former playing field of the South High School Wildcats before South High School and North High School combined in 2008 and relocated to East Home Road to form Springfield High School.
Even after the merger, Springfield High’s football team has continued to play their football games across town at Evans, which is located on Clifton Avenue in the back lot of Hayward Middle School.
But not everyone is pushing back on the decision to possibly move the games.
In 2015, Springfield City School Board member Chris Williams cited several reasons he wanted to move the games from Evans to the high school, including expenses for busing students and equipment from the high school for every home game.
EARLIER REPORTING: Springfield football stadium move discussed by board, community
Jennie Colvin, a teacher at Springfield City Schools, agreed with this point of view when she talked to the News-Sun on Friday.
She said the way things are set up doesn’t make sense anymore, and moving the games to the high school would create a better sense of identity and belonging.
“Meeting back here to get on a bus to go across town is kinda of like going to an away game,” she said. “Now it’s our school, this is our community. They play soccer games here (at the high school). They do everything here but play football games.”
Colvin also pointed to better parking at the high school and the close proximity of the field to the school.
“As an educator here, I know game day would be more exciting to be able to see what was going on in getting the field ready. I think that’s part of the excitement,” Colvin said.
The Wildcat middle school football program will continue to play their games at Evans Stadium.
5,241 — Capacity at Evans Stadium
$908K — Cost to install turf at Evans Stadium and Springfield High Stadium in 2017
2008 — Year North High School and South High School consolidated into Springfield High School
The Springfield News-Sun has been dominant in covering local school districts and decisions made by district leaders. The News-Sun has provided in-depth coverage of changes to Springfield High athletic facilities and any conflicts from the community.
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