There is just one week left before the Tyrone Golden Eagles travel to Bellwood for the annual gridiron clash with the Blue Devils, but school officials of the Bellwood-Antis School District say they are prepared.
At last week’s meeting of the school board, B-A district business manager Ken Swanson informed the board that although work on the greenspace between Myers Elementary and the high school continues, there will still be parking available.
“You can now begin to see the colonization of grass on the section that has already been completed,” said Swanson, noting that the project will be worked on in three separate stages. “The sod is coming, but it will need a little more time.”
Mike Sakash, B-A high school principal, said that people should be aware that parking will still be available in that area, but that it is restricted.
“One-third of the area that is normally used for parking will be unaccessible,” said Sakash.
“We’re going to lose about 75 parking spaces there, but it’s a project that really needs to be done.”
Sakash said if vehicles were to park on the newly sodded area, it would only disrupt the work that has already been completed and the district would be back to square one.
He said the two other areas of the green space would be accessible and that motorists traveling to the game need to access those areas through the Myers Elementary parking lot.
“We’re also going to move the school busses from the garage area to open up more parking,” said Sakash, “and we have also opened up some more parking in a lot across from Myers Elementary. We think we should be able to handle any situation that comes up.”
Sakash said those traveling from Tyrone should consider car pooling to the event.
“I think that would be a great idea,” he said. “There’s going to be a lot of people there cheering on the teams, and the less amount of cars parking in the area would be a great advantage.”
Sakash noted that signs have already been erected along Stadium Drive noting that no parking will be available along that roadway.
He also said parking is not allowed in the adjacent cemetery.
Sakash noted there would also be increased security inside and outside of Memorial Stadium for the “big game.”
“School officials are meeting with the Bellwood Borough Police Department early next Friday to discuss where the problem spots might be,” he said. “We’ll also contact the (Hollidaysburg) state police to let them know. They’ll be doing routine patrols in the area.”
Sakash said that although the 2003-04 academic year hasn’t even started yet, enthusiasm has been extremely high.
“There will be signs all over the school to get the already excited students more excited when they return on Monday,” he said.
“And the cheerleaders have already approached me about a pep rally. I haven’t heard anything about it yet, but there’s still time.”
Sakash said the district has pre-sold tickets to the “most anticipated” game of the season and said few remain.
“This is just a great way to start the school year, both academically and on the field,” said Sakash. “The exciting tradition of this game is easily recognizable in both Tyrone and Bellwood. We’re really excited to get this going.”
The Tyrone Area School District has also been pre-selling tickets, and according to athletic director Tony Yaniello, the more than 600 tickets are now, as of yesterday, sold out.
“There are still a few handi-capped seats available,” said Yaniello.
Yaniello said the school has plans to help the students get even more excited with a seventh period pep rally on Friday.
The Golden Eagles and Blue Devils have butted heads 66 times in the regular season on the gridiron and Tyrone has come out on top in 40 of those meetings. The teams tied in 1959 with a 0-0 score.
What’s the prediction this year? Sakash says 14-7, Bellwood-Antis. Yaniello, an assistant coach of the Eagle squad, said he didn’t feel comfortable making a prediction, but did “guarantee a Tyrone victory.”
