By Davy James, Staff Writer
MONROE — A new era of athletic competition began in Monroe on Sept. 19, as Monroe Township High School played its first nighttime football home game in school history under new lights on a brand new field.
The result was a triumphant 10-0 victory over North Brunswick. The game created an atmosphere unlike any previously seen at the high school, according to first year head coach Chris Beagan.
”There’s been some pretty successful teams at Monroe and we always have great crowds but that was nothing compared to what we had Friday night,” Coach Beagan said. “People couldn’t find an open seat, there was a huge line to get in and a huge line in the parking lot. It was just great for this community and great for these young men. I think this is really going to build excitement for all of the athletic programs. All of the programs will benefit from the lights, not just us but the soccer and field hockey teams too.”
The cost of the upgrades was $992,000 for the artificial Fieldturf and $739,000 for the new lighting. The lighting project was started in October 2007 and completed between February and March 2008, according to Facilities Manager Gerald Tague. Ground was broken on the new field during the first week of May year and was completed around the end of July, according to Mr. Tague.
The new turf should reap numerous benefits for all of the student athletes, according to Coach Beagan.
”Turf doesn’t take as much of a toll on the legs and there are less scrapes and nagging injuries,” he said. “Plus, as it gets colder the ground gets much harder, so you we hope the new turf will lead to less injuries.”
School officials said the upgrades would benefit the students because of the flexibility to use it multiple times per day. They also said that the event was a great one for Monroe Township.
”The showing of all the students in the crowd was amazing. It was the biggest crowd I’ve ever seen here and the game was wonderful,” said school board President Amy Antelis.
Coach Beagan said the team felt the energy of the crowd and were excited by the milestone. He said he used a joke to help them appreciate the moment.
”We told the team that Monroe has never been scored upon on turf at night and they need to keep the streak alive,” he said. “It really energized the team to be home and have the spirit of the crowd and hearing the chants.”
Coach Beagan said he hopes the Friday night games become a tradition in town and a way to create a family atmosphere with the team and the community.
”Being the first team to play a night home game was a point of emphasis and the kids were really jacked by the support,” Coach Beagan said. “I can’t say enough about what the support of the community means to the kids and coaches. We’re trying to build a tradition of championship football in Monroe and it’s going to continue to take effort, so it’s great to have that kind of support.”