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Talented Highland boys lacrosse team to begin playing on new artificial turf field April 14
There was a team of 10 working hard on Highland’s new synthetic turf athletic field Tuesday, but it wasn’t the boys lacrosse team.
The Hawks were instead nearby on the grass of Highland’s old soccer field, working over the Blue Ridge School (St. George) boys lacrosse team for a 22-1 victory.
Meanwhile, those 10 workers at the construction site of the new multi-purpose field were manually applying vertical lines into the field surface, adding to the factory-set horizontal lines so it can soon be used by Highland lacrosse, soccer and field hockey teams.
The boys lacrosse team should benefit from the faster speed of play the synthetic turf will provide, but the Hawks will have to wait a bit longer for that added advantage. Once the lines are completed, a synthetic mix still has to be spread across the grass fibers of the field, which is made by FieldTurf.
“It’s one of their highest grade fields,” Highland athletic director Gary Leake said. “It’s the Cadillac of the fields that they offer.”
Leake hopes the finishing touches will be put on over the Easter weekend so the boys lacrosse team can christen the new field with an April 14 game against Hamburg (New York).
“It will be nice to have a synthetic turf stadium that weather doesn’t play a factor with and we can practice more consistently,” Highland boys lacrosse coach Kevin Helmick said. “That’s going to be our home and we’re anxious to get to it.”
In the interim, Highland showed no ill effects playing on a grass field against Blue Ridge. Will Garrett led the Hawks’ aggressive attack with five goals and three assists, helping Highland to a 14-0 halftime lead and 19-0 advantage after three periods. Brendon McCann added three goals and four assists, while Josh Nichols, Patrick Silva, Dan Cassidy and Connor Haile scored two goals apiece.
With 22 goals Tuesday, the Hawks (6-2) have scored more than 17 goals in every victory this season. And they’ve put up those gaudy numbers without yet setting foot on their new synthetic turf field.
“We’re not allowed to go on it until it’s ready,” defenseman Zach Dennis said. “It will be real nice…It pumps you up a little bit when you have it, and have the bleachers in there.”
Seating will be one of the next three components added to the field. Leake said he hopes the bleachers, fencing and a scoreboard will be erected prior to the end of the spring sports season, or at least by the beginning of the fall season. There has also been discussion about adding field lights in the future.
Highland sports teams planned to use the new field earlier this season, but easement issues with power lines and days of rain have caused delays, Leake said...
See the Friday print edition of the Fauquier Weekend for the complete story.
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