Caz football to host home night game this year against VVS
After a highly successful — although rain-drenched — inaugural varsity football night game last year, the Cazenovia Board of Education has approved a second Friday Night Lights game to be held this year.
The game will be at 7 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 8, at Buckley-Volo Field, where the Lakers will take on league rival V.V.S. It will be the first varsity home game of the season.
“We wanted to host a night game again this season based on it being so much fun last year and because of the great feedback we received from the community after last year’s game under the lights when we played Camden,” said Cazenovia’s district Athletic Director Michael Byrnes. “With this game being against V.V.S., we will expect lots of fans not only from Cazenovia, but also from V.V.S. to attend, as their program always travels well for games.”
The Cazenovia Board of Education “enthusiastically” approved this year’s night game at its Aug. 21 monthly board meeting, according to Superintendent Matt Reilly.
“The response last year was overwhelmingly positive, and calls for doing it again were pretty loud and clear,” Reilly said. “I thought it was a great event for the community, great for the school, and it generated a lot of excitement around a very successful program.”
The Sept. 8 night game will be played under rented field lights, as it was last year, as Buckley-Volo Field does not have its own lights.
Tickets will go on sale for the game beginning at 6 p.m., with ticket prices set at $3 adults and $2 students — $1 of every ticket price will be used to help offset the costs of renting the lights for the field.
Byrnes said it is also “possible” the district will sell game tickets during the school day all that week of Sept. 5 for those who hope to skip the lines coming in that night.
Other games this season will be $2 adults and $1 students/senior citizens.
As with last year’s night game, a large crowd is expected, and the district urges spectators to plan ahead. “Consider walking to the field if you live close by, and arrive early if you do not want to be stuck in a line to buy your game ticket,” Byrnes said. “We are really hoping for nice weather that evening on Sept. 8th and for lots of community members to have an enjoyable time together with friends and family.”
The Lakers first away game will be versus Mexico at 2 p.m. on Sept. 2, (using Fulton High School Stadium due to Mexico’s Field/Stadium Renovations taking place).
