Aug 23, 2009 3 min read

CONNELLSVILLE TWP. -A rumor has been circulating for a while at Geibel Catholic High School – the lights will be turned on at the swamp this football season. That could be a possibility, according to coach Ron Marciante. When asked, Marciante explained how the question of lighting the football field came about.

“We had some football supporters bring in some rented lights last year for a football game,” he said, referring to the Gators’ Senior Night game. “The fans loved it, and we looked into the possibility of getting lights on a permanent basis.”

Marciante said all the credit goes to the football boosters.

“A school in San Diego was redoing its field, and they were doing away with their old lights,” Marciante explained. “I don’t know how contact was made, but the football boosters asked if they could have the old lights and the people in San Diego said to come pick them up.”

He said Maxon Crane dispatched a truck to retrieve the lights and bring them back to Pennsylvania.

“The lights are here and are in storage,” he said. “All we need now are the poles and the wiring, and we will be ready to go.”

Marciante said the Gators’ performance last season helped generate more interest in the football program. The Gators won three games, but were more athletic and more competitive than in past years. Marciante pointed out the Gators started out with only 16 players but ended the season with almost 30 kids, and there are about 25 kids on the roster to start this season.

Marciante said he has to give credit to his upperclassmen for talking to kids about how much fun they had playing football at Geibel. He thinks, with the staff he has returning, the kids have a chance to be very competitive. He gives his staff a lot of credit for preparing the kids during the offseason.

“Tom Dolde is a man I’ve coached with a lot of years, and he taught me a lot about football. He’ll run our defense,” he said. “John Shirley was a very good athlete when I had him at Connellsville. He’ll coach receivers and defensive backs. George Morrell will handle the offensive and defensive lines. He does a wonderful job with the kids in the weight room and on the field, and our middle school coach Pete Nace has really put in a lot of time during our evening conditioning.”

Lighting the Gators’ field would be a giant step ahead. Only a few years ago, Geibel Catholic moved home games to its campus after using Connellsville Stadium for years.

The new lights may not be in place for the Gators to play their games on Friday nights all season long, but “Friday Night Lights” is definitely in the future for Geibel Catholic.

Marciante feels when the lights do eventually come on the Gators will be ready to give their fans some good solid football.