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Power Stadium renovations complete

By Mike Ciarochi mciarochi@heraldstandard.Com 3 min read
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The goal line for soccer sits inches in front of the actual goal at Uniontown's Bill Power Stadium. The WPIAL and soccer officials approved the facility for games this season.

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Mike Ciarochi

The goal line for soccer sits inches in front of the actual goal post at Uniontown’s Bill Power Stadium. The WPIAL and soccer officials approved the facility for games this season.

There were a few anxious moments along the way, but the new surface at Bill Power Stadium at Uniontown High School came together almost perfectly.

“I’m very, very happy,” Athletic Director Aaron Scott said of the finished product. “Everything is beautiful.”

“It’s beautiful,” football coach John Fortugna said. “They did a great job with the facility. The artificial surface was here 11 years, so we needed it. They usually last 7-10 years, so it was time. I think they did a great job and the kids are really excited to be able to play on it.”

The biggest potential glitch occurred when the soccer goal line came up a few inches short of the actual goal.

“The goal line is actually in front of the goal,” Scott said. “If we had gotten new goal posts, it wouldn’t be a problem at all. But I called (WPIAL Executive Director) Tim O’Malley and explained it to him. He told me not to waste a bunch of money ($15,500) for new goal posts. He said all we had to do was let the head of officials know about it and we would be fine.”

Scott said newer goal posts are shaped like college and professional goal posts, with the uprights above the back of the end line in football, but only one anchoring post that is further back. That would have allowed soccer goals to be placed perfectly.

Instead, a goal will be scored any time the ball crosses either goal line between the end posts, regardless of whether it actually goes into the net.

Scott points proudly to the lettering in either end zone, after he undertook a fund-raising effort that produced $30,000.

“I’m pleased because we got a lot of the community involved in it and it made the renovation complete,” he said. “We are planning a reception for the donors at the first football game and we’ll have a ceremony before the game to thank them all.”

Scott also noted that some of the old turf was used to replace grass along the inside of the fence on the school side of the stadium. More will be used to “carpet” the scoreboard side of the stadium, again inside the fence.

“My first year as AD and we get a new turf and track surface installed,” Scott said, counting his blessings and thanking the school board at Uniontown for allowing it to happen. “We have one of the best facilities in the WPIAL right now and we would be happy to host WPIAL playoff football games.”

The school district spent over $600,000 on the project, the Fayette County Sports Hall of Fame donated funds to have the scoreboard repainted and many contributors helped make the end zone lettering happen. New yard line markers should be in place for the first home football game, Friday, Aug. 29, vs. West Mifflin.

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