State football semifinal moved to Monday at Liberty HS
Published: December 5, 2009
Updated: December 6, 2009
The Lake Braddock-Battlefield Division 6 state semifinal football game has been rescheduled for Monday at 7 p.m. at Liberty High School in Bealeton.
The game was originally scheduled to be played Saturday at 3 p.m. at Battlefield, but the inclement weather forced it to be postponed.
Battlefield activities director Ben Stutler said a request was made to move the game to Sunday at Liberty, but the Fauquier County Schools superintendent would not approve the request for the game to be played there today.
Stutler said Battlefield’s field was unplayable, forcing them to look for another venue.
This will be the third time this season a local team has played out at Liberty, which has a turf field. Osbourn played its first round regional game there as well as the regional final.
The winner of Monday’s game meets Thomas Dale next Saturday at 4:07 p.m. at the University of Virginia for the state championship. Thomas Dale upset defending state champion Oscar Smith 20-17 Saturday in double overtime.
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It’s fairly obvious that none of you know anything about VHSL, other than Mike 2854. VHSL makes the decision - not Battlefield administration or the athletic director.
The reason that the field at BHS couldn’t be used is that the equipment that would be used to clear the field would do more damage to it because of the amount of snow/rain on the field.
It’s really sad that the community, regardless of where your kid or you go to high school, can’t back the team from their county. OP fans continue to show their true colors - seems like the only ones whining are those from OP (like grandadjohn and opfollower).
BTW, do you know the amount of hours that these coaches and players put in? That these kids practiced on Thanksgiving and yesterday morning to prepare for the game? So the allegations of officiating are pretty petty. Imagine if your beloved OP had, in fact, beaten BHS - would you like to have people making the same comments about your kid? Doubt it.
Good sportsmanship starts at home and it’s obvious that there are some adults that are poor sports.
It’s ashame that the team lost tonight and it’s even sadder that the community couldn’t back them. At least donedeal and george430 realize the impact that a win could have had on the community at large and PWCS.
Gosh there seems to be alot of BHS haters on here!!! These are highschool kids let them play and be proud of their accomplishments… I am a Osbourn grad and I was proud of them when they won the state title and will always cheer for them when they are playing. I do however live in the Battlefield district and have to boys that one may play for them and again I am proud of Battlefield for their heart because most teams when they are used to winning and by the large margins that they have won this year that when a team punches them in the mouth like OP did alot of those teams curl up and not fight back but BHS did it history now move on… Every adult on here should feel some pride that Battlefield is repping the Manassas/ Gainesville area as not to long ago we weren’t regarded as a good football area. I for 1 will be proud of any team playing from this area heck I’m proud of VT running back Ryan Williams who is from Stonewall!! GOOD LUCK BATTLEFIELD!!!!
The VHSL determines years in advance who hosts in the state semi-final, so Battlefield didn’t “earn” home field for this game. It was pre-determined way before the season started. Go to www.vhsl.org if you want to see the semi-final region hosts for years on out.
When any team works that hard throughout the regular season to strategically position themselves to have the home field advantage in the post season, it is understandably disappointing to have that advantage taken away because of a questionable decision about field conditions. Lake Braddock should be thrilled with this turn of events, which is why you won’t hear a single complaint from them. There is little reason why the Battlefield team, students, parents, and fans should not be a little more than irritated right now. I am sure they will all pull together and make a good showing for a team that earned their support all season long. It seems the only whining here is actually the sour grapes over missed opportunities by folks who are uninvolved and have nothing to do with the situation at hand. The disparaging remarks about officiating and allegations that the universe is trying to get even with a boys football team for perceived transgressions of some sort are truly sad…but laughable. Best of luck, Battlefield.
well,well,well,a little piece of that good-bad karma thingie coming into play!
Who would have “thunk” it! But have no fear,if BHS takes their officiating team with them all should come out in their favor.And if not,thats just the good karma working.You know everyone forgets that OP had to play their first play off game this year against Riverbend on a Monday night,and then went on to beat Woodbridge four days later,so the short week away game didn’t bother them,maybe it was because they know how to be a good host,and they know what good manners are. The comment about cleaning the bleachers,Liberty should just throw seed on them,that way the birds will loosen all the snow and leave a little something behind,like was done to the visitors bleachers last week at BHS. And maybe those intelligent looking misfits with no shirts will actually have to keep their obscenities to themselves. All that said,I really hope it is a good game,and a “fair” “evenly” officated game,and if BHS just happens to loose,then thats just that karma thingie getting a workout.
Ok…so PWC School Board needs to get off its collective “bottoms” and get turf fields installed. Yes, it costs money. Yes, we are in financially troubled times. The question to be asked, is how much money is being spent postponing, transporting teams to locations further away, how much revenue is lost (not just for the AD/VHSL and the Boosters Clubs) when games like this are moved. This applies not only to football, but soccer, lacrosse, field hockey, track and field…all outdoor sports that use the field. Sports and safety is not important for the PWC School Board, determining how to pay bonuses and build administration buildings have higher priority. Complain to your School Board member…raise the roof…don’t stand for it…taxation without responsible representation has to STOP!
Lake Braddock is very happy to be playing at a neutral site. Battlefield just gave up a huge advantage of being able to play at home. Football in many areas of the country is still played in any condition and on muddy, sloppy fields. Never should you give up home field advantage!
And someone needs to update BHS website..still showing game as being today!
Stop whining BHS, they (VHSL) have been making this accomodation for the last several years, Osbourn and other schools had to deal with and so can you. The one thing i think you may not know is that ...it’s turf yes but it’s a good field and your team might even play better on this field because it’s got a faster feel, so will Lake Braddock and by the way, i don’t here them complaining they’re coming to play. Not worrying about boosters money,parking, get off early if needed and do what you gotta do BHS and LB, who ever wins this will be seen as just an small obstacle you had to go thru to get where you really want to go. Good luck to both schools!!! i’ll be there.
I too do not understand why they could not have gotten the field ready for Sunday evening or even Monday. As it is, they had to bring in bleachers and plan for sattelite parking for the game at Battlefield which is a larger facility then Liberty. What about the parking? What about rush hour traffic? And what about all the food that the Battlefield boosters has already purchased for this game? Are the presold tickets going to be honored? This is taking so much away from Battlefield for home team advantage. This would have been the last time that the Seniors would be playing on their field, now they will not have that moment in time where the walked off their own field for the last time. There was so much that should have been taken into consideraton here. I know ALOT of people would have pulled together to get the field ready. To take this away from the boys and the school and the community was not a good decision.
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