BY DANIEL SCHMIDT
THE OBSERVER
LOACHAPOKA — When Loachapoka High School takes the field at Jones-Tate Stadium this upcoming football season, they’ll do so under the glow of a brand new scoreboard.
The Indians recently completed the installation of a [pricetage] scoreboard featuring video capabilities and an upgraded sound system designed to enhance the viewing experience for fans.
Loachapoka head football coach Branden Hall praised Lee County Schools superintendent Mike Howard, Loachapoka principal Albert Weeden and contractor [contractor name here] for bringing the project to fruition.
“I think it’s going to be a wonderful experience for the fans and for the athletes,” Hall said. “The jumbotron is very nice, and it’s going to give us the atmosphere on Friday nights to make it exciting out there and make it a good experience for the kids. So I’m excited about it. I think it’s going to be awesome.”
Hall said that with the additional investment in the football stadium, along with a new press box and improved track and field, baseball and softball facilities, the school is positioning itself as one of the Alabama High School Athletic Association’s top Class 1A athletics programs.
“I think we have probably the best facilities in the state for a 1A school,” Hall said. “That says a lot about the things that people here are willing to do for us. [Albert and Weeden] have done a magnificent job of getting all this stuff for us and being behind us 100%. It’s just an exciting place to be and a great time to be at Loachapoka.”
According to Howard, the new scoreboard puts Loachapoka more in line with the school district’s other schools, Smiths Station High School and Beauregard High School.
“This scoreboard completes all of our high schools,” Howard said. “They each have the same scoreboard to keep us consistent and a school system, not a system of schools.”
The Indians will debut the new scoreboard at their Aug. 21 home game against Lanett High School, which finished as Class 2A runners-up after losing 29-22 to Coosa Christian School in the state championship game.
Last year, the Panthers defeated Loachapoka 41-7 in a high-profile showdown that helped determine the balance of 2A Region 4. This season, the two teams will play in different classifications after the AHSAA created two new divisions for private member schools and eliminated Class 7A.
Hall said Lanett has a tough, hard-nosed team that will show up ready to play, and that he hopes the new scoreboard will help generate an atmosphere that puts Loachapoka in the win column to start the season.
“They’re a great rival for us, and they’ve had our number the last couple years,” Hall said. “We scheduled this game because we struggle sometimes in the playoffs against tougher teams. I know [Lanett head coach R.J. McDonald] is always going to have those guys ready to go. It’s going to be a tough game, so I wanted to open up with a tougher opponent to help us down the road. It’s going to be a great atmosphere and a great ball game.”
