Apr 23, 2020 3 min read

When Gov. Tom Wolf revealed his red-, yellow- an green-phased approach that will be used to reopen the state amid the coronavirus pandemic, McGuffey athletic director and football coach Ed Dalton had different colors in mind.

Dalton was thinking gray and blue.

In particular, the gray-colored turf, and a new blue running track that will surround the McGuffey High School football field. It’s a project that is scheduled to begin in less than one month, May 23.

It’s a project Dalton is hoping doesn’t get pushed back because of not having the construction permits. Government offices have been shut down in the wake of COVID-19, and McGuffey has only a permit for the turf. The district is still waiting on permits for the scoreboard and lights, which would generally precede any work done to the field or track.

“Hopefully, May 8 some of those offices will open,” Dalton said, referring to Wolf’s reopening target date. “Nothing else is holding us back if the construction companies can start working.”

If started on May 23, the project could be finished by June 12. It is scheduled to only take 20 working days, according to Dalton.

The field will have two-toned gray turf every five yards, blue end zones with “McGuffey” and “Highlanders” spelled out in gold on opposite ends. It will have a gold “McG” logo at midfield.

“It’s going to be really nice,” Dalton said. “Our old turf had 16 seasons played on it. It was time. It will be an eye-catching, branding type of situation for our athletes and school district. All our kids are really excited about it.”

If finished, workouts can’t begin on the new turf until July 1, the tentative date the PIAA set for workouts and activities to resume on school campuses. It leaves McGuffey with about two-and-a-half weeks of wiggle room, if obtaining the permits continues to be a problem.

The Highlanders’ football team returns 16 starters from last season and is expected to compete for a conference title in Class 2A. With the WPIAL’s new realignment, their conference features Beth-Center, Chartiers-Houston, Charleroi, Frazier, Washington and Waynesburg.

The opportunity to use the stadium if the construction and opening workout dates remain intact could be pivotal.

“We think one place that might take a long time to get back in is the weight room,” Dalton said. “We have a good size one, maybe 2,500 square feet. Having 60 or 70 kids, or even if we split them up, it’s still a hard building to keep up with. I don’t know what public gyms will do.

“We don’t have a gym every 10 feet out here. There is no doubt (having the field ready) would be important, especially in a district as widespread as ours. It’s for the activities for all of our sports. We would then be able to do more field-based activities.”