By HARVEY SIMPSON
Dispatch Sports Editor
CORDELE — With tickets to Friday’s Class A state championship game between Wilcox and ECI, selling like hot cakes on a cold January morning, the decision has been made to move the contest here. Kickoff time remains at 8 p.m.
“When we realized how high the ticket demand was golng to be in both communities involved, our administration felt the best option was to move the game to a location we felt would still seem almost like a home game and Cordele was the perfect spot,” Patriot coach Mark Ledford said.
“If we can’t play in Rochelle, Cordele is about as close as we can get to it. Plus, it’s a great stadium. Our kids are comfortable playing there (having visited Crisp in each of the last two years for preseason scrimmages) and are familiar with the surroundings.”
Georgia High School Association representative Steve Figueroa said the state fire marshal’s was going to cut ticket sales off at 5,000 had the game stayed in Rochelle.
That would have meant a lot of fans would not have gotten to attend the contest and over half that number fortunate enough to be in attendance would have been forced to stand since Donnie Clack Stadium only seats 2,088.
“That’s another reason we seriously began to consider moving the game,” Ledford said. “We didn’t want any of our fans and family members to miss out on the opportunity to witness the first football state championship game in the 52-year history of our school.”
Both schools initially sold out their allotted 2,000 tickets and were later given another 500 due but still could not meet the demand.
In Wilcox’s case, about half of its first 2,000 tickets were actually purchased by fans from neighboring counties which meant some of the Patriot players had family members who were without tickets.
“There were also going to be many members of both communities who had supported the teams all year long but were not going to be able to get into the stadium and we didn’t want that to happen either.”
With Crisp County’s Cougar Den having a capacity in excess of 5,600, most of the seating problems have been resolved. However, there still figures to be a lot of fans standing as Ledford said from all indications the game may draw as many as 8-10,000 spectators.
“With two good teams playing each other and with only one other Friday night game on tap (in Waycross where AAAA Ware County hosts Northside Warner Robins), fans from numerous south and middle Georgia cities are expected to attend our game,” Ledford said.
To familiarize Patriot players with the game setting, Ledford plans to send the Patriots through their normal Thursday walk-through session at the Crisp County stadium today.
An unlimited amount of game tickets will be available at the stadium for $10 each. Gates will open at 5 p.m.
Local news
Ticket demand leads Wilcox to move state title game here
- Local news
-
-
Business steady at inland port
Containers were being unloaded Tuesday from train cars parked at Cordele Intermodal Services on 13th Ave. E. Those containers will be transported to their destinations by truck.
-
Cordele police report a quiet Monday
City police officers logged an unusually quiet Monday, listing only two arrests on the daily press release provided news media members.
-
TV book changing to Sunday
Cordele Dispatch and Americus Times-Recorder readers will not find a TV book in their Thursday paper this week.
-
Ground broken Monday
-
Cordelean faces felony, traffic charges filed after chase
A 43-year-old local man has been charged with multiple offenses stemming from weekend incidents involving authorities in Crisp and Dooly Counties.
-
Fees set in Wilcox
Meeting in special session Thursday, Wilcox commissioners set qualifying fees for the 2012 election of constitutional officers in the county.
-
Tyson named business of the year
VIENNA — Tyson Foods of Vienna was honored as the Dooly County Chamber of Commerce Business of the Year during the organization’s annual dinner and meeting Thursday night.
-
Council seeks answers
BYROMVILLE — Not only members of the general public, but city officials here are having problems getting information about the town's financial status.
-
Suspected drug distributor arrested
CORDELE — Execution of a search warrant at 620 15th Ave. E. Thursday afternoon has led to the arrest of a 57-year-old resident for drug violations.
-
Teen Maze returning
For the third time in the last four years, Teen Maze is returning to Crisp County High School this spring.
- More Local news Headlines
-
Former Komen Exec Defends Funding Cut
Skip the Coffee Cup and Inhale Your Caffeine Fix
Calif. Gay Marriage Ban Ruled Unconstitutional
Jury Selection for Ex-UVa Athlete Enters 2nd Day
Raw Video: Giants Celebrate Another Super Bowl
Cab Driver Helps Wis. Family Escape House Fire
Greek Leaders Seek Deal As Bankruptcy Looms
Bernanke: Recovery Depends on Consumer Spending
Staff Removed at LA School During Abuse Probe
Eastwood in Super Bowl Ad 'Compassionate'
Stranded Fishermen Rescued From Bay of Green Bay
Analyst: Outside Troops Won't Intervene in Syria
Police: Father Planned Deadly Fire for Some Time
US, UK Pressure on Syria; More Homs Violence
Raw Video: Mass Killer Wants Medal, Freedom
Court Strips Contador of Tour De France Title
Runaway Goat Leads Police on Wild Chase
And the Winner for Best Super Bowl Ad Is...
Romney Latest Poll to Join Let-me-explain Club
