HANOVER TOWNSHIP, LUZERNE COUNTY (WBRE/WYOU) — A stadium renovation project leads to lead contamination, and a home field being closed for the season for students at one Luzerne County school district.
While it's not the season they expected, the school's student-athletes are staying positive.
Hanover Area School District Superintendent Nathan Barrett says when crews were removing paint from the stadium bleachers as a part of the 100-year celebration project, lead paint particles were accidentally spread to the locker room and some storage areas.
With that cleanup now being more intensive and taking longer than the administration anticipated, there will be no home football games for the rest of the year.
"So right now we have pulled the plug on every single home game that is scheduled at Memorial Stadium due to this environmental issue," said Barrett.
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Hanover Memorial Stadium won't be seeing Friday night lights for quite some time,
A lead particle cleanup and restoration forces the temporary closure of the school's home field for safety.
"I mean I was a little upset 'cause I've been playing on this field since I was younger," says Boehm.
Senior football player Noah Boehm says despite his disappointment, he is staying positive about the season.
"I'm just here to play some football, win some games, and just be a leader for the underclassmen," continued Boehm.
His teammates share a similar mentality.
"We just push each other you know we just stay positive and make sure we all got ourselves in check and make sure we just keep working not gonna let this affect and just keep grinding," stated Alamin Keshinro a junior.
Nearby school districts have stepped up, offering their fields for the team to use for games.While it's a change, players say they are keeping school spirit alive.
"Well, we're just staying motivated. We have the fans that keep us motivated and we stick together and we win," added Logan Richardson a freshman.
The football team plays an away game Friday night, and their homecoming game next week will be played at Tunkhannock.
