By: Ainsley Hall
HEDGESVILLE — Hedgesville High School celebrated its new turf field Friday evening as the football team played its first home game of the season. During the game, the school recognized everyone who played an integral role in building the new field while also taking the time to remember Ben Mercia, an important member of the school community who recently passed away.
After a sinkhole destroyed part of the field last year, the football team was left to find other fields to play on. As a part of the Berkeley County Schools 2022 Bond projects, Hedgesville High School was already planning for a new turf field. Now after a year has passed, the football team has finally returned to their home turf. School Principal Angie Milliman talked about what this new field means to the Hedgesville High School community.
“Last year Hedgesville High School had an unfortunate situation where a sinkhole made it unsafe to use the field,” she said. “This is the first home game we’ve had in over a year, and it’s really rejuvenated the community’s love of the school. It’s the culmination of many people who have worked hard over several years to finally make this field a reality.”
The students themselves were all excited to finally see and use the finished field. Seniors Jadyn Macher, Bryana Ryder, Nicholas Wood, and Noah Brown which just a few of the students who came to the game to support their classmates and represent their school.
“We’re all really excited,” Brown said. “We haven’t had a game here in a year because of the sinkhole, but even before the field was barely used by other teams. Just today it was used by some of the soccer teams and other events.”
Before the game began, the school held a special ceremony to recognize Ben Merica who recently passed away. Merica came to Hedgesville High School in 1980 and worked as a teacher until he retired in 2019. For 40 years he dedicated his life to the students and became an important figure in the community. Not only was he a teacher, but he also coached many different sports teams including varsity baseball.
Later that evening, they recognized everyone who played a part in putting the new field together for students. The school community was excited to once again come together and celebrate this new chapter.
“We are thrilled,” Milliman said. “It feels like we’re finally home, which has been a recurring theme this year. Everybody has rallied around this new symbol for our school.”