For the last three seasons, the combined football team of Adrian High School and Jordan Valley High School has scheduled and played home games while daylight is still shining brightly. Due to a lighting problem at the field, games needed to end before darkness came upon the game.
“We had no choice and had to schedule games during the day,” said Adrian Superintendent Kevin Purnell. “We did have fans unable to attend due to jobs and having all the games during the day just was not the same.”
That is about to change.
On the home opener on September 13 versus Crane, game time is scheduled for 7 p.m.
The Lopes will once again play under the lights. In fact, Adrian/Jordan Valley will take the field against the Mustangs under a new lighting system currently being installed.
The old lights, installed in 1954, had a particular problem. As bulbs burned out, Adrian could not find replacement bulbs. Over the years, fans would notice the stack of lights on the poles becoming dimmer and dimmer.
“No one had those bulbs any longer,” Purnell said. “We searched all over and they just were not made any longer.”
The old lights have an interesting story, one that cannot be verified. Rumor around town is the lights were donated to the school after a professional stadium in California updated their system and shipped the lights to Oregon. Attached to giant wooden poles, the lights have done their job since 1954.
As the lights burned out, generators were brought to the games with attached lights. Antelope fans can recall passes thrown into the end zone with the outcome unknown until the official emerged from the dark corner to signal a completion or incomplete pass.
“We just came to the point where it was too dark on the field so we switched to day games,” said Purnell.
Throughout all this, Adrian has been putting aside a little money each year. Combined with donations from the community and donated labor, the new lights were purchased and are currently in the process of installation.
“This is what our school board wanted to do,” Purnell said. “We had some carryover and with the community offering donations, we were able to start the process of installing the lights. We could not have done this without everyone supporting this project and stepping up.”
As of Friday, the bases are installed and the new poles are ready. The new system will be ready for the Crane matchup.
“We are excited to once again play on Friday nights and under the lights,” said Purnell. “Football is important in Adrian and we want the fans to once again enjoy a Friday night game.”
See an update to this article here: UPDATE – Under the lights at Adrian
