By Joe Scalzo

Playing at home in the first round can be a mixed blessing

111He had three problems:

UMollenkopf was a mess.

UHis coach, Thom McDaniels, felt the field was unplayable.

UThe opponent was Cleveland St. Ignatius, which was not only the defending Div. I state champs but also the last team to beat the Raiders.

“We spent a whole week getting the field into playable shape,” said Trina. “We had drying agents, heaters, all our maintenance crew, helicopters flying over the field, contributions from local boosters. ...

“Everyone came together for a common cause.”

By Saturday, the field was playable, the Raiders won (eventually falling to Cincinnati Elder in the state final four weeks later) and Harding used that experience to help make a case for installing FieldTurf.

“To be a part of those kinds of things makes the business worthwhile,” said Trina. “It’s definitely the most rewarding playoff game I’ve been a part of.”

Since 1999, when the OHSAA expanded the playoffs to include eight teams in each region, teams in the top four of the computer ratings have hosted home playoff games in the first round.

It’s both a blessing and a burden for schools, who are faced with a huge list of responsibilities and just a few days to prepare.

“There’s a lot of paperwork involved,” said Poland athletic director Myron Stallsmith, whose team is hosting its first playoff game since 1999. “The biggest thing I’ve learned is, you’ve got to treat it like a regular game.”

The key, Stallsmith said, is to use your regular people so you don’t have to hire extra personnel. If you can get the same clock operators, ticket takers, chain gang members and security personnel you used in the regular season, it saves a lot of headaches.

The OHSAA covers the cost of using the facility, an amount that varies based on the stadium. (For instance, games at Stambaugh Stadium cost more than ones at small high school fields.)

It also covers the traveling costs for the opposing schools, reimbursing teams for mileage (players, band members and cheerleaders) as well as providing meal money and, if applicable, lodging.

Most of that money comes from ticket sales. For first round games, schools only keep $1.20 from each $7 presale ticket sold, about 17 percent. Tickets at the gate cost $9 — children 6 and under are free — and the OHSAA keeps all of that. Schools can charge up to $2 for parking and keep the concession sales.

“The only thing I don’t like is there’s no presale price for students,” said Stallsmith, who would like to see a $5 student presale. “That makes it tough if you have a couple kids and you have to pay the adult price for all of them. That can get pretty expensive, especially if they want to eat.

“I guess the best thing to do is load up before you get there.”

This is the first year Poland has had FieldTurf and Stallsmith said he will explore hosting later-round playoff games in the future, particularly since the Bulldogs will expand their seating in the offseason.

Mollenkopf, one of the first area stadiums with FieldTurf, has probably held about 50 playoff games over the past 35 years, Trina said, and he estimates he’s been the tournament manager for 20 of those.

Some of those have been for Harding and JFK first-round games, but a lot of them have been for neutral site games, such as last year’s second-round contest between South Range and Gilmour Academy.

When assigning neutral site games, the OHSAA considers several factors, including capacity, playing surface, parking, press box and locker rooms. Mollenkopf, which has a turf field with 14,000 seating capacity and a large press box, fares well in those categories, which is why it gets so many games.

“I think it’s been a source of pride for the community,” said Trina. “People have the opportunity to work another weekend and make some money. It makes the local police happy, the game workers happy and to work as a partner with the OHSAA is a privilege.

“You’re providing a venue for one of the better things that might happen in a kid’s lifetime. It’s well worth the work.”

Stallsmith said the biggest change over the past nine years has been in the amount of media coverage. He tries to accommodate everyone.

“You want to provide a state championship-type atmosphere, even though you’re not in that situation,” said Stallsmith. “It’s important to treat your guests with dignity and respect and hope they enjoy their experience.”

scalzo@vindy.com