In clash of Halloween and Friday football, some towns punt

By ROBERT CONNELLY

rconnelly@vindy.com

YOUNGSTOWN

With Halloween falling on a Friday this year, local governments had to decide when to schedule festivities while high schools close out their seasons or continue the playoff hunt.

Communities try to schedule trick-or-treat times similar to those in nearby places, Niles city secretary Bonita Marchiote explained, pointing to Howland, Warren and Girard as communities with which they frequently schedule at the same time.

Niles and Warren, however, moved their trick-or-treat hours to 5 to 7 p.m. Thursday, while Girard has the same times on Friday.

“We try to be fair to our residents, and we try to keep all of ours the same hours,” she said. “You do get the other communities [coming in]. If you are on a different day, they [trick-or-treaters] will get dropped off in car loads.”

She said Friday is Niles’ last game, and it’s against rival Howland.

Meanwhile, Austintown Fitch has gotten creative with having trick or treat and Fitch versus Cardinal Mooney on the same night.

Superintendent Vincent Colaluca told the Austintown Board of Education that he and Fitch Principal Chris Berni worked out a trick or treat at the game for kids. Elementary-school children dressed in costumes can go to tables set up at Fitch from 6:30 to 7:15 p.m. Friday.

Kickoff for Fitch-Mooney is 7:30 p.m. in the non-conference match-up.

The school district said this arrangement would not affect the township’s trick-or-treat hours, 5 to 7 p.m. Friday. Youngstown has the same hours for city children.

However, Canfield city and township decided to push their trick-or-treat back to Saturday from 6 to 8 p.m.

Austintown, which traditionally had the candy-collecting at that time “... decided to move it up from 5 to 7 p.m. to accommodate the folks that couldn’t be in attendance or wanted to go to the football game so they could get the best of both worlds,” said Trustee Jim Davis.

For Canfield Township, pushing trick-or-treat back a day has affected a program it began with the Mahoning County Sheriff’s Office three or four years ago, Trustee Marie Cartwright said. It involved township officials riding with members of the sheriff’s office and handing out bags of candy to township residents.

She did say the program will be back next year, and “we look forward to continue it next year.”

Girard also is having trick- or-treat hours before its football game Friday, but Mayor James J. Melfi said the city didn’t consider moving the times to another day due to football.

SDLqWe get calls in the office all the way back in August, July by working mothers wanting to know ... when it will be held because they have to schedule when they have to have off,” the mayor said.

He was quick to point out that over the past 20 years, this has not changed.

Girard did move up its trick or treat from 5 to 7 p.m. to 4 to 6 p.m. to help with those wanting to attend the Friday night game, with kickoff at 7 p.m.

“If you turn out [your home’s] lights at 6 p.m., you will be able to drive or walk to the stadium in 15 minutes,” Melfi said.

Poland village and township both backed up their times to 4 to 6 p.m. Saturday. Canfield and Poland football rivals square off Friday night.

Poland football head coach Mark Brungard said his teams have played on Halloween over the years. “I’m actually surprised more communities aren’t moving” trick-or-treat hours, he said.

He also mentioned there is a community bonfire Thursday, the game Friday and then trick or treat Saturday.

“It does make you feel like what you are doing matters to the community,” Brungard said. “I’m excited and proud that there is a buy-in from the community for that game.”

Canfield head football coach Mike Pavlansky said, “We are appreciative of the township and the city to push back Halloween one night so [residents] can come to the game.”

Campbell, Girard, Liberty, Columbiana, Salem and Austintown all have trick or treat Friday, and high schools in those areas have home games. Fitch is the only one with a later kickoff time at 7:30 p.m. Friday.

Campbell Mayor William J. VanSuch is wrestling with the idea of changing trick or treat hours in his city. He said council passed legislation a few years ago leaving the decision up to the mayor if they were to be moved from Oct. 31.

He said surrounding communities Lowellville and Poland both changed their schedules, and he has been getting feedback from residents.

“The majority of my calls are from people that have a child that is a senior or is working the game,” VanSuch said.

Friday is Campbell’s annual senior night for its football team.

“This could have been avoided if ... when they made the football program months ago, they could have said: ‘Hey, Halloween is this day,’” VanSuch said.

He added that he still hasn’t decided on whether to change the trick-or-treating hours. Campbell is still set for 5 to 7 p.m. Friday.