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Schools

Main Street Parade Highlights Tonight's BAHS Stadium Opening

A downtown parade to begin at 6:30 p.m. is the signature event of tonight's pregame ceremonies to officially open the new stadium at Bel Air High School. The game against Harford Tech will begin at 7:30 p.m.

It is not often that the state allows traffic to go the wrong way on Main Street, but the parade preceding the official opening of Bel Air High School's new multi-purpose stadium qualifies as one of those occasions.

Beginning at 6:30 p.m., a collection of floats and vehicles carrying town commissioners and student-athletes will make its way from the Bel Air Elementary School to the high school.

At 7:30 p.m. the Bobcats will host Harford Tech High School.

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Bel Air High School Principal Joseph Voskuhl said the students and community deserve the new facility, which seats 2,200 people.

"It's nice to have a first class facility for the athletes," Voskuhl said. "And for the whole community because parks and rec will be using the facility also."

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Voskuhl credited the school's booster club for coordinating the parade during the school's busiest time of year.

"I give [them] all the credit," Voskuhl said. "They've organized the whole parade."

Dave Huryk is in his first year as head coach of the Bobcats football team, but said that the opening of the new stadium is all about the students.

"These kids have waited for this for so long," Huryk said. "It could be anybody as head coach—it has nothing to do with me at all."

Tonight's game, however, will not be the first one played in the new stadium. The Bobcats hosted Franklin last week in a 31-12 loss. Huryk and Voskuhl both said that the parade was scheduled for the second week against Harford Tech for two reasons: to work through any kinks at the stadium and to preserve the grand opening for a local rivalry.

"We wanted to make sure that we felt pretty confident that by [today] everything would have passed inspection," Voskuhl said. "On the safe side, that's why we picked this game, and also it's a county opponent."

Voskuhl said that everything went as planned and that the team has been practicing in the stadium since Aug. 15, the first day that Harford County public schools can start organized sports activities.

Added Huryk: "There were some logistical things that needed to be worked out before you could have a massive crowd come in so I think it was probably a wise decision to hold off."

Voskuhl also added that the town's cooperation has been essential.

At the Aug. 31 Board of Commissioners work session, Chief of Police Leo Matrangola said the town was "trying to keep [the parade] short."

Because town officials and parade organizers hope the parade will take no longer than 30 minutes, the commissioners will drive, instead of walk.

Commissioner Terence Hanley will be in his own vehicle while the remaining four commissioners plan to ride together in Commissioner Edward Hopkins' car.

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