Sports

Problems with MHS Bleachers Force Move of Mid-Valley Division Title Game to Arcadia

Monrovia-Whittier Christian set to kickoff at 7:30 p.m. Saturday.

Due to a design flaw with its new visitors' bleachers, Monrovia missed out on a chance to host Saturday's CIF Southern Section Mid-Valley Division title game against Whittier Christian.

As reported by the Pasadena Star-News, Whittier Christian's athletic director and principal along with CIF officials toured Monrovia's stadium Tuesday to determine if the Wildcats' home was a suitable place for the title game.

And after a meeting between the involved parties, Monrovia principal Darvin Jackson told Monrovia Patch that CIF decided it would be best to hold the game elsewhere. The game will now be played at Arcadia High School. Game time is 7:30 p.m. Saturday.

"The visitors' bleachers are basically at field level for at least 50 yards," Jackson said. "So those people who were sitting in between the 25 (yard line) cannot see over the players and coaches. So CIF determined the functionality of the bleachers were not adequate to hold the championship."

Jackson said that the bleachers essentially were the only issue that prevented the Wildcats from hosting the game.

"For the most part we were 90 percent of the way there and the bleachers were what nixed the deal," Jackson said. "There was nothing as a site that I could do. That's a manufacturer's (error)."

Adding to Monrovia's frustrations is the fact that the visitors' bleachers are new--a product of renovations made to the stadium earlier this year. Jackson said the issue with the stands is being addressed, but he said that permanent raised bleachers need DSA approval, which takes time. He did say, however, that there shouldn't be a problem with the bleachers next season.

But nothing could be done in time for Saturday's game that would have made Monrovia's stadium a viable option.

Jackson said the school planned to install additional bleachers along the visitors' sideline, which would have accommodated about 500 more people.

Monrovia's stadium currently has a capacity of 3,000--2,500 for the home team, 500 for the visitors.

Arcadia's stadium can host approximately 4,000 people.

According to Jackson, other sites considered were Pasadena City College, San Marino High School and Citrus College, which was unavailable.

Despite the change of venue, Jackson does not anticipate the Wildcats losing any support from their fans.

"They drove out to San Dimas (last Saturday) and it was standing room only," Jackson said. "This is just a jaunt, so I think we should be OK."


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