The football team at Carterville High School looms on the edge of its opening game for the 2008 fall season, but this season will also be ushering in the opening of the new stadium. The new stadium, located near Tri-C Elementary School, has been usable for about a year now in some capacity, including being used for track and field meets and practices, and as early as fall of 2007 when the varsity football team was allowed to practice on the new field before the quarterfinals game to give the graduating seniors last year a chance to use the field. According to Todd Rogers, vice principal and athletic director at Carterville High School, the new athletic facilities were part of a referendum passed in 2003 which included funding for three separate projects, one of which was the new athletic facilities. The other two include improvements to the middle school, and building a new high school which is waiting on additional funding from the state. As of now though, there is no set date to begin construction on the high school. Though some construction still remains, such as the entrance and the parking lots being completed, Rogers said he thinks the facilities are great and the community really deserves them. “It’s been a group effort, we’ve had a lot of individuals put in a lot of time to make it a great facility.” The scoreboard at the old stadium had weathered paint and some rust on it, whereas the new stadium boasts brand new scoreboards, stadium lights, and new structures. - Dan Celvi