The start of practice for the 2017 Bridgeport High School football season is more than a month away, but there’s already been a schedule change. BHS Assistant Principal and Athletic Director Matt DeMotto confirmed that a scheduling conflict has forced a date change.

 

DeMotto said that the Indians game with East Fairmont will not be played on Friday, Sept. 8 as originally scheduled. It’s been moved to Thursday, Sept. 7.

 

The kickoff for the game will remain at 7 p.m. The contest will still be held at East-West Stadium.

 

Unlike past games that have been moved to Thursday, this one has nothing to do with an event or a broadcast. DeMotto said the Bees’ home venue was basically double booked for a game Friday.

 

“East Fairmont share the stadium with Fairmont Senior and sometimes scheduling conflicts can’t be avoided. When that happens, the only way to handle it is for one team to play Thursday and one to play Friday,” said DeMotto.

 

DeMotto said he would caution anyone being critical of the move. And he said it has nothing to do with poor planning.

 

“Scheduling is difficult enough when you have one high school team using a field so it’s not nearly as easy with two schools as saying that you’ll just play a home game there every other week,” said DeMotto. “They have to deal with scheduling issues beyond their own because of the (Big 10) conference setup. I can assure you for any school that piecing together a 10-game schedule in 11 weeks is difficult.”

 

That doesn’t mean it’s the best case scenario. DeMotto said he personally prefers, and believes most do, for games to be played on Friday.

 

“That’s me personally, but that’s the tradition. It also throws the week of preparation off because Monday is tossed, which is usually the junior varsity game the prior Monday,” DeMotto said.

 

Bridgeport is no stranger to Thursday games, although they do remain a rarity. In recent years, the Indians have played on Thursday more than once for live broadcasts of their game on WDTV. The Tribe also recently played on Thursday against Elkins as part of the Forest Festival activities.

 

Editor's Note: Top photo shows Chapin Murphy after scoring a touchdown, while Coach Josh Nicewarner talks with Maverick Eddy before sending him into the game. Photos from 2016 by www.benqueenphotography.com.