By Myra Bean

Before a game has been played on the South Panola’s newly finished field, vandals have struck.

Over the weekend, head coach Lance Pogue reported to principal Dr. Gearl Loden that one of the goal posts had been defaced and one bag of the chipped rubber used to cushion the field had been ripped open and upended.

In turn the gates leading to the track have all been locked to the public.

“This is a case where a few miscreants can cause grief for a whole lot of people,” Loden said.

This is the second time in a few months that the school has had to limit activities going on in the football world.

During the season, t-shirts and balls were thrown into the home crowd following a touchdown. A fan reported an injury following one of those incidents and threatened legal action, Loden said last year.

As a result, no one is allowed to throw items into the crowd during football games.

Loden did say to those who use the track that school property is still open for walkers to walk around Batesville Middle School, Batesville Jr. High and the high school.

Whether the public will be allowed to walk on the field at any and all hours again has not been decided. Pogue was out of town at a coach’s clinic this week and not available for questioning.

Season Tickets

Season tickets for the 2008 season will go on sale Wednesday, July 24 through August 5 for current season ticket holders. Season tickets will go on sale for the general public on Wednesday, August 6. Tickets will be $55 for the five home games.

General admission tickets will be $5 per game except the September 19 home game against Apopka, Fla. That game will be televised and South Panola will use the funds to help offset the cost of Apopka traveling to Batesville. The general admission price for that game will be $10.

Some chairback seats will be available for $75, but Loden does not know how many as of yet. The pressbox is in the process of being constructed and that number will not be known until the pressbox space is determined.

Loden also said the school has ordered 1,000 yard signs that will have a blue background and say “South Panola Pride.” Each season ticket holder will receive a yard sign. There will be signs for sale to the general public.

“All the South Panola area will have signs everywhere,” Loden said.

Homecoming has been set for October 10 against Columbus.