Barons Have Two A-Turf Homes

Lancaster County, PA – Bob May chuckled into the phone this week when it was mentioned that Hersheypark Stadium, the home turf of his Hershey Trojan football team, has become a home-away-from-home for Mike Williams and his Manheim Central squad. “Well, they think it’s their place,” May said of a Baron program that has won 15 district titles and one state championship on Hershey’s hallowed ground. “They’ve won more postseason games here than we have.” Williams didn’t dispute the notion that Central feels just as much at home in Hershey as it does on its own Elden Rettew Field. Perhaps even more so now that both stadiums share the same A-Turf field. “I don’t think going back to Hershey will hurt us at all,” said Williams, whose Barons blanked Lower Dauphin in Hersheypark Stadium two weeks ago and make a return trip tonight to take on the Trojans. “But I don’t think we play well just because we’re next to the Wildcat (rollercoaster ride) and Chocolatetown,” Williams added. “We still have to prepare and execute.” Preparation and execution have fueled the fast starts of several other unbeaten L-L teams, including Lampeter-Strasburg, which hosts Garden Spot tonight in the Pioneers’ home opener. “Being in front of our home crowd on “˜Football Friday,’ hopefully we can channel that (into positive energy),” L-S coach John Manion said.