Buggin' out

It has become an all-too familiar situation for schools and towns along the South Shore. The anticipation of playing football under Friday night lights is dashed as the board of health takes precautionary measures, ruling all outdoor activities must be completed by 6 p.m.

Call it the attack of the mosquitoes. It almost sounds like a cheesy movie we’d see on the Sci-Fi channel, but there is nothing funny about mosquito-borne viral diseases like Eastern equine encephalitis (EEE) or West Nile virus. Both can cause serious illness and even death, so it is clear that towns like Whitman, Abington, Duxbury, Cohasset, and Middleboro are acting with the best interests of its athletes and spectators in mind.

"God forbid a kid gets infected and something happens," said Duxbury coach Dave Maimaron, who has seen his team's home games moved from Friday nights to Saturday afternoons for the foreseeable future. While recognizing the importance of safety, Maimaron knows there are headaches associated with playing on Saturdays.

"It makes for an awfully long week," said Maimaron. "Instead of playing Friday, we're practicing. Then we have our game on Saturday, and, on Sunday, I’m meeting with my coaches."

It also wreaks havoc for the student-athletes, who have to adjust their schedules. Many seniors -- and even some juniors -- have trips planned on weekends to visit college campuses. Local visits can be switched to Sundays, but for out-of-state trips that required flight reservations, rescheduling is not so easy.

Week 1 presented its own set of problems. After practicing all week in relatively mild weather, temperatures shot up to the 90s on Friday and Saturday. While most games were played in the cool evening air on Friday, those that had been affected by the ban were forced to play in the sweltering conditions in the middle of the afternoon Saturday.

"We’re fortunate because we’re deep and in good condition," said Maimaron. "It takes its toll on some of the smaller programs."

The repercussions extend to more than just the football team, but to the entire athletic department. Most schools get the money from the gate, that is, those that pay to attend. Many schools have their booster clubs running the concession stands, and that money goes to the athletic department. With attendance down significantly for Saturday games, it only makes sense that the concessions would also be down.

What makes the matter even more frustrating is the fact that an exceptionally dry summer has decreased the number of mosquitoes. There are towns that are trying to get around the issue. Some schools continue to have games on Friday nights, but hand out insect repellent as you walk into the stadium.

Plymouth has ordered a ban on all outdoor activities after 6 p.m., which Plymouth South is abiding by, but Plymouth North is proceeding with its Friday schedule.

There is, of course, the issue of atmosphere. The book, the movie, and now the television show is, after all, called "Friday Night Lights." The crowds are bigger, the bands seem louder. For whatever reason, high school football just seems better on Friday nights.

"The kids want to play on Friday nights," said Maimaron. "It's tough. We have to wait until the first frost. Lat year we just got one game in, I think, in November. But we just can't take the risk."