COURTESY PHOTO The Herald
Kelsey Field was being dug up on opening day of the baseball/softball season. The topsoil that was removed was used to regrade the former Rockton Grade School property where the HCHS Rugby team practices.

When the Hononegah Indians baseball team returned to Weber field on opening day, the first game was played on new turf, surrounded by a stunning view.

Enhancing the style of the buildings a brick face was chosen to cover the dugouts and the backstops.

The girl’s softball dugouts are brand new.

“The baseball dugouts were original, we added the brick facing to the original concrete block structures. The brick chosen matches the rest of the campus buildings,” Superintendent Mike Dugan said.

“We have made a conscious effort to standardize the exteriors of the campus when able.”

The baseball field has a Hononegah ‘halo’ around home plate, graced in purple and gold, in remembrance of a former student athlete that passed away.

HCHS’s wood shop class constructed the new shed for the girls’ softball field.

The baseball storage building is original but was recently repaired and painted to match the color scheme of the campus, which is a two-tone Brown and Taupe.

The track storage building’s roof and metal exterior were replaced over the summer, and the football storage building was constructed last year.

Honoring former team successes, the baseballs that were added to the outfield fence signify conference, regional and sectional championships won in baseball program history.

The Hononegah School board approved the building and remodeling of the baseball diamonds at the January board meeting in 2024.

The project reached substantial completion in November last year.

The construction cost approved at the January 2024 board meeting was $2,134,500. The turf installation cost approved was up to $765,000.

“The district received higher than anticipated Corporate Personal Property Replacement Tax (CPPRT) and investment revenues in 2023 and 2024 to fund this project,” Dugan said.

Both the baseball and softball fields now have artificial turf supplied from a company called Midwest Sports Turf Systems.

The softball field also has a ‘H’ logo in the outfield that measures 42’ wide and 25’ high.

Girls softball at the Freshmen, JV and Varsity levels play on the fields named after former science teacher, and HCHS football and softball Coach, Steve Stromquist.

The Boys Baseball teams also play at the same levels.

Giving support and advice to players are: Head Baseball Coach- Matt Simpson and Assistant coaches, Mike Broderick, Pat Moore, Chirs Salberg, Mike Weeden, Mason Cheney, Zak Lampl, and Will Elliott.

The baseball/softball seasons began on March 3. The first game was played on March 18. The first softball game was played on March 24. The regular season ends on May 24.

The state tournament begins on May 26, ending with the state championship game on June 14. The state tournament is a single elimination tournament.

Board President David Kurlinkus said, “The renovation of our baseball and softball fields give our students a state of the art facility.

The softball project is also important in that the reconfiguration of the field allows the team to play on a regulation field, which can be used to host IHSA postseason games, which we were previously unable to do.

“These two projects and the football field renovation represent a long-term investment providing outstanding facilities for our students for many years.”

Prior to 1999 the Village of Rockton owned and managed the baseball and softball fields. In 1999 HCHS purchased and upgraded the facilities, which were ready for play during the 2000-2001 school year.

When football players return next season they will be playing on a new field.

Kelsey Field was named in honor of former HCHS science teacher and 24-year coach George Kelsey, with a long record of winning teams, including five SHARK conferences.

The football field was originally located along Union Street running as an east and west field.

Bleachers and lights on both sides were added. There was also a grass running track around the field.

Legend has it that Kelsey would tell his captains prior to the coin toss to make sure they defended the east end of the field in the second half, so they couldn’t move the ball offensively downhill to the west.

When the field was moved to its current location in 1961, it would continue to have a grass track around it until the 1973-74′ school year when an asphalt track was added.

The track was first rubberized prior to the 1980-81 school year.

Both the game and practice fields had sprinkler systems installed in the spring of 1982.

The game field was also given a crown for better drainage with cisterns placed in each corner of the end zones. The practice fields were also completely redone.

In the summer of 1983, stadium seating was expanded on the fields home side.

The next major renovation was done in 1995, prior to the football season.

New bleachers and press box were added to the home side. The visitors’ bleachers on the south side were expanded. The east and west sections of the visitors’ bleachers were moved from the home side during this expansion.

New lights and the sound system were updated.

The homestretch of the track was expanded to eight lanes.

With the construction of the dome in 2002, a 100-yard practice field and a 50-yard practice field, as well as three tennis courts, were lost.

The football program was faced with inadequate practice facilities having to use the backyard of the house that was on the southeast corner of Kocher Street and East Union Street and land behind First National Bank.

In the summer of 2005, the track had a major renovation.

The most recent upgrade to the track occurred during the 2019-2020 school year.

“The topsoil being removed from Kelsey will be used to regrade the former Rockton Grade School property where our Girl’s Rugby Team practices,” Dugan said.
“These renovations of the Softball and Baseball fields that were completed last year and replacing the playing surface this year of Kelsey Field and Track will enhance the overall experience of our students, athletes, and the greater community. This is an investment in the future of our district and community.”

 
 
 
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