Published: Friday, September 19, 2014, 12:01 a.m.
ARLINGTON — The Eagles are set to comedy their aboriginal football bold on the aerial school's new artificial-turf acreage Friday, and they're arena it in account of a student, amateur and acquaintance who died in the Oso mudslide.
Jovon "JoJo" Mangual, 13, was one of 43 bodies dead in the March 22 disaster.
Before Friday's game, players and admirers plan to beam a moment of blackout for the victims and account aboriginal responders during a fly-over by a accomplishment helicopter, said Andrea Conley, a backer for the academy district. The home aggregation additionally has a jersey to present to Mangual's family.
Visiting aggregation Eastside Catholic has been adopting money to accord to Arlington able-bodied programs in account of the mudslide victims. They've calm several thousand dollars so far affairs "Oso Strong" T-shirts, and that bulk will be akin by the Eastside Catholic Boosters Club, said academy backer Karen Hatch.
The NFL and ESPN additionally accept ability to present at the game.
The Arlington Academy Commune accustomed $200,000 from the NFL Foundation Grassroots Affairs and $25,000 from ESPN for upgrades to John C. Larson Stadium. The NFL admission is to advice awning the amount of putting in bogus turf, while the ESPN money is meant for added assignment at the stadium. The academy lath hasn't absitively which projects to tackle, but possibilities accommodate refurbishing the bleachers, acknowledgment stands, lighting, a scoreboard or fencing.
The Seattle Seahawks appear the awards Wednesday afternoon and are to present a analysis during halftime Friday, accompanied by the Sea Gals and the Blue Thunder drumline.
Arlington's bogus accommodation went in over the summer, replacing a grass acreage that was belled for accepting too clammy and addled to comedy on, Conley said.
"It's been hard," she said. "We've had to abolish some of the amateur in the accomplished and we couldn't let added clubs or groups comedy there."
The Arlington Academy Lath voted in February to accommodate the field. The $1 actor activity was approaching beneath the district's basic costs, so the grants chargeless up money for added work. The money is actuality redirected against roof aliment and approach backup at several Arlington schools, Conley said.
The $200,000 admission is allotment of $2.5 actor accustomed out this year about the country by the NFL Foundation Grassroots Program. The affairs provides money to adjustment football fields and accumulate contest safe and accessible, according to the NFL.
"It's not aloof for the aerial school," Conley said. "This is article for the absolute community."
Kari Bray: 425-339-3439, kbray@heraldnet.com.
Arlington Aerial Academy plays Eastside Catholic Academy Friday at 7 p.m. The bold is committed to Jovon "JoJo" Mangual, a apprentice and amateur who died in the Oso mudslide.
Title : Arlington football acreage gets new turf
Description : Published: Friday, September 19, 2014, 12:01 a.m. ARLINGTON — The Eagles are set to comedy their aboriginal football bold on the aerial scho...