FILE PHOTO
Manning Field has been tabbed to host a number of state tournament games this fall.
By KATIE MORRISON
The weather is getting colder and fall sports are wrapping up, but the staff at Manning Field is still plenty busy.
It was recently announced that Manning Field would be the site of what is perhaps the premier event in high school sports in Eastern Mass.: the MIAA Division 1 Super Bowl between Xaverian and Everett.
Before that, Manning will host four of eight soccer state championships Saturday in a full day of soccer that begins at 11 a.m.
After that will be the annual Classical-English powderpuff game. For Thanksgiving festivities, Tech will host Austin Prep Wednesday night at 6:30, and the Rams and Bulldogs will face off Thanksgiving morning at 10.
That’s all in the leadup to the biggest event of the year, which Manning and Fraser fields facilities manager Rich Avery says will be a sort of showcase for all Lynn has to offer.
“I kind of like the action of it … the big games and the crowd and showing off what Lynn has to offer with these two fields,” Avery said. “Lynn has a little bit of everything: the ocean, woods and all these things in between.”
Avery says he was pleasantly surprised when he found out Manning would be the site of the Super Bowl, and former facilities manager John Kasian and St. Mary’s athletic director Jeff Newhall were instrumental in pitching Manning as one of the “premier places to host such a game.”
So what is it about the stadium that makes it the hot spot for tournament games?
Avery says it’s a lot of things: the amount of seats (4,500), the ample parking and even just having Fraser Field next door.
Manning has hosted two state semifinal soccer games, all eight North final soccer games, and 10 other tournament soccer games. That’s on top of three football tournament games (St. Mary’s in the D3A North quarters, semis and final).
So now, there’s an end in sight, and it seems fitting that the biggest event would come last.
“Definitely it’s a culmination of the whole season,” Avery said. “I have a great staff that works with me to make the event hospitable without any drama or anything like that. I have no doubt it will be a game that everyone enjoys.”
Katie Morrison can be reached at [email protected].