School hosts first football game since tornadoes ripped through field

GREENVILLE — People in Greenville could not believe it only took four months for crews to rebuild Harmon Stadium.

Hundreds came out to Greenville High School for Friday night’s game — a game they didn’t expect to see happen on home turf.

“Yeah, it was pretty crazy. Didn’t think it was going to hit our high school here and how much damage it was going to do to the turf,” Brently Huecker, a freshman at Greenville said.

Sky 7 shows the damage caused by tornadoes in May.

[DOWNLOAD: Free WHIO-TV News app for alerts as news breaks]

TRENDING STORIES:

• Man dead after shooting in Trotwood; suspect in custody
• Ohio grandma touted as “hero” by using a rock to stop an attack
• Online threat sparks increased police presence at local school district

Huecker said he remembers that night well.

Aaron Shaffer, Greenville High School athletic director, said he was shocked at how quickly crews got to work.

“We went from a virtual standstill to light speed in a matter of weeks,” Shaffer said.

He said getting the field ready for Friday’s game is about more than just high school football — it’s carrying on a tradition more than a century old.

“To get back into our stadium and into Harmon Field where football has been played there for over 100 years ... it’s important to our community, it’s important to our kids,” Shaffer said.

Fans hope the new field gives the team momentum for the rest of the season.

[SIGN UP: WHIO-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter]