Although the Silver Lake High boys football team did not come out on top in their bout against Plymouth North on Friday, Oct. 5 (25-6 loss), there was a special moment for the Silver Lake community prior to the contest.
The game marked the first time the Lakers were able to play a home game under the lights on a Friday night since last season. That’s because the school’s new lights for Anthony F. Sirrico Athletic Field were finally hoisted up and put in place earlier this month.
Earlier in the year, there were questions as to how this would end up happening. The school committee had just a $100,000 budget for the project, but their officials estimated that such an endeavor would cost more than $300,000. Fortunately, however, members of the community stepped up big time.
Silver Lake High boys’ basketball coach Olly deMacedo, a Silver Lake alum himself, works for Boston Sand and Gravel and because of this, he was generous enough to donate his time to help erect the poles. Liddell Brothers of Halifax also gave their time to help set up the poles while Matt Glynn of Glynn Electrical in Plymouth worked on the electrical hookups for the lights.
deMacedo also organized a GoFundMe page called “Light up the Lake” over the summer which raised more than $25,000 thanks to members of the community chipping in additional capital.
As a result of these efforts, the Lakers were able to knock down the price and can now play night games on their home field yet again. This not only helps the football team in the fall, but also the soccer teams and field hockey team. In the spring, the lacrosse teams as well as the outdoor track and field team also play their home games on the field.
Had the Lakers not gotten new lights, they would have joined a group of just two of the 29 other South Shore schools who do not play on Friday nights: South Shore Vo-Tech and Holbrook/Avon.