Wind Damage Forces Upperman To Replace Stadium Lights

Upperman High School must replace all four football stadium light poles after severe wind damage in May.

Principal William Stepp said the wind completely pushed over the southeast pole while damaging the rest.

“They x-rayed the poles and checked out the poles. There was another one with a crack in it, and each one had a flaw of some sort in it,” Stepp said. “So, they made a 150 foot area around each of the poles that we could not be around.”

Stepp said Upperman wants to have the poles replaced by the first home game in September. The light poles stood since 2003 when the stadium was constructed.

“I believe John Magura is working on the timeline and all the details with the company of getting the new poles up,” Stepp said.

Stepp said school board has approved the project after insurance and engineers evaluated the poles. Currently, all four light poles are laying on the ground for safety concerns.