Tavares High School’s upcoming football game against South Lake High has been rescheduled to 5pm on Thursday after a malfunction in the stadium’s lighting system rendered the field unusable for nighttime play.

(Tavares has one of the best football team’s the school has produced since 2019. If attending the game on Thursday make sure to stay hydrated as the start time is at 5pm.)

The decision was made after school officials discovered that the stadium lights, essential for the first home game of 2024, were not functioning properly. After further inspection it was determined that the lights could not be restored in time for the game on Thursday night.

(Normally games are played under the lights as you see here. Unfortunately the lighting system at the Tavares High football field has failed leading to the game being forced to be played during the daytime.)

“We moved the game up to 5pm due to our stadium lights not working. We have the county and the power company actively working to resolve the situation.” says co-athletic director Trey Grant. “The goal is to be able to fit a whole game in by moving it up to 5pm. But so long as we get a half of football in, it is deemed an official contest. Should we not be able to get the game in due to weather, the game will then be pushed to a later date in the season.” says coach Grant.

(Like most typical high schools in Florida, there are four main light towers at Tavares High that provide lighting to the entire track & football field complex so night games can be played.)

The game will stil be held at Tavares High school but now it will be held at a much warmer time of day. Making sure the athletes stay hydrated will be key. Cramps can happen this time of year. With warmups likely starting at 3:30-4ish that’s going to have an impact. I know when I used to play, a night game was so much different than a game when the sun was beating down on you in full pads. It’s a much different experience for the players.

(Tavares High has started the year off strong. This team is poised for big things in 2024. No lights, no problem for this team!)

Tavares High School officials are working closely with the district to assess the extent of the lighting issue and to determine the necessary repairs. In the meantime, Tavares fully expects to play under the stadium lights for their September 13th game against Atlantic which remains at 7pm. Tavares High has a Bye week coming up and will not play next week.

Fans who planned to attend the game at Tavares High School should attempt to stay hydrated. As with any afternoon game, weather could play an issue as well. We hope that night games return to Tavares High as soon as mid September! Go Bulldogs!