Huron's turf project adds new 'pop'

HURON -- Huron football coach Sam Hohler has watched the daily progress of the synthetic turf project at Huron Memorial Stadium, but even he was surprised when he saw the finished product. "It's incredible. You didn't realize how faded the colors were on the old field," Hohler said. The green and red really pop." Maumee Bay Turf Center finished installing the new turf Thursday, replacing a surface that had been in play since 2008. The $400,000 project was paid for by Mucci Farms, which has its logo on the field and signage at the stadium. The project took less than three weeks from start to finish. "It's a gem. It exceeded my expectations," said Huron athletic director Steve Camella, who lauded Maumee Bay's "craftsmanship." "The Tigers are now playing on the choice of 14 NFL franchises, insuring player safety and longevity," Maumee Bay owner Brad Morrison said. "(Huron booster club vice president) Amy Springer, (president) John Ruf and Steve Camella were awesome to work with. We thank the Huron community for placing their trust in us." Maumee Bay will finish up a stadium project in Norwalk later this month. The new field at Huron will feature lines for soccer for the first time and the Tigers' boys and girls teams will play some matches at the stadium. "I'm really happy for the school and community," Huron boys soccer coach Matt Asher said. "The field looks absolutely beautiful." The first scheduled game on the new turf is Huron's football opener Aug. 28 vs. St. Paul.