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The PIAA boys’ and girls’ lacrosse championships, typically held at Hersheypark Stadium, will move to West Chester East High in June to accommodate a Beyoncé concert, according Melissa Mertz, associate executive director of the PIAA.
Beyoncé, the internationally renowned singer and performer, was booked for June 12 in Hershey. The lacrosse finals were slated for June 11.
“I just joked around saying, ‘What lacrosse isn’t as sexy as Beyoncé?’ ” said Mertz, laughing.
As first reported by Lancaster Online, the lacrosse finals will still be held on June 11 in West Chester East’s Zimmerman Stadium.
“They booked Beyoncé, and with that came the fact that they needed everything the whole weekend, the setting of the stage and everything,” Mertz said. “They came to us and asked if we’d be willing to work with them on that and we said, ‘Yeah, not a problem.’ ”
Although the PIAA also had other sites in mind, Mertz said she spoke to Sue Cornelius, West Chester East athletic director, at a recent District 1 meeting, and Cornelius “jumped on it right away.”
Dominance by District 1 and 12 teams in the lacrosse finals played a role.
The lacrosse finals have been held at Hersheypark Stadium since 2009. In that time, District 12 and District 1 schools have won every boys’ and girls’ title.
“If you look at that area, we know that lacrosse is dominated from District 1 and District 12, so we were OK with moving it East,” Mertz said. “Make it easier for the schools, less travel for the schools.”
Read more at http://www.philly.com/philly/sports/high_school/20160423_PIAA_lacrosse_championships_moved_to_West_Chester_East.html#a5b1Ch76JZJ4Hc3d.99
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