Zunardo wrote:Actually, sprinter14, this place WAS built with the intention to host playoff games - just not Division 1-size crowds - and it has paid off. This will be the 5th football playoff game we've hosted in 4 seasons, one of them a state semi-final. BTW, we also have hosted basketball tournament games for the past 2 seasons. Is our stadium absolutely perfect? No, but we think it's a very, very nice facility, plus we have a good staff and we do a pretty good job treating visitors as our guests - plus our accomodations for players on both teams are first-rate. And come on now - you KNOW HT seats a LOT more than Amanda Clearcreek's stadium.sprinter14 wrote:I can tell you now, Hamilton Township facility is not ideal for a D-IV game of this magnitude. I was there last year for the D-V game of Oak Hill and there was about half the seating that was needed. HT has almost NO following for their program, so they built bleachers to match their fan size. This place was not built with intention to host playoff crowds. It will hold a few more tham Amanda, but not much.
For visitors, the main parking lot is right off of Rathmell, backing up to the stadium. There is additional parking on the east side of the high school building (Lockbourne Rd side). There is a church on Rathmell next to the high school that will have their own parking lot and attendants (they are not affiliated with the high school or OHSAA). One thing to be aware of is that there is one permanent restroom facility which is on the home side, but there should be porta-johns located on the visitors’s side.
Ironton fans obviously have the longer route, but it is easy (and I like easy). Once you get to Chillicothe from the junction of US 23 and US 35:
- continue on US 23 heading north approximately 37 miles
- you will go through the light at the intersection of SR 317 / SR 665
- go past Scioto Downs and turn right at the light to Rathmell Rd, drive 1.7 miles to the school
- on Rathmell you will go through one traffic light (Parsons Ave), go past the Hamilton Education Center on the right, past a church on the right (parking previously mentioned), and the parking lot to the school will be on the right. NOTE: if the mapping apps direct you to turn east on SR 317 to Lockbourne, I would avoid that route because of heavy semi traffic on 317 going to and coming from the Rickenbacker Airport warehouses.
Johnstown fans (if there are any on this site), if you are coming around the east side of Columbus on I-270 and are unfamiliar with the Obetz area, I strongly recommend you go past the Alum Creek Dr exit and continue to the next exit , which is exit # 52 Bto US 23 south/Circleville. From there go 1.3 miles on US 23, and turn left at Rathmell, and go 1.7 miles to the school. Most of the map applications will route you to exit I-270 at Alum Creek Drive to Rathmell, which is closer, but the first intersection is usually congested, and there are 3 or 4 turns you have to take through Obetz and Reese, and it may be confusing, especially as it gets darker earlier. The US 23 route will be a mile or two longer but much simpler and easier.
If you travel early and want to stop for dinner in the southern Columbus area, simply go north on US 23 past Rathmell Rd, past the I-270 interchange, and you will see eating establishments on both sides of the road for the next 1.25 miles, culminating with the Ohio Deli of Food Network fame. The standard fast-food place are mostly on the left/west side of 23. Most of the sit-down restaurants will be on the right (east) side of the road: Bob Evans, a Chinese buffet, Mexican (Los Camperos, very nice), and a Ponderosa steakhouse buffet is on the left. If you want to go another mile further, there is a very nice Chinese place called the Rice Bowl on the right that I highly recommend, just before you hit SR 104.
Good luck to both teams!
Thanks for the info........
