Kent, Brooklyn hockey finals change day, venue from FirstEnergy Stadium to Brooklyn
Feb. 27—The original plan was to decide Greater Cleveland's two frozen four berths in high school hockey downtown at FirstEnergy Stadium on March 3.
Mother Nature had other plans, however.
In an email Feb. 27 shared with The News-Herald, Ohio High School Athletic Association hockey administrator Dustin Ware announced the Kent and Brooklyn regional finals — traditionally classified as district finals — will both be moved to Brooklyn one day later on Saturday, March 4.
The Brooklyn final between St. Ignatius and Padua will commence at 1 p.m.
The Kent final, with News-Herald coverage area squad University taking on Walsh Jesuit, will follow at 4:30 p.m.
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"From the start, the OHSAA has had a contingency plan in case weather would impact the ability to safely play any of the games at FirstEnergy Stadium." Ware wrote in the email. "Fortunately, the weather this past weekend cooperated (minus the delay due to the sunset).
"However, with the impending forecast for Friday, we feel it is necessary to move the remaining Regional Final games indoors."
That forecast is calling for up to five inches of snow, which of course would have adversely impacted the ability to play at an outdoor rink.
Fans for the St. Ignatius-Padua game will be asked to exit Brooklyn as soon as possible after the game in order for the rink to be cleared and prepared for the US-Walsh game.
The capacity limit for each game has been put at 1,800, set by Brooklyn local fire code.
Fans who purchased tickets to the games at FirstEnergy Stadium will be notified of the changes through Hometown Ticketing.
Ware noted in the email that Kent State was not available for use.
"The schedule adjustment is not something that is new, and was always the 'contingency schedule' due to rink availability at the Brooklyn Rec Center," Ware wrote.
This will be the second time in three years that Brooklyn has served as the host for both regional hockey finals. With Kent out of operation amid the novel coronavirus pandemic, Brooklyn hosted both games in 2021 as well.
Brooklyn hosted both Cleveland districts up to 2003, when the East Side bracket was shifted to Kent.
