PIAA District III Makes Change to Championship Venues for 2024 Fall Season
For the past two seasons, Cumberland Valley’s Eagle View turf stadium played host to the PIAA District III soccer championships, as Landis Field played host to the field hockey championships. In the 2024 fall season, a change will be made with new venues playing host to the postseason events.
Central Dauphin high school will play host to the boys and girls soccer championships in 2024. The games are slated to be hosted at Central Dauphin’s turf field on campus in Linglestown, not the historic Landis Field, which has hosted many sports and events over the years in Harrisburg. Central Dauphin School District made major upgrades to their facilities including $560,000 spent at Central Dauphin High School.
The facility upgrades included the installation of lights, allowing the turf field to host home games at night, and now host District III championships at night as well.
“Playing under the lights is a special and emotional type of feel,” said Sammy Widnick at an initial school board meeting. Widnick is now a freshman goalkeeper f0r Drexel’s women’s soccer team.
On the field hockey side, Mechanicsburg will host the three District III finals, instead of Landis Field, where it’s been for the past three seasons. Mechanicsburg is no stranger to hosting plenty of events, including a PIAA lacrosse quadruple header in the quarterfinal round earlier this summer. John H. Frederick field will be the site for the events.
Mechanicsburg athletic direcor Seth Pehanich expressed his excitement in a statement, saying "Mechanicsburg is excited to host the field hockey District III Championships in November at Memorial Park Stadium. Over the last five years the stadium has seen significant renovations and to be able to showcase some of the best field hockey in the country is a great opportunity."
According to information on the PIAA District III website, the football championships will still be held at the higher seed in each bracket.
While the PIAA District III committee assignments are not available on the district’s website, in 2023-24, Central Dauphin athletic director was the girls and boys soccer committee chair. Mechanicsburg athletic director served as boys basketball committee chair.
This article will update from comments from both athletic directors when/if they become available.
The District III Championship schedule is as follows:Boys/Girls Soccer: Central Dauphin High School
Boys 2A - Oct. 30 (time TBD)
Boys 1A - Oct. 30 (time TBD)
Girls 1A - Oct. 30 (time TBD)
Boys 3A - Oct. 31 (time TBD)
Girls 3A - Oct. 31 (time TBD)
Girls 4A - Nov. 2 (time TBD)
Girls 2A - Nov. 2 (time TBD)
Boys 4A- Nov. 2 (time TBD)
Field Hockey: Mechanicsburg High School
1A - Nov. 2 at 11:00 AM
2A - Nov. 2 at 1:00 PM
3A - Nov. 2 at 3:00 PM