SANTA CLARA, CA -- The Levi's Stadium prep doubleheader saga changed dramatically on Friday, with the August 29 doubleheader involving two area schools canceled. The culprit was the $1.3 billion stadium's turf which was torn up Wednesday following an aborted 49ers practice and will be replaced for Sunday's 49ers' exhibition game against the Chargers.
The development also nixed the prep twin bill set for Levi's five days later that had Wilcox meeting Manteca at 4:30 p.m. and De La Salle taking on Jesuit-Carmichael at 8 p.m. But by 3 p.m. Friday, the 49ers had made amends to a degree, scheduling four games at Levi's October 10-11 involving even more schools than before.
Manteca assistant coach and Bellarmine Prep grad Jerry Walser took to Social Media to express his feelings about the shift that will now have Manteca playing Wilcox at 7 p.m. October 29 at Wilcox.
Wrote Walser: "Nobody knows the Buffs/Levi's Stadium roller coaster saga better than I do. I have literally shed tears of joy and disappointment multiple times. ... The 49ers have stepped up big to resolve this dilemma. Now eight high school teams will be 'Living the Dream' and playing at Levi's Stadium."
Among those will be Wilcox which will have its October 10 game against rival Santa Clara switched to a 4:30 p.m. game at Levi's, with Elk Grove vs. Jesuit-Carmichael to follow at 8 p.m.
Then on October 11, Manteca meets Oakdale at noon at Levi's and De La Salle tackles Logan at 3:30 p.m.
Yet to be determined is the site of the DLS vs. Jesuit-Carmichael game on August 29.
"I'm OK with it," said Wilcox coach Dan Brown during Friday's practice under sunny skies. "It takes a little of the pressure off and lightens the mood. Now we get to open in our home stadium. And it's nice because we also get to take on our rival (Santa Clara) at Levi's.
Charger athletic director Woody Freitas informed Brown of the amended plan before practice and Brown told the team.
Wilcox players had mixed feelings about not opening the season at Levi's.
"I was hoping we could play Manteca at Levi's, but I'm happy we still get to play there (later)" big defensive lineman Noah Wright said.
Said back-up offensive lineman Eric Harmon: "It's sad (not playing Manteca at Levi's). "But I'm glad they switched the (Santa Clara) game."
Also expressing mixed feelings were Wilcox fans Crystal Jackson and Sara Yoders. Both attended Friday's practice wearing T-shirts emblazoned with "Friday Night Lights" and showing an outline of Levi's Stadium and the August 29 date. Now dozens of those $20 T-shirts and $40 sweat shirts are already passe due to the wrong date. Many had already been sold but Jackson -- the president of the Charger Touchdown Club -- said she has dozens of T-shirts and sweat shirts at home, un-purchased.
Yoders said she has 10 T-shirts at home in her room that she bought for family and friends.
"Maybe you could scrape off the date," quipped Wilcox principal Bonnie Billings who also was at the practice.
"I guess I'll go home and cry," Jackson said. "When the game got moved I was like 'Are you kidding me?' I don't know what I'll do with them."
Billings said she is happy Wilcox's district rival Santa Clara now gets to crash the Levi's party.
"I think it's great two district teams will play there," Billings said. "I'm thrilled for Santa Clara. It's just unfortunate that a lot of our alumni coming from out of town made hotel reservations. Wilcox High is 51 years old and a lot of alumni planned on coming back."
Now they'll just have to return five weeks later -- if they can work it into their schedules. The plans of prep football fans these days, like the schools they root for, are at the mercy of the unpredictable bermuda grass of Levi's Stadium.
