SKANEATELES - The Skaneateles High School football team's second home game this season will go down as a day in Lakers history - despite the fact that the team lost that night.

The team used an artificial turf sports field for the first time earlier this month. The Skaneateles Central School District received permission from the contractor installing the rubber field behind the high school to use the field for the game against South Jefferson on Sept. 11.

The stadium field is completed, but crews have more work to do on the surrounding track.

The Lakers have only four home football games this season. The first one was moved to Marcellus because the turf field wasn't ready. Despite the fact that crews aren't ready to hand over the reins quite yet, the team was allowed to use it early so players won't miss out on another opportunity to play on the field - and so the community had the chance to see the stadium.

Although most athletes are excited about the pending stadium field, Athletic Director Rick Pound says anticipation for opening the field full time goes deeper than the sports department.

“As a whole school district, we're all really excited about this. It is beautiful,” Pound said. “It goes well beyond the coaches and the athletes. The parents, the school community are excited.”

Workers broke ground around late May, and worked at installing the turf throughout the summer. Now crews have to finish the running track that encircles the field. The track needs the rubber topping and then markings.

The official dedication is slated for Friday, which coincides with the school's homecoming.

The addition of turf was a capital improvement project included in the district's Project 2007 plan. The state approved the district's design for building the turf in August 2008.

The turf is made of plastic grass that sits atop rubber and sand mixtures. The district hosted multiple forums to educate voters about the material, which was surrounded by misconceptions, Pound said.

“The artificial turf has changed so much since the 1980s,” he added. “Once the community began to understand that it's not the old AstroTurf on concrete, they (embraced) it.”

The artificial turf will require less maintenance - no watering, mowing or fertilizing. Officials say these factors will lead to saving money formerly used to seed and nurture the field. Also, proponents of artificial fields say they will reduce players' exposure to chemicals used to fertilize grass.

Besides taking advantage of a new facility, the coaches are looking forward to having more options when it comes to playing sports. After a rainy day, teams can use the turf field rather than destroying damp grass fields for games or practices.

Also, the artificial turf will help to alleviate the landlocked district's issue of having too few fields, Pound said. The turf can accommodate soccer, football and lacrosse games.

“Our soccer teams have been successful over the past couple years,” Pound said. “A couple times, we'd have a home game for our soccer team, but we'd have to put them on the road because our fields were not playable (because of rain).”

Pound welcomes alumni to see the addition to the district.

And the stadium's debut during the last home football game was a perfect opportunity, Pound said. The game, played on Sept. 11 #* Patriot Day, included a salute to soldiers, police and firefighters on the “special day of remembrance,” he added.