Parades in Lehighton to honor hockey team

Tomorrow, Lehighton's field hockey team plays for the state championship.

The game, against Selinsgrove, will be held at noon in Whitehall.

Win or lose tomorrow, the undefeated local team (25-0) will be saluted by the community for its overall impressive season.

According to school officials, the team will be departing the Lehighton Area High School parking lot at about 9:30 a.m. tomorrow. The squad will have a police/fire company escort as it travels along Mahoning Street to First Street, then to Route 248. Residents are urged to stand along Mahoning Street for the send-off.

The sounding of the borough's fire alarm will signal their return to the community after the game, and then a small parade will be held in their honor.

Borough Manager John C. Wagner remarked, "These young ladies have brought a great deal of recognition and honor to the Borough. In acknowledgement of their contributions, the Borough of Lehighton would like all of its residents to welcome this team back to the borough, win or lose that championship game. We do, of course, pray that they'll return with that Commonwealth Championship firmly in hand."

During the season, one sports wire listed the Indians as the top field hockey team in the nation. The service still lists Lehighton in the top five rankings.

Wagner said the route used will be Sergeant Stanley Hoffman Boulevard north to Rt. 209; First Street south to North Street; North Street and Mahoning Street west to the high school.

"We ask all Borough residents to line that route and welcome these young women home," he said. "The signal for assemblage will be the sounding of the borough fire siren. Upon hearing that siren, please do come out en masse to welcome this team home."