Clarion River Valley Strikers Soccer Club Hosts 3rd Annual Clarion Nights Lights Classic (08/30/18)
The Clarion River Valley Strikers organization will be hosting its 3rd Annual Clarion Night Lights Classic Soccer Tournament over Labor Day weekend at the Clarion County Park to kick off the fall PA West Soccer League season. This event is played under the massive cluster of lights the park infrequently uses.
During the events in the past, the lights are so bright that the drivers on Interstate 80 say it looks like a small city off the Shippenville exit. Thanks to the generosity and hard work Commissioner Ted Tharan, the Strikers organization will be hosting 2 nights of soccer tournament play instead of only one night as in the past. This opportunity generates more tourism for the Clarion area by bringing in outside teams from Northwest Pennsylvania.
The Under 10 (U10) tournament kicks off at 7PM on Friday August 31st in this age bracket’s first year with 2 Clarion teams taking on visiting teams from Kinzua (Warren) and Meadville. Concessions and music play during the event under the protection of Pavilion 8 with two fields outlined for tournament play. As in the past, trophies will be awarded to each individual player for the 1st and 2nd place team.
The well-established Under 12 (U12) tournament has a kick off time of 5PM Saturday September 1st with 8 teams competing for 1st and 2nd place brass. Two seasoned Clarion teams compete against two Kinzua teams, Dubois, two Mercer teams and Grove City. This is the age bracket that has hosted the tournament in the past and the finals usually end around 11PM with some exhausted players.
In addition to the U12 players battling for the top spot during the evening, the baseball outfield will be lit for the new entry age group, U15, with two lined fields. The Strikers will be playing against 2 Kinzua teams, Grove City and Oil City. Likewise they will be competing to be the top two teams and will be joining in with the U12s in the festival atmosphere in Pavilion 8.
The public is welcome to watch this once-a-year event on a balmy evening this Labor Day weekend. Bring a lawn chair and an appetite for food and fun. Go Strikers!
(Thanks to Matt Lerch for this article and photo. Have a great event and great season Strikers!!!!)