(VESTAL, NY) – Vestal Central School District and Golden Bear Athletics will welcome football players from all over the country to commemorate the 50th Anniversary of Vestal High School’s first New York State Football Championship in 1973. Golden Bears from this team will be returning to Dick Hoover Stadium on Friday, September 22, to honor the school, the coaches, and six players who have passed away.
Highlights include a pre-game team meeting in the Vestal High School cafeteria. Guests of honor include:
- Jeffrey Ahearn, Superintendent of Vestal Schools;
- Josh Gannon, Director of Golden Bear Athletics;
- Jim Hoover, son of legendary football coach Dick Hoover;
- and Chuck and Dave Ferris, sons of another legendary coach, Abe Ferris.
The 1973 NYS Championship team photo will be reenacted.
Before the game against the Union-Endicott Tigers, the 1973 players will dedicate a new team monument. A special commemorative coin will be tossed by the four honorary captains from the 1973 Golden Bears to open the game. At half-time, members of the 1973 NYS Championship Team in attendance will be recognized on the field, and a check will be presented to the District, a legacy donation, to fund a new stadium scoreboard.
The game between cross-river rivals Union-Endicott and Vestal is set for a 7pm kickoff on Friday, September 22 at Dick Hoover Stadium.
These are the team members of the 1973 Vestal Golden Bears, who were New York State Champions.
