This football season, the Cougars finally hunt on their own territory. East’s varsity football team traditionally played home games at West’s Jonas C. Morris stadium due to the inadequacy of their own field, which lacked sufficient seating and a scoreboard. This August, however, a $28,000 donation was accepted from Carl Pursell, 1975 East graduate, president of the East Football Boosters Club and owner of construction company Carl Pursell Inc., to make East’s stadium satisfactory.

Pursell’s donation provided for new bleachers, which seat 380 spectators, a temporary scoreboard and all labor involved in the project.

This season, two varsity games were played at East’s newly improved stadium. The Cougars played against Winslow Township on October 11 and Rancocas Valley on October 18.

Not only do the improvements to the stadium enable the football players to play on their home field, but they may also boost school spirit and attendance at games.          

“For the first time in school history East players will not have to get on a bus to go to a home game and the East student body will be able to attend a home football game on the East campus,” wrote Mr. O’Connor, East’s Athletic Director. “It is difficult for younger students to travel to the West side of town to attend football games.  Now, for these two games, the students [only had] to get to school.”

At one time the only public school in South Jersey with a football program and no varsity field, East’s players can now play proudly for their school.