First home game a success for Knights

After a successful test run earlier this month at Legends Stadium, Kalispell’s semiprofessional football team will have more opportunities to play at home.

After years of hosting games at the high school field in Columbia Falls, the Glacier Knights played their first true home game at Legends Stadium June 11. It wasn’t quite the fairy-tale homecoming the Knights had hoped for — they lost 46-14 to the Missoula Phoenix — but the team was glad for the opportunity to finally play in its hometown, said Jared Taylor, the Knights’ owner and general manager.

“Other than getting killed, it was great. It was a really good deal,” he said.

Taylor praised Kalispell Public Schools, which owns the field, and Glacier High Activities Director Mark Dennehy for his work as game facilitator and for helping the Knights get the stadium set up.

The team is “thanking them for everything they did to help us with that,” Taylor said.

The Knights had tried for four years to host home games at Legends Stadium. Kalispell school officials repeatedly denied the request, saying that between two high schools using the facility and the Flathead Valley’s unpredictable weather, they worried the field might get torn up.

The field wasn’t available for lease until a few months ago, after the Knights brought their request to the school board.

Previous lease agreements for Legends Stadium included options for renting the track with or without the press box, renting the practice fields and track, and a “night use” option written specifically for overnight events such as Relay for Life.

The district this spring drew up a new lease agreement with an option for renting Rawson Field for $1,137. The cost includes the field, sound system, scoreboard, concession stand and admission booth use, as well as the cost of paint and labor to stripe and mow the field.

The Knights paid a $730 rental fee because they helped with striping and game setup, said Todd Watkins, Kalispell schools’ director of operations.

The district “did bring the cost down considerably from where we started,” Taylor said.

The lease agreement also included a caveat in case of foul weather. Kalispell schools reserved the right to move the game to Kalispell Middle School or Glacier High School if a bad storm blew in.

But the weather was fine, and the district is satisfied with the field’s state after the game, Watkins said.

“The event went well and the field held up nicely,” he said in an email to the Inter Lake. “We will entertain their request [to use the field] again next year should they put forth a request.”

But school events take precedence over community use. Track events restricted the Knights’ use of Legends this spring; one date the team requested was the same day as the Archie Roe track meet.

“I suspect the number of uses will again be limited due to track and field events on Saturdays,” Watkins said.

The Knights will try to rent the field for as many of its four home games as possible.

“It was definitely a positive thing to finally come to fruition, for us to be able to play in Kalispell,” Taylor said. “It’s definitely something ... we will pursue next season.”

Reporter Kristi Albertson may be reached at 758-4438 or at kalbertson@dailyinterlake.com.