Vandalism Makes High School Playing Fields Unusable

FALMOUTH- A joy ride on the Falmouth High School soccer fields early yesterday morning netted three Falmouth residents in jail, two of whom are facing charges in Falmouth District Court. It has also left one of the surfaces unplayable, at least temporarily.
The incident occurred yesterday at 5:45 AM when police responded to a call that a dark blue Ford Bronco was being driven on multiple fields at the high school and it was tearing up the grass.
Police arrived to find the Bronco, driven by Brandon K. Sims, 24, of Massachusetts Court, Falmouth, pulling off the lacrosse field. The jeep was covered in wet sod, grass, and dirt.
Mr. Sims admitted to driving on the field, as well as doing similar damage to hedges and the lawn on Worcester Court earlier this weekend, according to police. “Whatever you find, I most likely did,” he told police.
As to why he was vandalizing the fields at the high school, he reportedly told police that he was “showing off for friends.”
In addition to Mr. Sims, a passenger in the car, Andrew D. Jordan, 21, of Main Street, Falmouth, was also arrested for possession of marijuana. The two were arraigned yesterday in Falmouth District Court and have a pretrial hearing scheduled for Thursday, October 23.
A third passenger, 18, was in the vehicle and taken into protective custody.
Following the incident, Acting Superintendent of Falmouth Public Schools Marc P. Dupuis, Athletic Director Kathleen A. Burke, Falmouth Tree Warden and Parks Superintendent Brian J. Dale and Assistant Parks Superintendent Edwin (Rocky) Gomes met at the high school to assess the damage and determine what repairs are needed to make the fields playable.
The two fields in question are for the boys’ and girls’ varsity soccer teams, Ms. Burke said.
“The marks on the boys’ field are not as extensive,” she said. “That is usable.” Tomorrow the boys’ varsity and junior varsity teams play away at Martha’s Vineyard, while the girls’ team hosts the Islanders.
That could be problematic, Ms. Burke said, because the girls’ field had much more damage to it and most likely it means both the varsity and junior varsity home games at 4 PM will have to be relocated.
If the DPW cannot make repairs in time for those games, she said, the varsity team will play on the soccer field on Brick Kiln Road. The junior varsity, she said, will then have to play at Trotting Park Fields.
The repairs, Ms. Burke said, will be temporary and, if not finished by tomorrow, will be done in time for Saturday’s girls’ varsity game against Barnstable High School. That will entail topping off any depressed areas with loam and compacting it so it does not wash out.
Eventually, Mr. Dale said, the town will have to do a complete restoration, which will include installing new sod. As to the cost of the vandalism, he said, “it is in the thousands of dollars, no question.”
While the fields will be fixed, Ms. Burke expressed disappointment that anyone would purposefully ruin public property.
Mr. Dale echoed those sentiments. “I feel bad for the kids, the ones participating in sporting events that are on the teams,” he said. “A case, in particular, is the girls’ soccer field. That was in prime condition and really looking good this fall.”
Unfortunately, he said, vandalism such as this is somewhat common in Falmouth. “It is a shame and disgrace to say it happens all too often, because what it does is takes time away from all our valuable projects,” he said.