By Joe Hadsall

jhadsall@joplinglobe.com

CARL JUNCTION, Mo. — Carl Junction senior Ryan Fullerton has played football on synthetic turf in three states. He has been on fields at Webb City, Missouri Southern State University, Kansas University and the University of Arkansas. And he thinks the best synthetic turf surface is the one at home.

“This is the nicest one I’ve seen,” Fullerton said. “It feels great.”

Workers completed most of the installation of synthetic turf at Bulldog Stadium this week. Though portions behind the end zone for track activities need to be finished, the field portion is completed and ready for football and soccer.

“This is a better surface than I anticipated,” said varsity football coach Bret Gosch. “All we’re doing now is waiting for administration to give the OK, so that the kids can test it out. They are excited.”

Fullerton plays wide receiver and defensive back on the football team. He said that players can make quicker cuts on the surface and won’t slip in wet weather.

The surface also benefits soccer athletes, said freshman Casey Shelley, who plays the fullback position on the soccer team.

“It’s pretty amazing stuff,” Shelley said. “It’s a lot softer and warmer than natural grass.”

The Carl Junction R-1 Board of Education agreed in December to purchase the surface in order to close down the junior high football field and construct new playground equipment.

The installation contract was awarded to General Sports Venue for $551,765. The firm installed AstroTurf GameDay XPE 42 at the field, which is the same synthetic turf being used at Drury University in Springfield.

The board in February borrowed $780,000 through a lease-purchase plan in order to finance the field and new playground.

Rainy weather has slowed construction considerably, Gosch said. Asphalt surfaces behind the end zone still need to be installed.

“We were hoping to host district track here,” Gosch said. “Had we not had the bad weather, we would have been done a month ago.”

Senior Joey Braeckel, who plays on the varsity football team, thinks the field will do more than please athletes.