School hoping to raise enough money to play under 'Friday night lights'

BASTROP, Texas (FOX 7 Austin) - A small Bastrop County school district is hoping to raise enough money to play under 'Friday night lights,' come fall. McDade ISD is a small district, of 380 children in grades K-12.

It did not have a high school until 2016, when the school was recommissioned. "Our seniors were our first seniors last year. We had seven seniors graduate." explained Grant Hennig, communications officer and executive assistant. Hennig said many of the seniors stayed at the school to play football. The "six man team," program is relatively new -- and it's field, even more so.

Built last year, the turf, sprinkler system and scoreboard were donated.

So was the labor that made it possible. "Without the volunteers it wouldn't have happened. There's no way. We don't have the staff to be able to pull off a project like this." he explained.

Now the school, is looking for donations to complete the project.

The superintendent started a GoFundMe looking to raise $75,000 for lights.

Roughly $46,000 would be for supplies, the rest for installation and electricity.

"If we were to get these lights, like the whole community would come out and see us. And, we could hold more events at the field we could do a lot more for the school itself, it would impact the school a lot I feel." said Tristian VanLeer, a rising senior on the team.

Last year the team, which is "undefeated on the field," was only able to play three of their six home games at home. Because they don't have lights for night games, they had to rent space in Bastrop if scheduling mandated they play in the evening.

"For me to be able to play under lights and have lights for my senior year that would be something else. Because the field is nice but for us to be able to play at our home field and like have everybody come out and see us play, like, that'd be really, really cool." VanLeer said.

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