Antioch celebrates opening of McMillen with food, fun

Antioch Community High School welcomed the community to McMillen Field Saturday with a daylong event featuring music and sports.

"We wanted to provide the community with a chance to see the facilities. Some of the students, such as the Math Club, are also using the event as a fundraiser," said Mike Nekritz, the school's principal.

Dubbed "Sequoit Summer," the celebration began with a 5K run and included daylong sports tournaments, music by Jamie Buckley, Voodoo Cadillac and The August, along with food, crafts and activities for children.

And, for those who felt like getting some exercise, soccer, tennis and dance clinics and a rock-climbing wall, inflatable tunnel and football toss were among the options.

Runners in a 5K run circled the soccer field, field hockey and practice fields, giving the runners a look at the facility, said Debbie Rummel, physical education department leader. "The weather cooperated, and it's a beautiful day," she said.

Graduate Bryant Giorgi, who is heading to the U.S. Naval Academy this fall, was one of about 30 people who ran in the kickoff run for students. "I ran both cross country and track and wanted to check out the event," he said.

Cindy Bennett, who graduated from the school in 1983, now has two children attending the school. She registered racers for the 5K and distributed commemorative green T-shirts to the runners.

"I'm proud of the way the community came together to build the field," she said. "I'm amazed at how beautiful the field is, and I'm proud to be a resident. My daughter plays field hockey and will directly benefit from the new fields."

Parent Mike Stollings arrived at the field at 2 a.m. to start the pig roast for the Math Club. Club members planned to use the money to buy calculators, he said.

"My daughter asked me to help, and I'm happy to be here," he said. "The field is absolutely beautiful."

The $3.2 million McMillen Field, located off Route 173 east of the high school's football stadium, includes 12 tennis courts, three soccer fields, three softball fields and concession stands.

McMillen Field was built on Waste Management's former HOD Corp. landfill site. Before McMillen Field was built, Antioch students had to travel to participate in sports. The tennis team played at Lakes Community High School, softball teams played at the Lake Villa Township building and soccer games were played sometimes as far away as Wisconsin.