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SACRAMENTO -
The noise and excitement surrounding high school football- muted a bit on one local campus. Neighbors of Rio Americano High School have taken steps to quiet the commotion that comes with the big game.
A judge held a hearing about what neighbors around the school were, well, hearing. And the decision from the bench: no amplification at the stadium until the School District gets neighbors to agree, or until they do an environmental impact study. Until then, it'll be a grid-iron gone quiet.
"It's high school football. It's what Friday night lights are all about," said Rio Americano Cheerleader Cynthia or the football commotion.
But thanks to a court ordered injunction, Rio Americano plays it's last two home games without audio.
"I think it will be hard on Senior day, when we can't announce the seniors," said head coach Christian Mahaffey.
"The Raiders used to play at El Camino High School, but they wanted a home stadium of their own. So they built this one some 5 years ago. Still, neighbors were playing prevent defense even then.
They say they were never against the sounds of Saturday morning football here. They just wanted assurances the school district wouldn't host events all day and night. What's the major fear with no controls?
"That they'd bring other leagues in here," said Dave Fox. He says neighbors wanted the San Juan Unified School District to negotiate, but they wouldn't.
"Never tried to. Never attempted to."
Fox says it was disappointing.
Meanwhile, Cheerleaders like Cynthia say it's a problem worth working through. They can't do dance routines with no music, and they feel caught in the middle.
"There two different sides here. And they should just think of when they were in high school. Or if they had a son or daughter played football," Cynthia said.
The school district says it's just started the process of getting that environmental impact statement. Neighbors think that will force them to set audio levels and times that the school will have to abide by. But the injunction went into effect last December, and the issue still isn't resolved. Even though the neighborhood let a few games go by uncontested early this season.
A judge held a hearing about what neighbors around the school were, well, hearing. And the decision from the bench: no amplification at the stadium until the School District gets neighbors to agree, or until they do an environmental impact study. Until then, it'll be a grid-iron gone quiet.
"It's high school football. It's what Friday night lights are all about," said Rio Americano Cheerleader Cynthia or the football commotion.
But thanks to a court ordered injunction, Rio Americano plays it's last two home games without audio.
"I think it will be hard on Senior day, when we can't announce the seniors," said head coach Christian Mahaffey.
"The Raiders used to play at El Camino High School, but they wanted a home stadium of their own. So they built this one some 5 years ago. Still, neighbors were playing prevent defense even then.
They say they were never against the sounds of Saturday morning football here. They just wanted assurances the school district wouldn't host events all day and night. What's the major fear with no controls?
"That they'd bring other leagues in here," said Dave Fox. He says neighbors wanted the San Juan Unified School District to negotiate, but they wouldn't.
"Never tried to. Never attempted to."
Fox says it was disappointing.
Meanwhile, Cheerleaders like Cynthia say it's a problem worth working through. They can't do dance routines with no music, and they feel caught in the middle.
"There two different sides here. And they should just think of when they were in high school. Or if they had a son or daughter played football," Cynthia said.
The school district says it's just started the process of getting that environmental impact statement. Neighbors think that will force them to set audio levels and times that the school will have to abide by. But the injunction went into effect last December, and the issue still isn't resolved. Even though the neighborhood let a few games go by uncontested early this season.
