By RICK MILLER
Olean Star
ALLEGANY — As the Allegany-Limestone boy’s football team heads back to playing Class D 11-man football this fall, it may get some help from a handful of Hinsdale students.
The Allegany-Limestone Central School Board of Education discussed the possibility of five to seven Hinsdale students playing alongside the A-L boys team at its meeting on Tuesday.
Last year, Hinsdale participated along with Portville and Cuba-Rushford football players. This year, however, Bolivar-Richburg has joined the two other Allegany County schools in fielding players for the boys football team.
Hinsdale school officials discussed the possibility of their students playing with the Allegany-Limestone boys teams and the school board held preliminary discussion on Tuesday. The next step is to schedule parent meetings, said District Superintendent Anthony Giannicchi.
Due to a low number of high school boys, the school joined an eight-man league two years ago. There are now more boys in the senior high classes and the district is going back to 11-man football this fall, Giannicchi said. Just as many people came out to watch the faster-paced eight-man football games, he said. This way more boys will be able to play.
“We’re back to where we were, with arch-rival Portville,” the superintendent said.
The addition of Hinsdale students is only proposed, he said. It is not a done deal. It must still be approved by the board, the league and Section 6.
School board members spoke about the district’s new capital projects — a $17.3 million building renovation and expansion, and upgrading of athletic fields, as well as a $3.8 million stand-alone recreational and athletic practice facility. There are weekly design meetings, Giannicchi said.
The projects are expected to be ready to go out for bids in the fall and construction could begin in the spring of 2026.
The district is also working on a new vision statement, the superintendent said.
The version school board members discussed Tuesday reads:
“Through rigorous academic programs and diverse opportunities, the Allegany-Limestone Central School District will prepare students to confidently explore and achieve their personal potential. We will develop students of strong character who will become contributing members of the ever-changing global community.”
Giannicchi said it is a vision for the future designed to look at expectations that are five to 10 years down the road.
