Vandals wreck Ansonia football field

ANSONIA, Conn. (WTNH) -- Vandals hit the Ansonia High School football field just one week before practices were slated to start, creating a real mess.

"Pretty severe damage, especially out there," said the park foreman, Sean Rowley. "It's deep from sideline to sideline, 35 to 35."

Rowley completed all the finishing touches to the football field on Monday just in time for Ansonia Youth Football, which is scheduled to start next week, followed by high school football.

Then on Tuesday he woke up to a disaster caused by vandals.

"Approximately $15,000 in damage," he said.

John Chrzanowski, the President of Ansonia Youth Football and Cheer, is furious with the situation.

"It's disgusting. I'm beyond annoyed," he said. "You try to have something for the youth of the city to enjoy. We're very lucky in this city we're able to use city owned property for the kids."

Chrzanowski has two daughters who cheer.

"And I'm not looking forward to telling them and this whole thing is going to hit the community," he said.

Whoever made the mess entered the field through a gate, went up a hill, and to the right. Rowley says they knew exactly what they were doing.

"They took a good chance because if somebody would've got caught them, there's no way out other than the way they came in," he said.

Rowley says at least the kids will be able to start practice.

"They practice over on that field, the practice facility," he said.

But, if the main field isn't ready for home games, money will be lost.

"That means our concession stand is not open, which helps fund the program," Chrzanowski explained. "If you had a problem with anyone in the city or town, do not take it out on the youth."

Rowley says the town is already making arrangements to get the mess cleaned up and he hopes mother nature cooperates.

"I think we'll be able to play by mid-September, October the latest," he said.