By Jim Fenton, The Enterprise (Brockton)
BRIDGEWATER, Mass. -- This was going to be the weekend when the Bridgewater State University football team unveiled its refurbished home field.
The Bears were scheduled to play under the lights at Swenson Field for the first time ever on Saturday night, christening a facility that now has artificial turf and new bleachers.
Construction delays with the track surface derailed those plans, however, forcing BSU to move its first three home games off campus.
Fortunately for the Bears, they will not have to travel very far, remaining in Bridgewater to play those games.
BSU begins its home schedule on Saturday at 1 p.m. when it faces the University of Massachusetts-Dartmouth at Bridgewater-Raynham Regional High School. The Bears will also host Plymouth State and Framingham State at B-R on Sept. 18 and 25.
B-R athletic director and head football coach Dan Buron made his field available to BSU, which would probably have been forced to open the season with straight road games without his help.
“Danny Buron has been awesome,’’ said BSU coach Chuck Denune, whose team defeated Mount Ida, 34-25, in Newton last week. “We are so thankful for what he has done for us. I can’t imagine what it would have been like playing five straight away games. We’d be in a world of hurt without him, having to travel to that many games with a young team.
“We’re thrilled to be able to go to B-R as opposed to having all away games. We’re able to play at a local place and it definitely makes it a lot easier.’’
BSU will make its debut on the new-look Swenson Field against Worcester State on Oct. 16 as part of homecoming weekend. The field, which will also be used by the field hockey, lacrosse and track and field teams, was renovated in a $4.67 million project.
“We see it every day,’’ said Denune, “but we haven’t talked about it since the first day of practice. Ideally, we’d love to have that place now, but playing at B-R has made this a doable situation.’’
The Bears, who have just seven starters back from a year ago, will be trying to build on the win over Mount Ida when they face the Corsairs (1-0).
BSU got a strong performance from senior running back Justin Fuller of Berkley, who was named the New England Football Conference offensive player of the week. Fuller, who ran for 1,375 yards a year ago, scored four touchdowns and rushed for 117 yards.
Quarterback Mike McCarthy, making his BSU debut, ran for 143 yards and a touchdown.
“You can’t ask for much more in your first start,’’ said Denune. “We were pleasantly surprised.’’
UMass-Dartmouth, which was 0-10 in 2009, defeated Fitchburg State, 37-15, in its opener last weekend.
“Looking at their two-deep, there are not a lot of guys on the roster who had playing time last year,’’ said Denune. “They have a lot of transfers and talented freshmen. They are basically very similar to us in that they’re a brand new football team and they look much improved.’’