Melrose to play Dartmouth Dec. 5 at 3:30 p.m. at Gillette

Published in the November 27, 2015 edition

FOXBOROUGH  – The road to the Massachusetts Interscholastic Athletic Association (MIAA) Football Championships will end in Foxborough, as Gillette Stadium hosts the state championship games for a ninth consecutive year on Saturday, Dec. 5. Gillette will host six MIAA State Championships on Dec. 5, that includes the Melrose vs. Dartmouth game that is slated to start at 3:30 p.m. This will be the third consecutive season that all MIAA high school football championship games are played on one field in a single day.

Under the current MIAA Football Playoff Format, 144 teams qualified for the tournament with the goal of playing for a state title in a professional, state-of-the-art facility made famous by champions. After the thrill of more than 100 playoff football games across the state in a span of four weeks, only 12 teams remain. Those teams will compete in one of the most exciting, action-packed days of football in New England when they take the Gillette Stadium field for their respective division’s state title. Adding to the excitement will be thousands of cheering fans, cheerleaders and school bands as the Kraft family donates use of Gillette Stadium for the ninth consecutive season. State championship participants and their fans will be treated to an NFL-caliber game presentation with music and replays on the stadium’s high-definition video boards. Kraft Sports Production will produce a live television broadcast of all six games. The Kraft family will cover costs for the event.

Tickets for the Gillette Stadium/MIAA Tournament experience go on sale Tuesday, Nov. 24, via Ticketmaster and will be available on game day at the Gillette Stadium Ticket Office, located outside the Patriot Place Gate, beginning at 8 a.m. on Saturday, Dec. 5. All fans will enter the stadium via the PatriotPlace Gate in NRG Plaza, located near the ticket office.

Tickets are $17 for adults and $14 for students/senior citizens. Children 5 years old and younger will receive free admission. The ticket price includes parking, admission to all six MIAA state championship football games and a game day discount of $3 at The Hall at Patriot Place presented by Raytheon. Also included in the price of each ticket is a $2.55 Town of Foxborough User Charge.

GAME SCHEDULE

*Game times are approximate, starting 15 minutes after conclusion of the previous game

Division 5 East Bridgewater vs. Northbridge 9 a.m.

Division 6 Mashpee vs. St. Bernard 11 a.m.

Division 4 Holliston vs. Chicopee Comp 1:30 p.m.

Division 3 Melrose vs. Dartmouth 3:30 p.m.

Division 2 Nashoba vs. Reading 6 p.m.

Division 1 Xaverian vs. Central Catholic 8 p.m.

*All game times approximate

GENERAL INFORMATION

Parking: Parking is included as part of the Gillette Stadium/MIAA Tournament experience. Fans arriving via Route 495 and Route 1 North should enter the stadium parking lots via the P7 or P8 entrances. Fans arriving via Route 95 and Route 1 South should enter the stadium parking lots via the P1 entrance. No tailgating will be allowed in the parking lots. Fan buses are encouraged to arrive at least 30 minutes prior to each game’s approximate start time.

Concessions and Dining

Concessions will be available throughout the day at Gillette Stadium. In addition, Patriot Place features 16 casual to high-end restaurants for pre-game meals or post-game celebrations. Visit www.patriot-place.com for restaurant info.

The Hall at Patriot Place presented by Raytheon

The award-winning Hall at Patriot Place will offer $3 off adult admission on Saturday with a ticket to the MIAA High School Football Championships (regular admission to The Hall is $10 for adults, $7 for seniors and active military and $5 for children ages 5-12. Children 4 and younger are free). The Hall’s New England Football exhibit displays jerseys from all of the 2014 MIAA football champions and following each of this year’s state championship games will begin displaying jerseys from all of the 2015 champions. New to The Hall this year is The Super Bowl Experience, an interactive exhibit that highlights each of the organization’s four championship seasons like never before and showcases the team’s four Lombardi trophies and Super Bowl championship rings.

BROADCAST INFORMATION

Kraft Sports Productions will produce the television broadcast, which will air all six games on Comcast SportsNet. The games will also be simulcast on 98.5 The Sports Hub.

Division Game Time TV Coverage Radio Coverage

Div. 5 9 a.m. Comcast SportsNet 98.5 The Sports Hub

Div. 6 11 a.m.* Comcast SportsNet 98.5 The Sports Hub

Div. 4 1:30 p.m.* Comcast SportsNet 98.5 The Sports Hub

Div. 3 3:30 p.m.* Comcast SportsNet 98.5 The Sports Hub

Div. 2 6 p.m.* Comcast SportsNet 98.5 The Sports Hub

Div. 1 8 p.m.* Comcast SportsNet 98.5 The Sports Hub