New Florida high school forced to rip up brand new turf weeks before football season

South Marion High School in Ocala, Florida, faces unforeseen challenges as it begins the 2026 academic year. The school's campus has revealed seven subsurface voids, six of which are located beneath the football field. Should these voids remain untreated, they could potentially transform into sinkholes. To address this issue, the school will invest up to $672,000 to fill the voids with grout, a task that will commence shortly.

The cost of this repair project will be covered by capital funds. Deputy Superintendent Ben Whitehouse explained that while routine soil sampling is conducted, it does not reach the same level of thoroughness as investigations for constructing new structures. Unfortunately, the oversight in identifying these voids in time will significantly impact the school's football season.

The necessary repairs are expected to conclude by October 29, which coincides with the final week of the FHSAA regular season. Consequently, South Marion's home football games will be relocated to neighboring schools until the field is restored. The practice field, however, remains unaffected and will continue to be used by the team.