Rolling in Dough From High School Football

Friday night means high school football on the Central Coast and its not only the favorite team that will score.

Amid the X’s and O’s on the gridiron there are also dollar signs on the scoreboard for local businesses.

Friday night lights mean pigskin profits for local businesses, no matter how your slice it.

“Oh yeah, it helps out a heck of lot”, says Ricky Velasco who has owned Ricky’s House of Pizza for nearly 20 years.

“Before the game starts everyone comes in and gets pizzas to go or they get delivered to their house before the game”, Velasco says.

Football is on the menu and on the flat screen TV’s at Rooney’s Irish Pub in Old Town Orcutt.

“We support all our high school teams”,says Mason Frakes of Rooney’s, “any excuse for drink and appetizer specials, we always go for it.”

Frakes says Rooney’s has added a late night happy hour for football season so the players, their families and friends can eat, drink and be merry after the game.

The annual “Battle of the Shield” rivalry game between Righetti High School and its neighbor across the street St. Joseph High School Friday night gives local restaurants and pubs plenty to cheer about.

“Previous years when they’ve had that rivalry game, we’ve gotten a great crowd in here both before and after the game”, Frakes says.