It remains to be seen if a 36-year-old tradition will go by the wayside next week when Snohomish High School holds its next football game.
A smoke-blowing, booming cannon that marked the start of each home game and Panther touchdown since 1970 blew up at the homecoming game Oct. 6, seriously injuring one student and causing minor injuries to four others.
“At this point we have not determined anything with the cannon,” said Shannon Parthemer, a spokeswoman for the district. “The school district’s primary concern remains the welfare of the students involved.”
A sophomore boy remains hospitalized at Providence Everett Medical Center’s Colby campus after being injured by the blast.
He has had multiple surgeries on his leg, according to school staff. The family requested his name not be released.
Four other students received minor injuries and were released at the game to their parents.
The school district is working with a risk management group to have the cannon analyzed to find out how the accident occurred.
Students in the school’s popular Marine Corps Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps program are in charge of the ceremonial cannon, which they roll out behind the end zone near the track at each home game.
When working properly, the 40-millimeter cannon lets off a loud “boom” and smoke rings.
Senior Marine Instructor Col. John Mack, a retired Marine, has been a Junior ROTC instructor at SHS for 12 years. He said students followed all the usual safety precautions with the cannon on game night.
Students wear safety glasses and gloves as they stuff two nylon bags, each filled with about 1.7 ounces of gunpowder, into the cannon’s barrel. An adult adds the lid.
“To fire it, it’s like flipping a light switch. There’s nothing to it,” Mack said. “It’s very simple.”
Junior ROTC students had shot the cannon about five hours before the game at the annual Serpentine homecoming parade. Although some students in the crowd told The Herald that the smoke had appeared more cloud-like than usual, Mack said everything went fine.
Mack and other school staff have visited the injured boy in the hospital.
“He seemed upbeat, was talkative and alert,” Mack said. The boy’s hospital room is decorated with “Get Well” cards. “He thinks the hospital food is great.”
Reporter Melissa Slager: 425-339-3465 or mslager@heraldnet.com.
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