IMPERIAL BEACH - Several fundraising efforts are underway after a South Bay high school football program found itself the victim of vandalism and theft.
The Mar Vista High Mariners were coming off a win, securing a spot in the playoffs, then vandals hit their locker room and facilities near the football field.
“They took Gatorade and poured stuff on our team jerseys,” Head Coach David Moore told reporting partner 10 News.
In addition to the Gatorade spill, obscenities were spray painted across the lockers and thieves made off with some much-needed equipment.
“There were bags of footballs. They took every single one of them,” said Moore.
Those 50 footballs were worth some $7,000. The team ended up having only one football to practice with before the first playoff game. But when word got out, coaches across the country reached out to offer equipment to Mar Vista and several fundraising campaigns have started to help the program recoup the losses. Coach Moore and his players appreciate everyone's generosity.
An investigating into the incident is ongoing. Anyone with information is asked to call Crime Stoppers at 888-580-8477.