KARNS CITY — The plan for a new scoreboard at Karns City High School was set in motion more than a year ago.

With help from Diehl Automotive Group, it officially came to fruition Friday night.

Diehl bought the new scoreboard for the school district for $35,000 to $40,000.

Because of that, the athletic field at Karns City was dedicated Friday as Diehl Stadium before the Gremlins' 49-12 football win over Moniteau.

The district last year upgraded the track and field complex, but there wasn't enough money for another major project.

“After (the track and field) completion, we think people started to realize the condition of the former scoreboard,” said Karns City Superintendent Eric Ritzert. “As we looked at its cost, we realized on top of the project itself, we couldn't afford it.”

Bob Stiehler, a 1987 Karns City graduate, is the service director at Diehl Automotive and provided an idea for a possible solution.

While attending a junior high football game last year, Stiehler heard people discussing the need for a new scoreboard and ran into longtime assistant football coach Brian Markle.

“I asked (Markle) if he had ever talked about going to any of the businesses around town (for funding), and he did and some of them really weren't receptive to it,” Stiehler said.

Stiehler thought Corina Diehl, the president and owner of Diehl Automotive in Penn Township, might be willing to help.

“I went back to my car and got my phone, called Corina and within about 10 minutes on the phone, I had her really interested in it,” said Stiehler. “It kind of snowballed really fast.”

Diehl Stadium is the second high school complex in Butler County to be sold for naming rights, with Seneca Valley's NexTier Stadium being the first.

While working with an outside company was different for Ritzert, he was open to the idea.

“It surprised us because it was the first time in our school's history that we've entered into selling any type of naming rights or partnering with another entity to obtain a donation that size,” said Ritzert.

According to Stiehler, Corina Diehl gladly stepped to the plate.

“I've been with the company for 26 years, a lot of my family works there, a lot of people from this area work there and she likes to support the community that we're in,” Stiehler explained. “Giving back to them is something that's pretty important to her.

“I brought her out and showed her the facility. She was very impressed. She couldn't do it fast enough.”

Diehl was at the dedication, but was unavailable for comment.

“Having Corina here was an honor,” noted Ritzert.

The feeling was mutual.

“She was kind of humbled out here tonight,” said Stiehler of Diehl. “When she came out here and her name was being broadcast and she saw it in lights, she was very honored to have it.”

The school board approved the project in November and it progressed from there.

“It was probably less than a half a year from the initial approval to being completed. The company actually installed it in about a week's time,” said Ritzert.

“From the school's end, I credit Bob and Diehl Automotive because them purchasing it allowed the project to move faster. We didn't have to bid or do anything. They were able to purchase it and donated it to us. That was a very helpful situation.

“They assisted in getting the design for us, as well,” Ritzert added. “We saw it before it was approved, but it was helpful to have their involvement. It was more than just saying, 'We'll give you money.'

“I felt like we were partners from start to finish.”

Diehl Stadium is a versatile athletic complex. It is home for the district's football, soccer and track and field activities. The turf field is used by the band, physical education classes, the Blue Devils midget football program and many organizations.

“There's a lot of community members that come here in the morning, throughout the day and late in the evenings that come and walk on the track,” said Ritzert. “We really have an open facility.”

Stiehler, who has children in the school district, knows his company was happy to help bring the project to life.

He said, “We really didn't look at it as benefits to the company. It's advertisement and it does bring notoriety to the company, but I think more than anything, it shows our commitment to supporting the local community and how big it is to us.

“This is a very tight-knit group and we stick together,” he added. “They were deserving. They really could use it, and I think it was a great partnership from start to finish. It was a win-win.”