Work continues but is nearly complete at Chuckey-Doak High School's new football fieldhouse, although the remaining work did not keep the players from piling inside on the night of their first home game.

"They love it -- love it!" said David Myers, the Greene County School System's maintenance director, who has headed the project.

"Chuckey-Doak's fieldhouse is probably about a week-and-a-half away from being complete," he estimated.

The back portion, featuring the home and visitor dressing rooms, was complete in time for the team's Aug. 17 home game -- a challenging goal Myers set over the summer.

Some minor ceiling work and floors in the hallways, coach's office, classroom and weight room are all that remain, he said.

Myers indicated that there were no problems or unexpected expenses that arose during construction.

"Everything's good," he said.

County Board of Education member Kathy Crawford re-emphasized this message, saying that the final details of the fieldhouse appear to be well under way.

"The building program at the Chuckey-Doak fieldhouse is going real well," Crawford said. "It looks good; we're so tickled."

School System Budget Director Mary Lou Woolsey said she is not certain what expenses may remain on the project, but she noted that nearly $77,000 in the fund has so far not been designated toward any expenses.

"We're under budget right now, and, hopefully, that's how we'll stay," she said.

County Director of Schools Dr. Vicki Kirk assured the Greene County Board of Education that the project, including concession stands, would be "on budget if not under budget."

In March, the board approved spending nearly $524,000 from the system's savings to construct the fieldhouse, concession stands and public restrooms.