Best HS Football Stadium for each State

Paul Brown Tiger Stadium, Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium (or Fawcett Stadium, if you still want to call it that) are my two favorites in Ohio. They're in a league of their own, in my opinion. Both of them just have it all - seating capacity, good view of the game from any seat in the stadium, convenient parking, etc. And also, relative to some of the other stadiums like Steubenville, they're both closer to central Ohio than most others which means a shorter drive for teams from every corner of the state.

But excluding those, one which I really like in Northeast Ohio is Lakewood Stadium. There are a lot of things not to like about it (artificial playing surface, lack of convenient parking, etc) however it makes up for it with the bowl-shape and how it's cut into the ground which traps the crowd noise on the field. For whatever reason, I also don't feel like there's a bad seat in that stadium and you just feel closer to the field there. It's played host to some big games and I've been on top of some really big plays in those games over the years.
 
I am partial to this one...lol
Buckeye Drone_4-11-2020_Lake Blue Streaks_9-X2.jpg
 
Absolutely love the stadiums that don't have a track surrounding it.
Anna, who plays football in the MAC, is probably the closest action one can get.
Without a track, you can stand and watch the game 3-5 yards away from the field. Locals will bring lawn chairs to watch the games and sit practically on the field.


My favorite venue is Celina Stadium, of the WBL in West Central Ohio.
No track. Stands from goal line to goal line. One side is the old cement stands, one end zone has the school and the other has 40+foot pine trees lining it.
Truly feels like you are inside a true stadium.
 
Also, how it looks is just one smaller aspect.

A great stadium is much more than just spending a lot of $$$ and building a new one.

St Marys, of the WBL, built a gorgeous new cathedral right next to 33.
Looks fantastic.


...but just isnt the same as their field downtown....
 
I’m a Massillon fan but my favorite other stadiums are in no particular order.

Canton McKinley- I mean come on it’s built to an NFL standard.

Steubenville- Massillon at Steubenville is the most intense high school football game period. It’s a disgrace they don’t play every year.

Warren G Harding- The Bandshell really amplifies the sound of the best in game band in Ohio High School Football.

Lake- I’ve only been to a playoff game here but really cool how it’s built into the hill.

Mansfield- Great large venue right off the highway that has a ton of history. Great turf, lighting and seating.

North Canton Hoover- The home side is really cool. Visitors side leaves some to be desired but heck it’s the visitors side.
 
They reference Pat Conroy (born and raised in SC) for a stadium in Alabama right off the rip and then completely blow it by not picking Barrow's Artic Ocean field / stadium for Alaska. Yea, this list has two strike's against it immediately.
 
They reference Pat Conroy (born and raised in SC) for a stadium in Alabama right off the rip and then completely blow it by not picking Barrow's Artic Ocean field / stadium for Alaska. Yea, this list has two strike's against it immediately.
I didn't even look at Alaska.

Also, to not have the Stone Castle in Tennessee on the list is just a huge swing and miss.
 
I didn't even look at Alaska.

Also, to not have the Stone Castle in Tennessee on the list is just a huge swing and miss.

I mean I get it, the list is of "stadiums" and technically Barrow does not even have aluminum bleachers for fans BUT how can a list not include a field where if you go out of bounds you might end up in the Artic Ocean is beyond me haha.
 
FWIW ~~~~~

That 'hill' was made by Lake program supporters using donated labor and earth
moving equipment.

:>---

EGA

The hill actually was not thought out...to help offset costs there was a vein of sand gravel in that spot. So they dug the sand and gravel out and sold it. When they finished digging they then realized that a bowl could be made and the stands placed in the sides of the hill. Doing that allowed more stands without having the cost of building up. That stadium is totally funded by private donations....the school paid for the turf replacement but the bulk of that money was donations.
 
I am an Elder fan, but this list is just some publications opinion. I like the unique Stadiums. The Pit fits that very well. Some stadiums are just cookie cutter, such as Lakota West, Colerain, Princeton, or Mason. Nothing really unique about any of those.

I like the Louisville Trinity, Lockland, Portsmouth Spartan Stadium, and Georgetown College for ones I have been to. Stadium High School in Washington and The one from San Fransisco in the article are cool.

I have to go to Galitin, TN a bunch for work and was even a block from that stadium and never saw it. I like being an Elder fan, because you get to see so many different stadiums and don't just see the same ones every other year.
 
Massillon at Steubenville is high school football at its purist. Electric atmosphere, passionate fan base, and great programs under the lights on a brisk October evening. Love when Massillon comes to town, they are OHIO FOOTBALL...
Not sure the word “purist” fits here... or “purest”, for that matter.
 
Massillon at Steubenville is high school football at its purist. Electric atmosphere, passionate fan base, and great programs under the lights on a brisk October evening.

These two communities are sides of the same coin which is why its a great match up. I like Reno Field.
 
Anna, who plays football in the MAC, is probably the closest action one can get.
Without a track, you can stand and watch the game 3-5 yards away from the field. Locals will bring lawn chairs to watch the games and sit practically on the field.


My favorite venue is Celina Stadium, of the WBL in West Central Ohio.
No track. Stands from goal line to goal line. One side is the old cement stands, one end zone has the school and the other has 40+foot pine trees lining it.
Truly feels like you are inside a true stadium.
the old Piqua field downtown was great.......
 
Every one seems to like Harding stadium in Steubenville...well it is nice but on both occasions I was there for a D6 playoff game and sat on the visitors side, I felt the site lines were not great. Hard to see down the field and the players had little sideline room. Guess home side is different.

It's always interesting to hear the perspective from a game that was neutral for both teams. I suspect it would be different from that of Big Red Nation or from a visiting fan.
 
Anna, who plays football in the MAC, is probably the closest action one can get.
Without a track, you can stand and watch the game 3-5 yards away from the field. Locals will bring lawn chairs to watch the games and sit practically on the field.


My favorite venue is Celina Stadium, of the WBL in West Central Ohio.
No track. Stands from goal line to goal line. One side is the old cement stands, one end zone has the school and the other has 40+foot pine trees lining it.
Truly feels like you are inside a true stadium.
my favorite field in the MAC is Versailles......love the atmosphere.... the train coming thru town every now and and then.... also anna has the train also...
 
Paul Brown Tiger Stadium, Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium (or Fawcett Stadium, if you still want to call it that) are my two favorites in Ohio. They're in a league of their own, in my opinion. Both of them just have it all - seating capacity, good view of the game from any seat in the stadium, convenient parking, etc. And also, relative to some of the other stadiums like Steubenville, they're both closer to central Ohio than most others which means a shorter drive for teams from every corner of the state.

But excluding those, one which I really like in Northeast Ohio is Lakewood Stadium. There are a lot of things not to like about it (artificial playing surface, lack of convenient parking, etc) however it makes up for it with the bowl-shape and how it's cut into the ground which traps the crowd noise on the field. For whatever reason, I also don't feel like there's a bad seat in that stadium and you just feel closer to the field there. It's played host to some big games and I've been on top of some really big plays in those games over the years.

The "cables" at TBHOFS make viewing a little tough if you're near them, not sure what their purpose is, if they even have one at all or if they're simply cosmetic. If they ARE cosmetic I would call it a FAIL. Not only are they ugly, as I said before, they're really inconvenient to look through. Parking at TBHOFS isn't too bad, they have a lot of neighborhood parking which is good because there isn't really enough provided by the school. Massillon has an absolutely HUGE visitors parking lot but the minor downfall there is its on a slight hill. What ultimately sets PBTS apart from TBHOF stadium is the safety factor.
 
Anna, who plays football in the MAC, is probably the closest action one can get.
Without a track, you can stand and watch the game 3-5 yards away from the field. Locals will bring lawn chairs to watch the games and sit practically on the field.


My favorite venue is Celina Stadium, of the WBL in West Central Ohio.
No track. Stands from goal line to goal line. One side is the old cement stands, one end zone has the school and the other has 40+foot pine trees lining it.
Truly feels like you are inside a true stadium.
I think the whole track/no track thing Is overrated. All I care about is good sight lines and atmosphere. Anna has great sight lines. Versailles, my favorite stadium in the league, has great sight lines and the most unique atmosphere in the league. It's just an awesome sight to walk down the street on the south side of the stadium and you can see down into the stadium especially with the lights on.
 
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