Best High School Football Stadium in Every State

This is some hallowed ground.

Best High School Football Stadium in Every State

The lights shine bright for Gallatin High at Green Wave Stadium in Tennessee.

Some local high school football stadiums have so much gravitas that the fortunes of a town rise and fall with wins and losses. Football is serious business in parts of the United States, and where the game is played is hallowed ground.

The great thing about the best high school football stadiums is that there's never just one thing that makes them stand out. Some have been built with millions and millions of dollars. Others provide the simple beauty of a setting to create that special feeling.

These are the best high school football stadiums in every state.

Alabama: Mickey Miller Blackwell Stadium

High school: Gulf Shores High School

Location: Gulf Shores, Alabama

Capacity: 4,000

Year opened: Unknown

Mickey Miller Blackwell Stadium's Finest: Patrick Wilkinson

Position: Tight end

College: Marshall/Georgia Military College/Tennessee-Chattanooga

Patrick Wilkinson was the first Gulf Shores High player to sign a scholarship with a Division I school. He started off his career at Marshall, was a junior college All-American at Georgia Military College, then finished his career at Chattanooga.

Bottom Line: Mickey Miller Blackwell Stadium

When you think of Alabama, you probably don't think of beautiful, expansive beaches. But that's what's on tap at Mickey Miller Blackwell Stadium, where the Gulf Shores High School Dolphins play their home games.

The palm trees that frame the stadium give you the feeling of being in some sort of Pat Conroy novel. The real key to going to a game here?

Afterward, head south about 20 minutes, and you'll be staring out into that great, beautiful abyss known as the Gulf of Mexico.

Alaska: Tom Huffer Sr. Stadium

High school: Chugiak High School

Location: Chugiak, Alaska

Capacity: 750-1,000 (estimate)

Year opened: Unknown

Tom Huffer Sr. Stadium's Finest: Barrett Allen

Chugiak High School Football Team — The Chugiak team is a source of pride for the community.

Position: Quarterback

College: None

Barrett Allen is the lone Chugiak High player to be named Alaska Offensive Player of the Year, which he did in 1994. Allen set records in the 1994 state championship game loss to Service High for passing yards (237) and longest touchdown pass (69 yards).

Bottom Line: Tom Huffer Sr. Stadium

This stadium is named for longtime Chugiak High School head football coach Tom Huffer Sr., and you won't find many high school football venues in the country that tap into their surrounding natural setting more than Tom Huffer Sr. Football Stadium.

Wherever you're sitting at this stadium, you're going to be looking out at the Chugach National Forest, featuring a vast expanse of trees you have to see to believe.

One interesting aside about Tom Huffer Sr. — the Mustangs won his final game on a 30-yard touchdown pass against Soldotna High as time expired.

Arizona: Round Valley Ensphere

High school: Round Valley High School

Location: Eagar, Arizona

Capacity: 5,500

Year opened: 1991

Round Valley Ensphere's Finest: Mark Gastineau

Position: Defensive end

College: Eastern Arizona Junior College/Arizona State/East Central Oklahoma State

NFL/CFL: New York Jets (1979-88), BC Lions (1990)

Mark Gastineau was a late bloomer, playing first for Eastern Arizona Junior College, then Arizona State, and finally transferring to East Central Oklahoma State, where he turned into a second-round draft pick by the New York Jets.

Gastineau was one of the most dominant defensive linemen in the NFL in the 1980s, leading the league in sacks twice and making five All-Pro teams.

Bottom Line: Round Valley Ensphere

There is only one domed high school football stadium in the United States, and it's the Round Valley Ensphere in Eagar, Arizona.

The Ensphere, which can seat around 9,000 for basketball games, opened in 1991 at a cost of $11 million. One of the many cool things about the Ensphere is that it was built as an energy-conscious project, and the dome actually uses natural light for activities during the day.

We also dare you to look at the Ensphere and not immediately cue up the 1996 Pauly Shore film "Bio-Dome," which is also set in Arizona.

Arkansas: Tiger Stadium

Tiger Stadium in Bentonville, Arkansas — Bentonville High's Tiger Stadium didn't open until 2005.

High school: Bentonville High School

Location: Bentonville, Arkansas

Capacity: 6,000-7,000

Year opened: 2005

Tiger Stadium's Finest: Joey Su'a

Position: Offensive tackle

College: Arkansas (committed)

We don't care that Joey Su'a is still playing for Bentonville High. The 6-foot-5, 315-pound offensive tackle and Arkansas commit has the talent that could land him on an NFL roster one day.

Su'a spent the first two years of his high school career playing in California before his family moved to Arkansas, and he landed on the Bentonville roster as a junior in 2021.

Bottom Line: Tiger Stadium

Bentonville High football team takes field at Tiger Stadium — Bentonville High's Tiger Stadium isn't a very friendly environment for visiting teams.

If you do a double-take when you first see Bentonville High's Tiger Stadium, that's perfectly fine. It's pretty spectacular.

In the home of Wal-Mart, it's probably to be expected that the local high schools would have state-of-the-art facilities, but Tiger Stadium really goes above and beyond.

The stadium's opening in 2005 was perfect timing. That was one year before Bentonville High expanded to grades 9-12 and is now home to almost 3,000 students.

California: Washington High School Stadium

High school: George Washington High School

Location: San Francisco, California

Capacity: 2,000 (estimate)

Year opened: 1940

Washington High School Stadium's Finest: Johnny Mathis

Events: High Jump, Hurdles

College: San Francisco State College

Some people have so much talent it just makes you sort of jealous. Take Johnny Mathis for example.

Before Mathis became a Grammy Award-winning singer and platinum-selling artist, he was considered one of the greatest athletes to come out of the Bay Area.

Mathis' specialty was the high jump, and he set the record at San Francisco State with a leap of 6-foot-5 1/2 inches in 1954 — just two inches short of the Olympic gold medal mark in 1952.

Bottom Line: Washington High School Stadium

Washington High School Stadium in San Francisco — Washington High School's most famous alums are poet Maya Angelou and actor Danny Glover.

There are just a few other views from high school football stadiums on this list that will take your breath away like the one from Washington High School Stadium in San Francisco.

The school and stadium were built with panoramic views of the Golden Gate Bridge and has become something of a bucket list item for high school football aficionados.

And while football is great and all, no Washington football player could ever live up to the school's most famous alum — the late poet Maya Angelou.

Colorado: Dutch Clark Stadium

High schools: Pueblo Central High School, Pueblo South High School, Pueblo East High School

Location: Pueblo, Colorado

Capacity: 8,042

Year opened: 1950

Dutch Clark Stadium's Finest: Kory Sperry

Position: Tight end

College: Colorado State

NFL: Miami Dolphins (2009), Denver Broncos (2010), San Diego Chargers (2010-12), Arizona Cardinals (2012-13)

Kory Sperry went from Pueblo County to Colorado State and made the Miami Dolphins as an undrafted free agent in 2009. Sperry stuck around in the NFL for five seasons, playing for four different teams.

Bottom Line: Dutch Clark Stadium

Dutch Clark Stadium in Pueblo, Colorado — Dutch Clark Stadium is home to several public schools in Pueblo.

This stadium was renamed for legendary running back and Pueblo, Colorado, native Dutch Clark — "The Flying Dutchman" — in 1980.

Clark was so good he was part of the inaugural class for the College Football Hall of Fame in 1951 and the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1963. It's fitting that one of the greatest high school football experiences in the country can be had at a stadium that bears his name.

And if you do go, make sure you're there for the Bell Game between Pueblo Centennial and Pueblo Central. The teams have played since 1898, and it's always a sellout.

Connecticut: Blue and Gold Stadium

High school: Newtown High School

Location: Newtown, Connecticut

Capacity: 2,500 (estimate)

Year opened: 1948

Blue and Gold Stadium's Finest: Ben Mason

Position: Fullback

College: Michigan

NFL: Baltimore Ravens (2021), New England Patriots (2021), Chicago Bears (2021-present)

Ben Mason was named the Connecticut Gatorade Player of the Year after his senior season in 2016, then went on to be a valuable player at Michigan for four seasons with key roles on special teams and at fullback.

Mason was drafted in the fifth round of the 2021 NFL draft by the Baltimore Ravens and bounced around on three different practice squads over his rookie season.

Bottom Line: Blue and Gold Stadium

Blue and Gold Stadium in Newtown, Connecticut — Blue and Gold Stadium was formerly named Bruce Jenner Stadium.

The formerly named Bruce Jenner Stadium — in honor of Newtown native and Olympic champion Caitlyn Jenner — became the crown jewel of high school football stadiums in Connecticut when it revamped its facilities in 2001 and changed its name.

This bucolic, tree-framed setting is also home to a pretty solid football team. The Newtown Nighthawks won their first state championship since 1992 in 2019, when they beat Darien High on a touchdown pass as time expired.

Delaware: Abessinio Stadium

High schools: Salesianum School, Delaware Military Academy, St. Elizabeth High School, Howard High School of Technology, Saint Mark's High School

Location: Wilmington, Delaware

Capacity: 5,000

Year opened: 1922

Abessinio Stadium's Finest: Devon Still

Position: Defensive end

College: Penn State

NFL: Cincinnati Bengals (2012-14), Houston Texans (2016)

Devon Still was a star for Howard High and named Delaware's Lineman of the Year as a senior before going on to a standout career at Penn State. After being named Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year and a consensus AP All-American in 2011, Still played four seasons in the NFL.

Bottom Line: Abessinio Stadium

Abessinio Stadium in Wilmington, Delaware — Baynard Stadium changed its name to Abessinio Stadium in 2020.

Formerly Baynard Stadium, this high school football destination became something of a political touching point in Wilmington over the last five years as it sunk into disrepair.

It's not hard to see why it became run down. Five local high schools have called Baynard home over the years. The stadium was saved by a $16 million gift from the Abessinio family in 2019 and underwent some pretty slick renovations.

The upgrades will ensure it remains a high school football bucket list destination for years and years to come.

District of Columbia: Buchanan Field

High school: Gonzaga College High School

Location: Washington, D.C.

Capacity: 1,500 (estimate)

Year opened: 1912

Buchanan Field's Finest: Caleb Williams

Position: Quarterback

College: Oklahoma

Caleb Williams was one of the breakout stars of the 2021 college football season, getting an opportunity after Heisman Trophy candidate Spencer Rattler was benched in the sixth game of the season against Texas in the Red River Rivalry.

Williams stepped in with the Sooners trailing Texas 35-17 and led them to a 55-48 win. After head coach Lincoln Riley left Oklahoma to become the coach at USC, Williams entered the transfer portal.

Bottom Line: Buchanan Field

Buchanan Field in Washington, D.C. — If you catch a game at Buchanan Field, you're likely to see a future NFL player.

Few schools on this list can line up the absolute murderer's row of football players that Gonzaga College High School can. The school has pumped out NFL players for decades.

Few high school football stadiums can properly sum up the city they're in as perfectly as Buchanan Field, where it's been built up against the surrounding neighborhood in Washington D.C.

In fact, luxury apartments sit behind the scoreboard in one end zone.

Florida: Nathaniel Traz-Powell Stadium

High schools: Miami Northwestern High School, Booker T. Washington High School

Location: Miami, Florida

Capacity: 10,000

Year opened: 1968

Nathaniel Traz-Powell Stadium's Finest: Lavonte David

Position: Linebacker

College: Fort Scott Community College/Nebraska

NFL: Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2012-present)

Lavonte David played for powerhouse Miami Northwestern High before starring at Fort Scott Community College and the University of Nebraska, where he was named Big Ten Linebacker of the Year in 2011.

David has been one of the NFL's dominant linebackers over the last decade. He's been named NFL All-Pro three times and won a Super Bowl in 2021.

Bottom Line: Nathaniel Traz-Powell Stadium

Nathaniel Traz-Powell Stadium in Miami, Florida — More NFL talent has come through Traz-Powell Stadium than anywhere in the country.

No stadium in the United States can say it was home to more future NFL talent than Miami's Traz-Powell Stadium — a virtual who's who of pro football talent cutting their teeth here.

Focused on leaving a legacy in the Miami community as Super LIV came to the city in early 2020, Nike decided it would spend $2 million to renovate Traz-Powell Stadium ahead of the big game.

It was something the community needed dearly, and for the sheer amount of talent you can see here on any given Friday night, it's worth the price of admission.

Georgia: Bazemore-Hyder Stadium

High school: Valdosta High School

Location: Valdosta, Georgia

Capacity: 11,249

Year opened: 1924

Bazemore-Hyder Stadium's Finest: Red Dawson

Red Dawson and Matthew Fox — Red Dawson, right, talks with actor Matthew Fox.

Position: Tight end/defensive end

College: Florida State

NFL: Boston Patriots (1965)

William "Red" Dawson was a star tight end and defensive end for Valdosta High and at Florida State before playing one season in the NFL, but it was what happened after his playing career was over that set him apart.

As an assistant coach at Marshall University in 1971, Dawson was one of just two members of Marshall's traveling party who did not fly home on the team plane following a game at East Carolina — a plane that crashed and killed all 75 people aboard as it prepared to land.

Dawson, who was portrayed in the film "We Are Marshall" by Matthew Fox and had a cameo in the film as an opposing team's head coach, coached one more season at Marshall before leaving coaching for good.

Bottom Line: Bazemore-Hyder Stadium

Bazemore-Hyder Stadium in Valdosta, Georgia — Bazemore-Hyder Stadium also plays home to NCAA Division II powerhouse Valdosta State.

Valdosta High School and NCAA Division II powerhouse Valdosta State share Bazemore-Hyder Stadium, but it's Valdosta High that has won more games than any other school in U.S. history.

The nickname for the stadium is "Death Valley," and if you are lucky enough to see a game here, make sure you're there when Valdosta High makes it way to the field.

Opponents have said the noise the Wildcats make when they bang their helmets on the way out can be pretty intimidating.

Hawaii: Raymond Torii Field

High school: Wai'anae High School

Location: Wai'anae, Hawaii

Capacity: 1,500-2,000 (estimate)

Year opened: 1957

Raymond Torii Field's Finest: Kurt Gouveia

Position: Linebacker

College: BYU

NFL: Washington Redskins (1986-94, 1999), Philadelphia Eagles (1995), San Diego Chargers (1996-98), Las Vegas Outlaws (2001)

Kurt Gouveia's name needs to be included in the discussion when it comes to the greatest high school football players to ever come out of Hawaii.

How's this for a winner? Gouveia won a state championship at Wai'anae High, won a national championship at BYU in 1984 and won a pair of Super Bowl titles with the Washington Redskins in 1987 and 1991.

In 1991, Gouveia had an interception in each of Washington's three postseason games, including the Super Bowl, despite having just two interceptions in his career before the playoffs that year.

Bottom Line: Raymond Torii Field

Raymond Torii Field in Wai'anae, Hawaii — Raymond Torii Field has a view that has to be seen to be believed.

Wai'anae High School is the only high school in the U.S. that's located directly on the beach — in this case arguably the most beautiful beach in the world, overlooking the Pacific Ocean on Hawaii's northern shore.

The football stadium is right there on campus and named for the school's first principal, Raymond Torii. The stadium's seating got a big upgrade in 2011 with new bleachers on both sides.

Saying the view from this stadium is breathtaking doesn't do it justice — oceans, mountains, valleys are all in clear view from the stands. And sunset? Man, don't miss the sunset.

Idaho: Bobcat Stadium

Bobcat Stadium in Rexburg, Idaho — Madison County spared no expense on Madison High School's Bobcat Stadium.

High school: Madison High School

Location: Rexburg, Idaho

Capacity: 6,000

Year opened: 2019

Bobcat Stadium's Finest: Logan Anderson

Position: Quarterback

College: N/A

Madison High School won just one game in 2010, but two years later completed a perfect 12-0 season with a win over two-time defending state champion Coeur d’Alene in the Class 5A title game.

They wouldn't have got there without star quarterback Logan Anderson, the Class 5A Player of the Year who was also an All-State punter for Madison.

Bottom Line: Bobcat Stadium

Students and families at Bobcat Stadium — Bobcat Stadium opened in 2017 at a cost of $8.8 million.

Madison County didn't spare any expense when it built a state-of-the-art, $8.8 million stadium for Madison High School as part of a $27 million bond issue that was approved in 2017.

Bobcat Stadium's new press box features four separate rooms, and the turf was installed by the same company that has done several NFL fields. The really great touch here was an LED-lighting system that is something to behold.

It's so good that the University of Utah approached the Madison County School District in hopes of incorporating the same lighting system at their stadium.

Illinois: Bill Duchon Field

There are no lights at Glenbard West High's Bill Duchon Stadium.

High school: Glenbard West High School

Location: Glen Ellyn, Illinois

Capacity: 4,000

Year opened: 1923

Bill Duchon Field's Finest: Matt Bowen

Position: Strong safety

College: Iowa

NFL: St. Louis Rams (2000-01), Green Bay Packers (2001-02), Washington Redskins (2003-05), Buffalo Bills (2006)

Matt Bowen was actually a star quarterback at Glenbard West and switched positions to strong safety after he arrived at the University of Iowa and became an All-Big Ten pick and All-American as a senior when he led the Hawkeyes with 109 tackles.

While Bowen carved out a respectable seven-year career in the NFL, he's always going to be notable for where he was picked in the 2000 NFL draft. The St. Louis Rams selected him in the sixth round, at No. 198 overall, one pick ahead of Tom Brady.

Bottom Line: Bill Duchon Field

Bill Duchon Field in Glen Ellyn, Illinois — When Glenbard West High wins a game, they run a hill to ring a bell and let the town know there's been another victory.

Watching Glenbard West High play at Bill Duchon Field is almost like stepping into a time machine. Varsity games are played on Saturday afternoons because the stadium doesn't have lights, and the stadium itself is surrounded by a forest on three sides and Lake Ellyn Park behind the visiting bleachers.

Up a hill behind the home bleachers is Glenbard High, which was built to look more like a castle than a high school. If you're there when the home team wins, make sure you stay around to see the players run up the hill to the school and ring the victory bell to let the townspeople know they've won another game.

Indiana: Reitz Bowl

High school: Reitz High School

Location: Evansville, Indiana

Capacity: 11,000

Year opened: 1921

Reitz Bowl's Finest: Don Hansen

Position: Linebacker

College: Illinois

NFL: Minnesota Vikings (1966-68), Atlanta Falcons (1969-75), Seattle Seahawks (1976), Green Bay Packers (1976-77)

Don Hansen doled out punishment as a linebacker for Reitz High, leading them to the 1961 state championship, before playing alongside Dick Butkus at the University of Illinois, where the duo led the Illini to a Rose Bowl win over Washington following the 1963 season.

Hansen played 11 seasons in the NFL for four teams.

Bottom Line: Reitz Bowl

You're not just going to a high school football game at the Reitz Bowl in Evansville, Indiana — you're having an experience.

Aerial views of the stadium show an odd twist of architecture. The "Bowl" side of the stadium isn't a straight wall line, but kind of a squiggly line. This was a happy accident. The foundation of the stadium on the home side was originally meant to be a retaining wall for Reitz High School until a quick-thinking member of the school staff observed it could actually be the beginning of a football stadium.

So they made a football stadium, and they also made history.

Iowa: Little Rose Bowl

High school: West Branch High School

Location: West Branch, Iowa

Capacity: 1,500 (estimate)

Year opened: 1921

Little Rose Bowl's Finest: Jeffrey Bowie

Position: Defensive end

College: Iowa

Jeffrey Bowie is the best prospect to come out of West Branch High in quite some time. The 6-foot-5, 247-pound defensive end stayed loyal to his home state and turned down offers from a gaggle of Big Ten and Big 12 schools to sign with the University of Iowa in 2021.

Bowie was a two-time all-state pick for West Branch High and set the school record with a 93-yard fumble return for a touchdown as a junior.

Bottom Line: Little Rose Bowl

Playing Class A in Iowa, the state's smallest classification, West Branch High School has created a huge tradition and legacy thanks to its home-field advantage at the Little Rose Bowl.

Located a half-mile from the school's campus, if you're ever lucky enough to make it to West Branch for a game, please make sure you get there to catch the home team's approach to the stadium.

Coaches and players walk hand in hand from the high school to the field.

Kansas: Panther Stadium

High school: Derby High School

Location: Derby, Kansas

Capacity: 4,800-5,000

Year opened: Unknown

Panther Stadium's Finest: Nick Reid

Position: Linebacker

College: Kansas

NFL/NFL Europe: Kansas City Chiefs (2006-07), Frankfurt Galaxy (2007)

Nick Reid was a star quarterback for Derby High School before becoming a linebacker at the University of Kansas, where he led the team in tackles for three years and was named Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year in 2005.

Bottom Line: Panther Stadium

Panther Stadium in Derby, Kansas — Derby High has won six state titles in the last decade, and yeah, that's the Jordan Brand logo.

Derby High School's Panther Stadium is located smack dab in the middle of the bedroom community located just outside of Wichita. There's nothing fancy about how Panther Stadium was built, but on a Friday night in the fall, it becomes a place where the home-field advantage can stand up to any team in the Midwest.

And while football has always been popular in Derby, the program is in the middle of its greatest dynasty right now under head coach Brandon Clark.

They've won six of the school's seven state championships in the last decade, including three consecutive from 2018 to 2020.

Kentucky: CAM Stadium

High school: Belfry High School

Location: Belfry, Kentucky

Capacity: 5,500

Year opened: 2005

CAM Stadium's Finest: Jim Ramey

Position: Defensive end

College: Kentucky

NFL/CFL/USFL: St. Louis Cardinals (1979), Hamilton Tiger-Cats (1980-82), Tampa Bay Bandits (1983-85), Tampa Bay Buccaneers (1987)

Jim Ramey was a legendary player at Belfry High. Born in the town when it was still unincorporated and raised in the mountains around the high school and the stadium, he said his recruitment boiled down to his father telling the University of Kentucky to "give us the paperwork and we'll sign it." Then Ramey led the Wildcats to a Peach Bowl win as a sophomore.

Ramey's pro football odyssey was something to behold. He played one season in the NFL before playing three seasons in the Canadian Football League, three seasons in the USFL, then one more season in the NFL during the players' strike of 1987.

Bottom Line: CAM Stadium

CAM Stadium in Belfry, Kentucky — The view from Belfry High's CAM Stadium is breathtaking.

CAM Stadium came with the new Belfry High School in 2005 and was immediately one of the great home-field advantages in the state of Kentucky.

The 17-time state champions at Belfry High enter the field from a state-of-the-art fieldhouse behind one end zone, and games are almost always sellouts. Located just three miles from the West Virginia border, you'll get a glimpse of the sheer beauty of the place if you make sure you're there before sundown.

The entire stadium is surrounded by the Appalachian Mountains on all sides.

Louisiana: Rebel Stadium

High school: West Monroe High School

Location: West Monroe, Louisiana

Capacity: 5,200

Year opened: 1950

Rebel Stadium's Finest: Andrew Whitworth

Position: Offensive tackle

College: LSU

NFL: Cincinnati Bengals (2006-16), Los Angeles Rams (2017-present)

Sure, what Tom Brady is doing playing into his 40s is remarkable. But imagine being an offensive lineman and doing that? That's essentially what Andrew Whitworth is doing.

Whitworth won a pair of state championships at West Monroe High, including a mythical national title in 2000, then won a BCS national championship at LSU in 2003.

Whitworth, who turned 40 in 2021, is now in his 16th NFL season after joining the Los Angeles Rams in 2017, and is a three-time NFL All-Pro.

Bottom Line: Rebel Stadium

Rebel Stadium in West Monroe, Louisiana — Rebel Stadium underwent a massive $6.5 renovation that was completed in 2017.

While Rebel Stadium still sits in the same place it always has, there is very little of the old facility that remains (if any) after a massive, $6.5 million renovation began in 2015 and was completed in 2017.

One great part of the renovation was the West Monroe home stands were finally moved to the west side of the stadium. West Monroe's community supports its team like few others.

They've won eight state championships, and the field is named for legendary coach Don Shows, who helped guide the careers of future NFL players for decades.

Maine: Pete Cooper Stadium

There aren't many seats at Keyes Field, so if you show up late, you'll probably have to stand.

High school: Lawrence High School

Location: Fairfield, Maine

Capacity: 6,000 (estimate)

Year opened: Unknown

Keyes Field's Finest: Earle Cooper

Position: Head coach

Earle "Pete" Cooper is one of the greatest high school football coaches from Maine. He coached Lawrence High for 28 years and won three state championships, in 1973, 1983 and 1984.

When he retired in 1996, Cooper was the winningest coach in Maine history.

Bottom Line: Pete Cooper Stadium

Keyes Field in Fairfield, Maine — Lawrence High won its last state title in 2006.

Visitors to Lawrence High's Keyes Field have grown accustomed to the sight of not just the stands being full, but of people lining the field to the point of standing-room-only during games.

Competing in Maine's largest classification, Lawrence High has won four state championships — the last in 2006 — and lost in the state championship game a whopping 10 times.

Lawrence High has actually played in the state championship game every decade since winning its first title in 1973.

Maryland: The Cougar Dome

High school: Quince Orchard High School

Location: Gaithersburg, Maryland

Capacity: 3,000

Year opened: 1988

The Cougar Dome's Finest: Zach Kerr

Position: Nose tackle

College: Delaware

NFL: Indianapolis Colts (2014-16, 2021-present), Denver Broncos (2017-18), Arizona Cardinals (2019), Carolina Panthers (2020), San Francisco 49ers (2021)

It's tough to make it in the NFL as an undrafted free agent, but Quince Orchard High product Zach Kerr has stuck around in the league for eight seasons since his All-CAA career at the University of Delaware.

Kerr, 6-foot-2 and 340 pounds, has been a solid backup everywhere he's been during his career. He has 170 tackles, 9.5 sacks and 7 pass deflections.

Bottom Line: The Cougar Dome

The Cougar Dome in Gaithersburg, Maryland — Quince Orchard High's "Red Army" is the nickname for the student section at The Cougar Dome.

There are so many things to love about The Cougar Dome — the home stadium for Quince Orchard High School.

Let's start with the fact that it is not, in fact, a dome, but we love the fact they call it that. It's actually an old-school, open-air stadium, and the team actually still plays on real grass — a Bermuda/Rye mix.

And we all love high school teams who have a cheering section so rabid they get their own nickname. In this case, it's "The Red Army" for Quince Orchard High.

Massachusetts: Newell Stadium

High school: Gloucester High School

Location: Gloucester, Massachusetts

Capacity: 2,200

Year opened: 1939

Newell Stadium's Finest: Benjamin A. Smith II

John F. Kennedy, Benjamin A. Smith — Benjamin Smith played fullback at Harvard.

Position: Fullback

College: Harvard

While Newell Stadium didn't technically open until six years after Benjamin Smith graduated, we're putting him on the list anyways. Because he led a pretty amazing life.

Smith was a star fullback for Gloucester High before becoming a star at Harvard, where he was assigned a roommate who would end up defining the rest of his life — John F. Kennedy.

When JFK was elected president in 1960, he handpicked Smith to take his place on the U.S. Senate — a move made so Smith could hand the Senate seat off to JFK's younger brother, Ted Kennedy, when he turned 30 years old in 1962, and Smith could take a kush position in JFK's cabinet, which he did in 1963.

Bottom Line: Newell Stadium

The city of Gloucester, Massachusetts, was made famous by the 2001 film "The Perfect Storm" and also boasts one of the singular views of any high school football stadium in the country, where fans can watch fishing boats sail out of the harbor and into the Atlantic Ocean.

Gloucester High School is also one of the oldest on this list — the school was officially a four-year high school in 1857. While the stadium food here is undoubtedly great, you're probably doing it wrong if you don't go sample some of the local seafood after watching the six-time state champions play.

And be careful if some heavy storms start coming in.

Michigan: Ithaca Community Stadium

High school: Ithaca High School

Location: Ithaca, Michigan

Capacity: 2,000 (estimate)

Year opened: Unknown

Ithaca Community Stadium's Finest: Chris Patrick

Position: Offensive tackle

College: Nebraska

NFL/CFL: Philadelphia Eagles (2008), San Francisco 49ers (2009), Edmonton Eskimos (2011), Saskatchewan Roughriders (2012)

Chris Patrick was a full-time starter for the University of Nebraska and made the odd decision to enter the NFL supplemental draft with one year of eligibility remaining, even though he was in good academic standing with the school.

Patrick wasn't selected in the supplemental draft and ended up having to scrap for roster spots. He played two NFL seasons and two seasons in the CFL but spent time on the practice squad with nine different franchises in both leagues.

Bottom Line: Ithaca Community Stadium

Ithaca Community Stadium in Ithaca, Michigan — Ithaca Community Stadium has some pretty unique architecture with its walkway-style framework on the home side.

There's never been a better time to go see a game at Ithaca Community Stadium. Ithaca High has won all five of its state titles in the last decade.

Ithaca's stadium is truly something to behold. It's all brick with stadium seating on both home and visitor sides and a jumbotron that shows in-game replays.

But it's the framing of the home side of the stadium that makes it so unique, specifically the gigantic, yellow bridgework stretching out from both sides of the press box.

Minnesota: DeLaSalle High School Athletic Field

High school: DeLaSalle High School

Location: Minneapolis, Minnesota

Capacity: 750-1,000

Year opened: 2009

DeLaSalle High School Athletic Field's Finest: Bob Wetoska

Bob Wetoska No. 89 — Bob Wetoska became a Chicago Bears legend.

Position: Offensive line

College: Notre Dame

NFL: Chicago Bears (1960-69)

Bob Wetoska went from downtown Minneapolis to Notre Dame to NFL stardom.

Wetoska played 10 seasons for the Chicago Bears, helping the team win an NFL championship in 1963 and earning NFL All-Pro honors in 1965. In 2019, he was named one of the 100 greatest players in Chicago Bears history.

Bottom Line: DeLaSalle High School Athletic Field

DeLaSalle High School Athletic Field in Minneapolis, Minnesota — DeLaSalle High's stadium has a view of downtown Minneapolis.

The really amazing thing about DeLaSalle's home stadium is that the team played 100 years before playing an actual home game.

That changed in a big way when the school's first football stadium opened in 2009 on Nicollet Island — a small chunk of land in the middle of Minneapolis in the middle of the Mississippi River.

And the view from there is pretty magnificent. Fans can take in the sprawling skyline of Minneapolis as they watch games.

Mississippi: Dunlap Stadium

High school: South Panola High School

Location: Batesville, Mississippi

Capacity: 10,000 (estimate)

Year opened: Unknown

Dunlap Stadium's Finest: Deshea Townsend

Position: Cornerback

College: Alabama

NFL: Pittsburgh Steelers (1998-2009), Indianapolis Colts (2010)

Deshea Townsend was a star quarterback for South Panola High alongside future Alabama teammate and NFL linebacker Dwayne Rudd, leading the team to a 15-0 record and the state championship in 1993.

Townsend moved to cornerback in college and was a three-time All-SEC selection for the Crimson Tide before playing 13 seasons in the NFL and winning two Super Bowls with the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Bottom Line: Dunlap Stadium

Dunlap Stadium in Batesville, Mississippi — South Panola High won 89 consecutive games from 2003 to 2008.

South Panola High owns the third-longest winning streak in high school football history — 89 games from 2003 to 2008.

Having that kind of team will bring out fans in droves, and the South Panola community has bent over backward to support their local football stars.

If you want evidence of this, look no further than a pair of capital projects at South Panola in the past few years: a 10,000-square-foot field house and a 25,000-square-foot indoor practice facility.

Missouri: Cardinal Stadium

High school: Webb City High School

Location: Webb City, Missouri

Capacity: 5,000

Year opened: 1969

Cardinal Stadium's Finest: Grant Wistrom

Position: Defensive end

College: Nebraska

NFL: St. Louis Rams (1998-2003), Seattle Seahawks (2004-06)

There aren't a lot of football players on any level who can say they won like former Webb City High star Grant Wistrom.

After Wistrom led Webb City to two Class 4A state championships, he was a two-time All-American and won three national championships at the University of Nebraska. The winning didn't stop there. Wistrom played nine seasons in the NFL and won a Super Bowl with the St. Louis Rams following the 1999 season.

He was elected to the College Football Hall of Fame in 2009.

Bottom Line: Cardinal Stadium

Cardinal Stadium in Webb City, Missouri — Webb City High is home to one of the elite high school football programs in the Midwest.

Webb City played over three decades in its previous location at Hatten Field before it was demolished and replaced with Cardinal Stadium.

As Webb City started winning state championships at a stunning clip — 15 titles since 1989 — the stadium grew along with it.

When the state championships started, Cardinal Stadium could only hold between 1,500-2,000 fans. In the 30 years since then, it has more than doubled in size.

Montana: Naranche Stadium

High school: Butte High School

Location: Butte, Montana

Capacity: 8,000

Year opened: 1937 (closed in 1973, reopened in 2011)

Naranche Stadium's Finest: Colt Anderson

Position: Safety

College: Montana

NFL: Philadelphia Eagles (2010-13), Indianapolis Colts (2014-15), Buffalo Bills (2016-17)

Colt Anderson has one of the most unlikely NFL careers you'll ever hear about. After Butte High School went 0-9 during his senior season, Anderson walked on at the University of Montana and eventually became a three-time All-Big Sky Conference safety.

Anderson spent two seasons on the practice squad for the Minnesota Vikings before making the roster for the Philadelphia Eagles. He lasted eight seasons in the NFL as a special teams player and backup safety.

Bottom Line: Naranche Stadium

Naranche Stadium in Butte, Montana — Butte High won a state title at Naranche Stadium in 2012.

The fire that shut down Butte High Stadium in 1973 kept it closed until renovations in 2011 let it reopen in grand fashion. It's a piece of architecture that now blends seamlessly with downtown Butte and seems like a perfect fit for the town.

The stadium — now named for World War II hero Eso Naranche — received a good enough makeover that it's able to host state championship games, and the home team won a state title there in 2012 on a 46-yard field goal as time expired.

Nebraska: Veterans Memorial Field

Veterans Memorial Stadium is home to powerhouse Norfolk Catholic High School.

High school: Norfolk Catholic High School, Norfolk High School, Lutheran High Northeast

Location: Norfolk, Nebraska

Capacity: 3,667

Year opened: 1949

Veterans Memorial Field's Finest: Aaron Hughes

Position: Defensive back

Few players in Nebraska high school football history can hold a candle to what Norfolk Catholic High's Aaron Hughes did in 1991.

He set the state record with most interceptions in a season (18), game (5) and led his school to the state championship.

He was also the team's quarterback.

Bottom Line: Veterans Memorial Field

There are three teams that call Veterans Memorial Football Field in Norfolk home, but if you get to see just one of them, make sure it's powerhouse Norfolk Catholic High, the most dominant team in state history with a record 10 state championships.

The community does all it can to support its local stadium and local teams as well. Voters approved a $16 million bond in 2010 that ended up providing new artificial turf, new lighting and fixed the bleachers at the football stadium.

Good job, Norfolk.

Nevada: Fertitta Field

High school: Bishop Gorman High School

Location: Las Vegas, Nevada

Capacity: 5,000+

Year opened: 2007

Fertitta Field's Finest: DeMarco Murray

Position: Running back

College: Oklahoma

NFL: Dallas Cowboys (2011-14), Philadelphia Eagles (2015), Tennessee Titans (2016-17)

DeMarco Murray was a three-sport star at Bishop Gorman High in football, basketball and track. He ran for almost 2,000 yards as a senior and became one of the most highly recruited running backs in the country, picking Oklahoma over offers from Miami and Penn State, among others.

Murray was a three-time All-Big 12 selection for the Sooners before playing in the NFL for seven seasons, making three Pro Bowls and leading the NFL in rushing in 2014, when he was named NFC Offensive Player of the Year and made his lone All-Pro squad.

Bottom Line: Fertitta Field

Fertitta Field in Las Vegas, Nevada — Bishop Gorman High School won back-to-back national titles in 2014 and 2015.

One of the five or 10 best high school athletic programs in the entire nation resides at Bishop Gorman High, and much of that success has been propelled by its football program.

That all starts with Fertitta Field and its accompanying, 40,000-square-foot training facility — The Fertitta Athletic Center — that was built for $9.5 million and completed in 2012.

The investment has paid off in a big way, as Bishop Gorman won back-to-back national titles in 2014 and 2015.

New Hampshire: Inter-Lakes Athletic Field

High school: Inter-Lakes High School

Location: Meredith, New Hampshire

Capacity: 1,000-1,500 (estimate)

Year opened: Unknown

Inter-Lakes Athletic Field Finest: Kevin Brady

Position: Running back

College: N/A

In just its fifth year of play, the Inter-Lakes High School football team won a New Hampshire Division VI state championship. One big reason for that was senior running back Kevin Brady, who rushed for 1,870 yards and had his No. 21 retired after the season.

Brady was never better than in the state championship game. Brady had 36 carries for 139 yards and the game's only touchdown in a 6-0 win over Winnisquam.

Bottom Line: Inter-Lakes Athletic Field

Inter-Lakes Athletic Field in Meredith, New Hampshire — New Hampshire is one of the most beautiful places you can visit in the entire United States.

The great thing about Inter-Lakes High School's stadium is the sheer beauty of New Hampshire. You've got two bodies of water with Lake Waukewan to the north and Meredith Bay to the south and sprawling woods that dot the area west of the stadium.

If you've never been to New Hampshire, you should go. It's truly one of the most beautiful states in the U.S., and you can about see all you need to in a day or two.

And take in a high school football game.

New Jersey/New York: Roosevelt Stadium

High school: Union City High School

Location: Union City, New Jersey

Capacity: 2,500

Year opened: 1936 (roof stadium 2009)

Roosevelt Stadium Finest: Christopher Bermudez

Position: Midfielder

College: None

Pro soccer: Greenville Triumph (2019), Real Monarchs (2020), New Amsterdam FC (2021)

Hey, soccer teams use football stadiums, too. Sometimes with a lot more success than the football teams.

Christopher Bermudez played at Union City High while he was still in the youth program for the New York Red Bulls, and went pro in 2019 with the Greenville Triumph of USL League 1.

Bottom Line: Roosevelt Stadium

Roosevelt Stadium in Union City, New Jersey — Roosevelt Stadium has a view of the Manhattan skyline. Not in this pic, though.

There is no stranger location for any stadium on this list. Union City High School's football stadium is on the roof of the school.

The stadium itself has been around, in name only, since the 1930s, but when the school was razed and rebuilt in the same spot for $180 million in the late 2000s, the most densely populated city in the U.S. had to think outside the box. So they put the football stadium on the roof.

This is truly one stadium you have to see to believe, and it serves perfectly for New York as well, because once you're on top of the Union City roof, you'll realize that you're basically sitting in New York's lap with that view of the Manhattan skyline.

New Mexico: Bulldog Bowl

High school: Artesia High School

Location: Artesia, New Mexico

Capacity: 6,500

Year opened: Unknown

Bulldog Bowl's Finest: Landry Jones

Position: Quarterback

College: Oklahoma

NFL: Pittsburgh Steelers (2013-17), Jacksonville Jaguars (2018)

One of the few big-time Division I football recruits to come out of New Mexico, Landry Jones led Artesia High to back-to-back Class 4A state championships before signing with Oklahoma.

Jones was a four-year starter for the Sooners and played six seasons in the NFL.

Bottom Line: Bulldog Bowl

Bulldog Bowl in Artesia, New Mexico — Former Oklahoma quarterback Landry Jones played for Artesia High.

It's a hike to get to tiny Artesia, New Mexico, and if you're going out of your way to get there, you might as well catch one of the more unique experiences in all of high school football.

The key about going to a game at the Bulldog Bowl is making sure you get to take in everything going on in the town leading up to the game. Head downtown to see all of the pomp and circumstance before heading over to catch the main event at this New Mexico marvel.

North Carolina: Durham County Stadium

High school: Northern High School

Location: Durham, North Carolina

Capacity: 8,500

Year opened: 1960

Durham County Stadium's Finest: Dewayne Washington

Position: Cornerback

College: North Carolina State

NFL: Minnesota Vikings (1994-97), Pittsburgh Steelers (1998-2003), Jacksonville Jaguars (2004), Kansas City Chiefs (2005)

Dewayne Washington was an All-American for Northern High before staying in-state to play for North Carolina State in college.

Picked No. 18 overall by the Minnesota Vikings in 1994, Washington played 11 seasons in the NFL.

Bottom Line: Durham County Stadium

Durham County Stadium in Durham, North Carolina — Durham County Stadium's main home team is Northern High.

Northern's High's home field has been used for much more than high school football, including the NCAA Division II CIAA championship game for a decade, but it's the prep stars that have defined Durham County Stadium.

Northern High's greatest player of all time is probably cornerback Dewayne Washington, who went on to star at North Carolina State and was the No. 18 overall pick in the 1994 NFL draft by the Minnesota Vikings.

North Dakota: Bismarck Bowl

High school: Bismarck High School, Century High School, St. Mary's Central High School, Legacy High School

Location: Bismarck, North Dakota

Capacity: 6,000

Year opened: 1997

Bismarck Bowl's Finest: Weston Dressler

Position: Wide receiver

College: North Dakota

CFL: Saskatchewan Roughriders (2008-15), Winnipeg Blue Bombers (2016-18)

Weston Dressler was a dynamo on the football field at just 5-foot-7 and 170 pounds — first at Bismarck High, then at the University of North Dakota then for a decade in the Canadian Football League.

Dressler, who was named the North Dakota Gatorade Player of the Year in 2003, set 19 receiving records at North Dakota before being named CFL Rookie of the Year in 2008 and winning a Grey Cup with the Saskatchewan Roughriders in 2013.

Bottom Line: Bismarck Bowl

Bismarck Bowl in Bismarck, North Dakota — The Bismarck Bowl is home to the best high school football in North Dakota.

The Bismarck Community Bowl is putting in as much or more work as any stadium on this list. It's home to four high school football teams and two local small college football teams and adjacent to the campus of Bismarck State, which actually doesn't have a football team.

And if you do make it here, try to catch Bismarck vs. Century. In the last decade, they've combined to win seven state titles, with four state championship games where they've faced each other.

Ohio: The Pit

High school: Elder High School

Location: Cincinnati, Ohio

Capacity: 10,000

Year opened: 1947

The Pit's Finest: Kyle Rudolph

Position: Tight end

College: Notre Dame

NFL: Minnesota Vikings (2011-20), New York Giants (2021-present)

Kyle Rudolph was a USA Today High School All-American for Elder High before playing for Notre Dame, then becoming a Pro Bowl tight end for the Minnesota Vikings.

Rudolph has made almost $60 million in career earnings through his first decade in the NFL, and signed with the New York Giants as a free agent before the 2021 season.

Bottom Line: The Pit

The Pit in Cincinnati, Ohio — There's not many places in the U.S. where they play better high school football than at The Pit.

If you've been to a high school football stadium built in, say, the last 40 years, you understand how unusual it would be to have close proximity to the teams and players.

Thankfully, Elder High's stadium — The Pit — was built in the 1930s and 1940s (short break due to World War II), and fan seating starts about five yards back from each sideline. In a 10,000-seat stadium.

The Pit is built like a horseshoe, just like the big one in Columbus, and if you ever find a way to a game here, please know you've found your way to one of the true meccas of high school football in the U.S.

Oklahoma: Jelsma Stadium

High school: Guthrie High School

Location: Guthrie, Oklahoma

Capacity: 3,000

Year opened: 1935

Jelsma Stadium's Finest: Gene Stephenson

Position: Wide receiver

College: Missouri (football and baseball)

Gene Stephenson starred at Guthrie High in football and baseball before he went to the University of Missouri on a football scholarship. He eventually found success in baseball, where he was an All-American.

After serving a tour of duty in Vietnam, Stephenson returned home to coach college baseball, first as an assistant at Missouri and Oklahoma, before taking over the program at Wichita State, where he won a national championship in 1989.

Stephenson coached WSU for 36 years before he was fired in 2013.

Bottom Line: Jelsma Stadium

Jelsma Stadium in Guthrie, Oklahoma — Guthrie High doesn't lose many home games at Jelsma Stadium.

Jelsma Stadium is better known as The Rock thanks to the 30-foot high sandstone wall behind one of the end zones and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

The wall does more than just look pretty. It amplifies the noise for the home team to some pretty chaotic levels, and it also runs right up to a street in the middle of Guthrie.

This is a stadium that continually ends up mentioned when we talk about the best high school football venues in the country.

Oregon: Pete Susick Stadium

High school: Marshfield High School

Location: Coos Bay, Oregon

Capacity: 3,100

Year opened: 1952

Pete Susick Stadium's Finest: Steve Prefontaine

Position: Long-distance runner

College: Oregon

The most legendary long-distance runner in American history was Marshfield High's Steve Prefontaine, who set national records while in high school before committing to run for the University of Oregon and head coach Bill Bowerman.

Prefontaine raced with "pure guts" and never lost a race in three years running for Oregon. He famously was overtaken for a bronze medal at the 1972 Olympics in the last 10 meters of the 5,000-meter race.

Prefontaine died in 1975 in an automobile accident in Eugene, Oregon. He was just 24 years old.

Bottom Line: Pete Susick Stadium

There's something about being at a Marshfield High home game that sets your heart on fire a little bit. Maybe it's when the smell from the Pacific Ocean wafts in from the west and gets all mixed up with the tailgate outside of Pete Susick Stadium — named for the man who was the school's head coach from 1946 to 1979.

Maybe it's when it starts to rain, and you realize you're in Oregon, where almost all of the stadiums have these bizarre, extended roofs, and you're not gonna get soaked like you usually would at a football game.

And maybe it's just the moment when the home team finally takes the field. Whatever it is, it works. So go ahead and add this trip to the bucket list.

Pennsylvania: The Wolvarena

High school: Woodland Hills High School

Location: Turtle Creek, Pennsylvania

Capacity: 12,500

Year opened: 1942

The Wolvarena's Finest: Rob Gronkowski

Position: Tight end

College: Arizona

NFL: New England Patriots (2010-18), Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2020-present)

Rob Gronkwoski played his final season of high school football at Woodland Hills High before going on to star at the University of Arizona and becoming one of the greatest tight ends in NFL history.

Gronkowski, a surefire Hall of Famer, has won four Super Bowls — three with the New England Patriots and one with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Bottom Line: The Wolvarena

The Wolvarena in Turtle Creek, Pennsylvania — That's six points the hard way for Woodland Hills High.

The home of the Woodland Hills High School Wolverines has one of the more unique names of any stadium on this list.

The school district paid almost $8 million in renovations to the stadium in the last decade, and when you see the list of NFL talent that's come out of the school, you'll understand why.

The most notable players are Pro Football Hall of Fame defensive end Jason Taylor and future Hall of Famer Rob Gronkowski, one of the greatest tight ends of all time.

Rhode Island: Hayden Stadium

High school: Bishop Hendricken High School

Location: Warwick, Rhode Island

Capacity: 1,500-2,000

Year opened: 1959

Hayden Stadium's Finest: Kwity Paye

Position: Defensive end

College: Michigan

NFL: Indianapolis Colts (2021-present)

You will find few football players with a more amazing backstory than former Bishop Hendricken High star Kwity Paye, who was born in a refugee camp in Guinea during the First Liberian Civil War.

Paye's mother brought him and his brother, Komotay, to Rhode Island, where Kwity became a football star and was named the Rhode Island Gatorade Player of the Year in 2016 before becoming a two-time All-Big Ten selection at Michigan.

Kwity was drafted by the Indianapolis Colts with the No. 21 overall pick in the 2021 NFL draft.

Bottom Line: Hayden Stadium

Hayden Stadium in Warwick, Rhode Island — Guess what? They play pretty good high school football in Rhode Island.

Bishop Hendricken has found a way to consistently churn out NFL talent for decades, including four-time Super Bowl champ Steve Furness, a member of Pittsburgh’s famed "Steel Curtain" defense, and Will Blackmon, who won a Super Bowl with the Giants in 2011.

Those are the type of players that keep fans coming out to see the team from the all-boys prep school take the field at Hayden Stadium, where you can get the feeling that it's sort of a preamble to the Ivy League at the tailgate.

South Carolina: Cavalier Stadium

High school: Dorman High School

Location: Roebuck, South Carolina

Capacity: 15,200

Year opened: 1967

Cavalier Stadium's Finest: Ryan Sims

Position: Defensive tackle

College: North Carolina

NFL: Kansas City Chiefs (2002-06), Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2007-10)

Roebuck High's Ryan Sims was a star defensive tackle at the University of North Carolina alongside future NFL player Julius Peppers before the Kansas City Chiefs selected him No. 6 overall in the 2002 NFL draft.

Sims, who was an All-American in 2001, played nine seasons in the NFL.

Bottom Line: Cavalier Stadium

Cavalier Stadium in Roebuck, South Carolina — You might get a little surge of adrenaline walking out to midfield before a game at Cavalier Stadium.

In South Carolina, they'll know you're talking about Dorman High's football stadium if you call it by any of its nicknames as well — Taj Mahal, The Palace or The University of Dorman.

If you'd like to know about what kind of show they're running here, we'll reference the stadium's 3,000 box seats and chairback seats available to boosters, which bring in a reported $300,000 each year.

South Dakota: Howard Wood Field

High schools: Washington High School, Lincoln High School, Roosevelt High School, O'Gorman High School

Location: Sioux Falls, South Dakota

Capacity: 10,000

Year opened: 1957

Howard Wood Field's Finest: Nathan Gerry

Position: Linebacker

College: Nebraska

NFL: Philadelphia Eagles (2017-20)

When it comes to pure athleticism, few high school athletes in South Dakota history can compare to Washington High's Nathan Gerry.

Gerry was not only a star linebacker in high school. He was also a two-time state champion in the 200-meter dash and also won the 100-meter dash as a senior.

He was an All-Big Ten player at the University of Nebraska and won a Super Bowl with the Philadelphia Eagles as a rookie in 2017.

Bottom Line: Howard Wood Field

Howard Wood Field in Sioux Falls, South Dakota — Howard Wood Field hosted the first game in Minnesota Vikings history.

In an interesting piece of football history, the Minnesota Vikings played their first game — an exhibition — at Howard Wood Field against the Dallas Cowboys on Aug. 5, 1961.

If you're going to make it to just one game at Howard Wood Field in your lifetime, we'd like to recommend being there for the Bob Burns Dakota Bowl, which always features 11-time state champion O'Gorman High.

Tennessee: Green Wave Stadium

High school: Gallatin High School

Location: Gallatin, Tennessee

Capacity: 4,000-5,000 (estimate)

Year opened: Unknown

Green Wave Stadium's Finest: Ray Oldham

Position: Defensive back

College: Middle Tennessee State

NFL: Baltimore Colts (1973-78), Pittsburgh Steelers (1978), New York Giants (1979), Detroit Lions (1980-82)

Gallatin High's Ray Oldham starred at Middle Tennessee State before embarking on a 10-year NFL career and winning a Super Bowl as part of one of the greatest defenses of all time with the Pittsburgh Steelers in 1978.

Oldham died in 2005 after he suffered a massive heart attack while riding his bike. He was 54 years old.

Bottom Line: Green Wave Stadium

Green Wave Stadium in Gallatin, Tennessee — The home game atmosphere at Green Wave Stadium gets pretty wild.

There's a different feeling you get when you walk into a high school football stadium and don't see a track. For one thing, you know you're in a stadium that's probably pretty old. For another thing, you know you're probably in a place where they take football pretty seriously.

Those are the type of feelings you get when you walk into Gallatin High's Green Wave Stadium for a football game. And if you can catch just one game there, make sure it's when hated rival Hendersonville High comes to town.

You won't be disappointed.

Texas: R.R. Jones Stadium

High school: El Paso High School

Location: El Paso, Texas

Capacity: 6,592

Year opened: 1916

R.R. Jones Stadium's Finest: Andy Cohen

Position: Running back

College: Alabama

MLB: New York Giants (1926-29)

Andy Cohen was a three-sport star at El Paso High in baseball, basketball and football. Younger brother Syd Cohen followed him in baseball and basketball several years later.

Andy earned a scholarship from the University of Alabama, where he was a star in all three sports before leaving school early to play professional baseball. He played four seasons in the majors for the New York Giants. Syd also played four seasons in the majors.

Andy returned to El Paso and was the coach at the University of Texas El Paso for 17 years.

Bottom Line: R.R. Jones Stadium

R.R. Jones Stadium in El Paso, Texas — The first three Sun Bowls were hosted at R.R. Jones Stadium from 1935 to 1937.

R.R. Jones Stadium looks like what H.P. Lovecraft probably would have imagined a high school football stadium would look like.

It takes a moment right when you walk up to grab the dynamics of the structure in total — a place where the first Friday night football games were played in Texas.

If you are wondering how to place the architecture's inspiration, think no further than the buildings of ancient Rome, which it's been compared to on many occasions.

Utah: Monument Valley Stadium

High school: Monument Valley High School

Location: Olijato-Monument Valley, Utah

Capacity: 1,000-1,500 (estimate)

Year opened: Unknown

Monument Valley Stadium's Finest: Mark Chapman

Position: Wide receiver

College: University of Minnesota Morris

Mark Chapman was a two-time all-conference wide receiver for Monument Valley High in 2015 and 2016. As a senior in 2016, Chapman led his team with 35 receptions for 592 receiving yards and a whopping 13 touchdowns as Monument Valley went 10-1 and 5-0 in conference play.

As a senior, he was also named Navajo Times Offensive Player of the Year, all-state by the Arizona Football Coaches Association and picked to play in the National Native American All-Star Game in Dallas.

He went on to play collegiately for NCAA Division III University of Minnesota Morris.

Bottom Line: Monument Valley Stadium

Monument Valley Stadium in Olijato-Monument Valley, Utah — The opening scene in "Mission Impossible II" was filmed behind Monument Valley Stadium.

Located on a Navajo reservation right on the Arizona-Utah border, the view from Monument Valley Stadium will have you thinking you've died and went to heaven — watching the sunset against some of the most famous red rock formations in the United States.

At Monument Valley Stadium, the national anthem is sung in Navajo, you can buy fry bread and beans at the concession stand, and feel free to warm yourself by one of the campfires from fans on the way out after the game.

Vermont: Burlington Stadium

High school: Burlington High School

Location: Burlington, Vermont

Capacity: 1,500-2,000 (estimate)

Year opened: 1964

Burlington Stadium's Finest: Frederic W. Allen

Position: Utility

College: Miami University of Ohio

Frederic W. Allen was part of the Burlington High Class of '44 and played football, basketball, and ran high hurdles on the track team. Allen went off to fight in World War II after graduation but returned home to have a superstar legal career.

Allen served as the Chief Justice of the Vermont Supreme Court from 1984 to 1997.

Bottom Line: Burlington Stadium

Burlington Stadium in Burlington, Vermont — Did you catch what we said? They're the Seahorses!

There isn't a school with a better mascot than the Burlington High Seahorses, and when you make your way to this bucolic football field, you'll be well-served to remember "Seahorse Pride" is really a thing.

Located approximately 40 miles from the Canadian border and just a stone's throw from Burlington Bay, Burlington Stadium really is as good as it get in Vermont when it comes to high school football. A big part of that is the six state titles that Burlington High has won.

Here's another insider tip — the Seahorses play on Buck Hard Field. Get it?

Virginia: Darling Memorial Stadium

High schools: Hampton High School, Bethel High School, Kecoughtan High School, Phoebus High School

Location: Hampton, Virginia

Capacity: 8,000

Year opened: 1929

Darling Memorial Stadium's Finest: Allen Iverson

Position: Quarterback/defensive back/kick returner

College: Georgetown (basketball)

NBA: Philadelphia 76ers (1996-2006, 2009-10), Denver Nuggets (2006-08), Detroit Pistons (2008-09), Memphis Grizzlies (2009)

Did you know NBA superstar Allen Iverson is also one of the greatest high school football players in Virginia history?

Iverson was the equivalent of a five-star quarterback/kick returner/defensive back for Bethel High before recruiting rankings were really a thing, and led his team to the state championship as a junior.

"The Answer" was just fine playing basketball. He led the league in scoring four times and was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame in 2016.

Bottom Line: Darling Memorial Stadium

Darling Memorial Stadium in Hampton, Virginia — Hampton High's Mike Smith is one of the winningest coaches in the nation.

While this stadium has existed in some form since 1929, the updated Darling Memorial Stadium that opened in 1989 has seen as good a display of high school football in the last three decades as any stadium.

That begins with the great teams at Hampton High led by legendary coach Mike Smith, who won back-to-back national titles in 1997 and 1998. That being said, the best football player who ever called Darling Stadium home was probably Bethel High quarterback/defensive back/return specialist Allen Iverson.

Yes, that Allen Iverson.

Washington: Stadium Bowl

High schools: Stadium High School, Woodrow Wilson High School

Location: Tacoma, Washington

Capacity: 15,000

Year opened: 1910

Stadium Bowl's Finest: Heath Ledger

Position: Actor

College: None

Not all stars have to be football players. And in the spirit of thinking outside of the box, we're tabbing the late, great Heath Ledger as the best thing to ever step foot in the Stadium Bowl.

Ledger shot to fame in the film "10 Things I Hate About You" thanks in large part to his mostly improvised rendition of Frankie Valli's "Can't Take My Eyes Off of You" on the steps of the Stadium Bowl.

Ledger, who went on to win an Academy Award playing The Joker in "The Dark Knight," died of a drug overdose in 2008 at 28 years old.

Bottom Line: Stadium Bowl

Stadium Bowl in Frankie Valli's — That's a real high school behind the Stadium Bowl in Tacoma.

The steps of the Stadium Bowl were famously used by the late Oscar winner Heath Ledger during an epic song and dance in the movie "10 Things I Hate About You," which you can find right here.

The stadium is right below one of the two high schools that play there — Stadium High School — and has been there since the school was built in 1910.

What will really take your breath away are the stunning views of Puget Sound and Commencement Bay.

West Virginia: Mitchell Stadium

High school: Bluefield High School, Graham High School

Location: Bluefield, West Virginia

Capacity: 10,000

Year opened: 1936

Mitchell Stadium's Finest: Bill Dudley

Position: Halfback

College: Virginia

NFL: Pittsburgh Steelers (1942, 1945-46), Detroit Lions (1947-49), Washington Football Team (1950-51, 1953)

Pro Football Hall of Famer Bill Dudley first shot to fame at Graham High, when he kicked the game-winning field goal in a 10-7 upset of heavily favored Princeton High.

Dudley went on to start for the University of Virginia, fought in World War II and returned home to be named NFL Most Valuable Player in 1946.

Bottom Line: Mitchell Stadium

Mitchell Stadium in Bluefield, West Virginia — Mitchell Stadium was built in the 1930s.

Built as part of the Works Progress Administration in the mid-1930s, Mitchell Stadium also serves as the home field for a team in another state — Virginia's Graham High School, which is the only high school in the nation that plays home games in a different state.

Mitchell Stadium was named "America's Best High School Football Stadium" in 2019 by USA Today via online voting. Mitchell Stadium also has enough fame in the state that a Division I football game was once played there when West Virginia University faced Virginia Tech in 1953.

Wisconsin: Taraska Stadium

High school: Arrowhead High School

Location: Hartland, Wisconsin

Capacity: 3,400

Year opened: 1962

Taraska Stadium's Finest: Mike Solwold

Position: Tight end/long snapper

College: Wisconsin

NFL: Dallas Cowboys (2001), Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2002), Baltimore Ravens (2003-04), New England Patriots (2005)

Mike Solwold won two state championships at Arrowhead High and was named Wisconsin Gatorade Player of the Year in 1996.

He went on to win two Big Ten championships as the long snapper at the University of Wisconsin and won a Super Bowl with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2002.

Bottom Line: Taraska Stadium

Taraska Stadium in Hartland, Wisconsin — Taraska Stadium doubled its seating capacity in 2010.

In 2010, a massive renovation to the home bleachers and the press box doubled the seating capacity at the stadium — and it was definitely needed.

Arrowhead High has had one of the state's best home teams for quite some time and the games at Taraska Field definitely take on a college-like atmosphere.

As it's been pointed out by others many times, the stadium still has a lot of its charm because it's nestled right up to a neighborhood in Hartland, Wisconsin.

Wyoming: Big Horn Field

High school: Big Horn High School

Location: Sheridan, Wyoming

Capacity: 700 (estimate)

Year opened: Unknown

Big Horn Field's Finest: Josh Thompson

Josh Thompson No. 79 — Josh Thompson (No. 79) is a great athlete.

Position: Defensive line/offensive line

College: N/A (Class of 2022)

Big Horn High's Josh Thompson hasn't graduated from high school and can already call himself one of the greatest players in his school's history.

The 6-foot, 235-pounder ended his career as a three-time All-State selection and the Co-Conference Lineman of the Year in 2021.

Bottom Line: Big Horn Field

Big Horn Field in Sheridan, Wyoming — Big Horn High's uniforms are pretty legit.

We owe a big tip of the hat to longtime Wyoming high school football blogger Patrick Schmiedt for this one.

One of the smaller stadiums on this list, Big Horn High School's stadium has been home to six state champions over the years. The reason why Big Horn Field earns the top spot in Wyoming is because, just like Patrick, we're a sucker for stadiums that are framed by mountains.

And the Big Horn Mountains as the backdrop when the Rams play are pretty amazing.