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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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)

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

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

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

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)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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.