Manley: Top 10 high school football stadiums in South Sound (Nos. 10 through 6)
In news meetings with co-workers, on phone calls with coaches and athletic directors or just in chats with friends, facilities are always a topic of conversation. I’ve covered high school sports in the area for over a decade and have watched football games all over the South Sound.
I started thinking the other day about some of the worst and best high school stadiums I’ve been to. Frankly, not all the facilities are great. I’ve been crammed into hot, sweaty press boxes the size of broom closets, have climbed slick ladders onto rooftops to cover games and have waited in my fair share of lines to use bathrooms that are about the size of a New York City studio apartment.
But in the spirit of positivity, I’ll focus on the area’s best stadiums, because there are a handful that shine.
The criteria:
- First and most importantly, I’m looking for places that pass the vibe check — places that routinely have good crowds and just feel like Friday nights. The kind of places that make you pause and soak it in at some point during the game.
- Secondly, I’m looking for places with a good viewing experience, adequate seating (preferably covered) and reasonably-sized press boxes. Bonus points for stadiums with modern amenities, spacious and clean bathrooms, sufficient parking lots and easily accessible concession stands.
- Lastly, places that have character or something unique or special to offer — that place in Tacoma where they filmed a movie once comes to mind.
Stadiums that excel in one category might be forgiven for shortcomings in others. As with any Top 10 list, I realize there’s a certain level of subjectivity here. Plenty will disagree with these rankings and that’s fine. Some stadiums hold sentimental value to people that I don’t share. Send me an email or a note with your top picks — I’d love to hear them. Here’s my Top 10.
Note: This list will be split into two parts (Nos. 10 through 6, then Nos. 5 through 1).
10. Cardinal Stadium, Orting
I considered a bunch of smaller-school stadiums for this list before settling on Orting. Like any small-school stadium, it has limitations. It’ll never match up with the state’s biggest schools as far as seating capacity or size. But that view of Mount Rainier from the stadium — so close you swear you could reach out and touch it? That’s worth the price of admission alone. Just hope Rainier doesn’t pop while you’re watching the red and white.
9. South Sound Stadium, Lacey
I don’t find any of the Thurston County stadiums to be excellent or perfect, but I think South Sound is probably the best of the bunch. Home to Timberline, North Thurston and River Ridge high schools, South Sound has covered seating on both sides, ample parking and close proximity to I-5. The facilities are always well maintained, in good shape and clean. Also one of the main sites of the Thurston County Youth Football League, this field sees plenty of action all year, and it handles crowds with ease.
8. Viking Stadium (Curtis), University Place
Personally, I think this is one of the more underrated stadiums in the South Sound. Covered seating on both sides, well-maintained facilities and amenities, consistently good community support. The elevated sight lines from the home side are fantastic. This is a really solid stadium that is above average in every category.
7. Enumclaw Stadium (Pete’s Pool), Enumclaw
Look, this stadium has its fair share of warts. The seating capacity isn’t much, the sight lines are awful in some areas of the stands, the bathrooms are totally inadequate and the locker rooms are tiny and dated. All that aside, if this list was based purely on vibes — Pete’s Pool might just take the top spot. Where else will you see linemen emerge from a hog trailer for pregame intros? The stadium was nicknamed “Pete’s Pool” after Pete Chorak, a Yugoslavian immigrant who had a mountain spring along what is now State Route 410 enlarged into a rock bottomed pond around 1935. These days, there’s no pool, but the name persists. The wooden bleachers, the gravel parking lot full of Ford F-150’s and the small-town community feel are a perfect match for the hard-nosed program current head coach Mark Gunderson has built. Watching a game at Pete’s Pool feels like stepping into a time machine.
6. Federal Way Memorial Field, Federal Way
Like the intoxicating smell of a brand new car, it’s hard to argue against a stadium that hasn’t had the chance to collect dust yet. Federal Way Public Schools’ shiny new facility opened in November 2023 and looks gorgeous. It seats about a thousand fewer than Mount Tahoma, but is otherwise similar: covered seating on both sides, pristine locker rooms, a large modern scoreboard, bright LED field lights and more. The gray track is a unique touch.
Note: This list will be split into two parts (Nos. 10 through 6, then Nos. 5 through 1). Check back for the top five next.
This story was originally published July 10, 2025 at 5:00 AM.
