No place like home?

[olderbytheminute]

The thread with real grass got me thinking about another topic:
High schools that play home football games at fields that are not at their school.
Skip the chicago public league on this for obvious reasons:
To start, there is Joliet Catholic.
I don’t know about now, but back in the day Elgin Larkin played all home games at Elgin High and the schools are on opposite sides of a big city.

 

[crusader_of_90]

Belleville East and Althoff used to play at the Township Stadium on the West campus - we all shared the field for varsity games. It was a mess come November.

 

[ramblinman]

Within the CCL/ESCC, I know of Fenwick, Leo, St. Pat's, Viator, and IC that don't have home fields at their school.

 

[olderbytheminute]

Belleville East and Althoff used to play at the Township Stadium on the West campus - we all shared the field for varsity games. It was a mess come November.

I think St. Victor might play where Forest View High used to be but not sure at all. Out of my area.

 

[olderbytheminute]

I think St. Victor might play where Forest View High used to be but not sure at all. Out of my area.

Back in the day I watched an ihsa playoff game at Springfield sacred Heart Griffin but I m sure it was played at a Springfield city field of some sort. I don’t know if SSHG plays all home games there.

 

[mchsalumni]

Sterling Newman plays at Sterling’s field and it’s a great setup.

 

[rocketnation]

Back in the day I watched an ihsa playoff game at Springfield sacred Heart Griffin but I m sure it was played at a Springfield city field of some sort. I don’t know if SSHG plays all home games there.

At one time the three public schools in Springfield and SHG all played their home games at Memorial Stadium, which is close to Lanphier High School. Now, Southeast and SHG have their own stadiums, while Springfield and Lanphier still play at Memorial. Memorial has just undergone an extensive and needed renovation.

 

[Wittymoniker1]

I know Leo plays at Cascia. DeLasalle played a couple of games there in the past. Some CPS's as well in the past.

 

[greatgig13]

Crystal Lake South played at CL Central’s field in my day. They opened the school in 1978 and I’m not sure when they got their own field but it was after 84.

 

[doctor_d]

Wilmington technically plays at their junior high school.

 

[zoocp67]

Belleville East and Althoff used to play at the Township Stadium on the West campus - we all shared the field for varsity games. It was a mess come November.

It was so crowned you couldn't see the other team across the field. It was also great, for people who knew how to use the field, to get a downhill run at someone running down the sideline! Also, those giant light standards from the 40's were right on the field and could be used as strategic weapons!

 

[crusader_of_90]

It was so crowned you couldn't see the other team across the field. It was also great, for people who knew how to use the field, to get a downhill run at someone running down the sideline! Also, those giant light standards from the 40's were right on the field and could be used as strategic weapons!

And the corded metal barriers seven yards from the sidelines ... with that crown, it was a weapon.

 

[crusader_of_90]

There was a scheduled train coming in on Fri./Sat. nights midway through the first half on the Alton and Southern Line that would sound its horns for a good minute or two. That stopped play, good or bad.

 

[eagles2k3]

Within the CCL/ESCC, I know of Fenwick, Leo, St. Pat's, Viator, and IC that don't have home fields at their school.

IC is school property just not connected to the main campus. It’s about 3/4 of a mile away.

 

[olderbytheminute]

Wilmington technically plays at their junior high school.

I think technically mchenry plays at their middle school.
That is, if you drove to game, I think you would park at either a grade school or middle school.
There is no high school in sight although at least back in The day, the home team suited up in the high school and walked a few blocks to the field.

 

[crusader_of_90]

It was so crowned you couldn't see the other team across the field. It was also great, for people who knew how to use the field, to get a downhill run at someone running down the sideline! Also, those giant light standards from the 40's were right on the field and could be used as strategic weapons!

You a Belleville Boy?

 

[greatgig13]

I think technically mchenry plays at their middle school.
That is, if you drove to game, I think you would park at either a grade school or middle school.
There is no high school in sight although at least back in The day, the home team suited up in the high school and walked a few blocks to the field.

You are correct.

 

[CIMRY90]

It was so crowned you couldn't see the other team across the field. It was also great, for people who knew how to use the field, to get a downhill run at someone running down the sideline! Also, those giant light standards from the 40's were right on the field and could be used as strategic weapons!

I attended the Lanphier playoff game against Althoff in 1996. Along with the crowned field and light standards, there was an active train yard behind the visitor's stands.

Lanphier was driving for go ahead score late to have the defender pin the pass on top of his shoulder pad for an interception in the end zone. This ended the 4 year run of Lanphier making playoffs. They have only been in the playoffs twice since then.😭

 

[ignazio]

Leo used to play at their stadium, Shewbridge Field (74th and Aberdeen) now Amos A. Stagg Stadium.

In the 90s, Fenwick played games at the Priory. Viator would play games at Wheeling and Hersey before settling on the old Forest View field.
Waukegan East and West both played at Weiss Field.

 

[EdgyTim]

At one time the three public schools in Springfield and SHG all played their home games at Memorial Stadium, which is close to Lanphier High School. Now, Southeast and SHG have their own stadiums, while Springfield and Lanphier still play at Memorial. Memorial has just undergone an extensive and needed renovation.

What a hole it used to be lol

 

[crusader_of_90]

Along with the crowned field and light standards, there was an active train yard behind the visitor's stands.

Five yards at most that train ran from the visitors' stands. This was a contiguous ring, red-brick structure - old-school as hell. It was a damned nice stadium - but the field was perilous.

 

[jotapepe]

Moline, Quincy, and United Township all have their stadiums a ways away from campus (all are only theirs, no Peoria Stadium situation here). To top it off, Moline’s basketball gym, venerable old Wharton Field House (home of early NBA basketball), is right by Browning Field and a stand-alone building, not attached to any school. UT’s field is very nice except for the lack of parking; the school now operates a shuttle so people can park at the school but go to Soule Bowl.
East Peoria has this as well.

 

[jotapepe]

Best one - Stark County, whose stadium is not only not on campus but not even in the same town as the high school.

 

[MIKEFTB]

Ok does anyone know exactly where Highland Park's football field is? ramblinman, MS4EVER you guys are familiar with that neck of the woods. I've looked at imaging and I can't find it.

 

[ignazio]

Ok does anyone know exactly where Highland Park's football field is? ramblinman, MS4EVER you guys are familiar with that neck of the woods. I've looked at imaging and I can't find it.

Wolters Field. On Park, just east of 41.

 

[whitesox05]

It's right by Target... the old Kmart.

 

[zoocp67]

You a Belleville Boy?

Incognito! lol

 

[FCHS2019]

Normal U-High plays games at nearby ISU

 

[Porter1997]

More questions than answers here:

Lisle at Benedictine (Benet too?), Peoria Stadium (I've seen Peoria High and PND have home games here), MacArthur plays at Stephen Decatur Middle School sometimes

 

[Golden Warrior]

Sterling Newman plays their home games at Sterling High School. It's been this way for decades.

 

[MIKEFTB]

Wolters Field. On Park, just east of 41.

Thank you ignazio. No wonder I couldn't find it I was looking in areas east of the high school.. it looks like they have their baseball and softball fields there as well
Very nice

 

[MIKEFTB]

More questions than answers here:

Lisle at Benedictine (Benet too?), Peoria Stadium (I've seen Peoria High and PND have home games here), MacArthur plays at Stephen Decatur Middle School sometimes

Yes Benet Academy plays their home games at Benedictine U

 

[mchsalumni]

Benet has a football team?

 

[BIG CHIEF 53]

When St. Francis de Sales last had a program in the 2010s, they actually played their home games out of state in Hammond, Indiana. Would have been interesting if they would have hosted their lone playoff appearance in 2006, have to imagine that would have been the first IHSA playoff game not played in Illinois.

 

[Quags57]

I think St. Victor might play where Forest View High used to be but not sure at all. Out of my area.

Viator does plays at Forest View. But they are looking at building a field on their campus.

 

[whitesox05]

Lake Forest plays at the West Campus, which closed in 1983...it was also the temporary Warren High School in the mid-80s for about a year-and-a-half after a fire destroyed the school.

 

[RockSoup]

When St. Francis de Sales last had a program in the 2010s, they actually played their home games out of state in Hammond, Indiana. Would have been interesting if they would have hosted their lone playoff appearance in 2006, have to imagine that would have been the first IHSA playoff game not played in Illinois.

I want to say it was Gavitt and it’s not there anymore. But I remember it with all the regions industry backdropping the field. The movie, All the Right Moves came out a handful of years before they moved the games from Gately to Hammond and that stadium reminded me of Ampipe High😂

 

[UlbKA91]

I want to say it was Gavitt and it’s not there anymore. But I remember it with all the regions industry backdropping the field. The movie, All the Right Moves came out a handful of years before they moved the games from Gately to Hammond and that stadium reminded me of Ampipe High😂

They played at Whiting HS' field over by 119th St and the lake for a time. Gavit far south enough to be visible from WB 80/94 looking right

 

[MIKEFTB]

They played at Whiting HS' field over by 119th St and the lake for a time. Gavit far south enough to be visible from WB 80/94 looking right

Whiting is the place to go if you like watching high school football and trains..