Immanuel High celebrates new stadium with Friday night football

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- Excitement is building in Reedley where Immanuel High is ready to unveil its brand new stadium.

The finishing touches should be done before kickoff Friday night. Since 1971, Immanuel High has played its home football games on other campuses - mostly at Reedley High. That will change as the school opens its new stadium.

"This is amazing," athletic director Josh Franco said. "It's just awesome. We realize how blessed we are. We're excited to share it with not just the Immanuel people but the Reedley community. This is big for our community, so we're excited."

The project was put on the fast track a year ago. The sprawling sports complex includes not just a football field but softball and baseball diamonds and tennis courts, which were ready last season.

"Everything else was a mixture of grass and dirt and weeds and some trees kind of intermittent around the property," superintendent Ryan Wood said.

The parcel is located between Fresno and Tulare County which is why the field has been named County Line Stadium. The massive arch still needed to be put up. Immanuel high benefitted from some very generous donors.

"Land donations and labor donations and everything you can imagine has gone into this thing," Franco said.

The players couldn't wait to get onto the new field and get ready to take on Dinuba in a place they can finally call their own.

"There's something about Friday night football where your student body comes together," Wood said. "You community comes together. We're a fellowship."

The sports complex is located two miles from the school's Reedley campus and not only is it opening night in the new stadium, it's also homecoming.