Above: A rendering of the proposed football stadiums for California and Pioneer high schools.

California High School was ridiculed for its football stadium prior to hosting the CIF-Southern Section Southeast Division football championship game between La Serna and West Covina high schools.
The complaints centered around a dearth of seats for a championship football game and inadequate field conditions. But under a plan announced by the Whittier Union High School District, California – and its fellow WUHSD school, Pioneer, could have the best high school football facilities around. The proposed $18-million dollar project for each facility would give each the best stadiums in the area.
The bad part of the plan is that Santa Fe, which plays its home games at Pioneer, and the Titans will be without a home next year, with a plan in place to play only nonleague and league road games. The exception would be when the two rivals meet, with a possibility of playing that game at Cal High. California, Whittier and La Serna will face similar fate the following year.
Construction for the Pioneer project is not scheduled to begin until this June with completion in time for the 2013 football season. Cal High’s project will not begin until possibility early 2014 and be completed in time for the 2014 season.
Both stadiums will feature seating for 7,000, a press box and elevator and an artificial turf field.
California football coach JIm Arnold: “In looking at the architectural plans, they probably could be among the best stadiums in the area.”

Click here to read staff writer MIke Sprague’s story