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Returning to campus after years on the road, it’s home, sweet $7.2 million home for Bellflower’s top-ranked St. John Bosco High

by in News

A special year ahead for football at Bellflower’s St. John Bosco High? Even for a school that’s won a national title and is accustomed to a lot of attention, that might be an understatement.

Not every season begins with a No. 1 ranking by prep football pundit MaxPreps – and the debut the new $7.2 million, state of the art  Panish Family Stadium.

But that’s how Bosco’s season started Friday night, beaming in their high-tech football-only home, squaring off against a real road team, the 11-time Utah state champion T-Birds from Timpview High, who trekked in from Provo. Surely the lads from Utah don’t think all California high schools play in high-tech parks, complete with jumbo-tron video scoreboard, do they?

  • The new video scoreboard at St. John Bosco’s new stadium shows replays, the score and announcements such as this Bosco touchdown in Bellflower on Friday, Aug. 17, 2018. St. John Bosco plays their first game on campus since the 2014 season in their new $7.2 million stadium against Timpview of Provo, Utah. (Photo by Scott Varley, Daily Breeze/SCNG)

  • From left, Gloria Apodaca joins Kristine and Mark Waronek for a pre-game tailgate dinner in the parking lot before St. John Bosco’s season opening football game in Bellflower on Friday, Aug. 17, 2018. St. John Bosco plays their first game on campus since the 2014 season in their new $7.2 million stadium against Timpview of Utah. (Photo by Scott Varley, Daily Breeze/SCNG)

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  • St. John Bosco’s new stadium in Bellflower on Friday, Aug. 17, 2018. St. John Bosco plays their first game on campus since the 2014 season in their new $7.2 million stadium against Timpview of Provo, Utah. (Photo by Scott Varley, Daily Breeze/SCNG)

  • 90 minutes before kickoff, a line forms at the gates of St. John Bosco’s new Panish Familly Stadium as fans wait to get in to the Braves season opening football game in Bellflower on Friday, Aug. 17, 2018. St. John Bosco plays their first game on campus since the 2014 season in their new $7.2 million stadium against Timpview of Utah. (Photo by Scott Varley, Daily Breeze/SCNG)

  • St. John Bosco head coach Jason Negro works the sideline in Bellflower on Friday, Aug. 17, 2018. St. John Bosco plays their first game on campus since the 2014 season in their new $7.2 million stadium against Timpview of Provo, Utah. (Photo by Scott Varley, Daily Breeze/SCNG)

  • After waiting in line, the gates to the Panish Family Stadium open for St. John Bosco’s season opening football game in Bellflower on Friday, Aug. 17, 2018. St. John Bosco plays their first game on campus since the 2014 season in their new $7.2 million stadium against Timpview of Utah. (Photo by Scott Varley, Daily Breeze/SCNG)

  • Students enter the Panish Family Stadium before St. John Bosco’s season opening football game in Bellflower on Friday, Aug. 17, 2018. St. John Bosco plays their first game on campus since the 2014 season in their new $7.2 million stadium against Timpview of Utah. (Photo by Scott Varley, Daily Breeze/SCNG)

  • St. John Bosco band takes the field before the game in Bellflower on Friday, Aug. 17, 2018. St. John Bosco plays their first game on campus since the 2014 season in their new $7.2 million stadium against Timpview of Provo, Utah. (Photo by Scott Varley, Daily Breeze/SCNG)

  • The St. John Bosco student section erupts before the start of the game in Bellflower on Friday, Aug. 17, 2018. St. John Bosco plays their first game on campus since the 2014 season in their new $7.2 million stadium against Timpview of Provo, Utah. (Photo by Scott Varley, Daily Breeze/SCNG)

  • St. John Bosco students stretch out a giant flag for the National Anthem in Bellflower on Friday, Aug. 17, 2018. St. John Bosco plays their first game on campus since the 2014 season in their new $7.2 million stadium against Timpview of Provo, Utah. (Photo by Scott Varley, Daily Breeze/SCNG)

  • St. John Bosco tackle AJ Rodriguez carries the American flag as he leads his teammates into their new stadium in Bellflower on Friday, Aug. 17, 2018. St. John Bosco plays their first game on campus since the 2014 season in their new $7.2 million stadium against Timpview of Provo, Utah. (Photo by Scott Varley, Daily Breeze/SCNG)

  • The St. John Bosco Braves take the field in their new stadium in Bellflower on Friday, Aug. 17, 2018. St. John Bosco plays their first game on campus since the 2014 season in their new $7.2 million stadium against Timpview of Provo, Utah. (Photo by Scott Varley, Daily Breeze/SCNG)

  • The referee gathers with the team captains for the coin toss in Bellflower on Friday, Aug. 17, 2018. St. John Bosco plays their first game on campus since the 2014 season in their new $7.2 million stadium against Timpview of Provo, Utah. (Photo by Scott Varley, Daily Breeze/SCNG)

  • St. John Bosco quarterback DJ Uiagalelei throws a touchdown pass in Bellflower on Friday, Aug. 17, 2018. St. John Bosco plays their first game on campus since the 2014 season in their new $7.2 million stadium against Timpview of Provo, Utah. (Photo by Scott Varley, Daily Breeze/SCNG)

  • St. John Bosco’s George Holani drags a pair of Timpview players into the end zone for a 1st quarter touchdown in Bellflower on Friday, Aug. 17, 2018. St. John Bosco plays their first game on campus since the 2014 season in their new $7.2 million stadium against Timpview of Provo, Utah. (Photo by Scott Varley, Daily Breeze/SCNG)

  • St. John Bosco’s Nate Jones picks up a block as he gets a big gain in Bellflower on Friday, Aug. 17, 2018. St. John Bosco plays their first game on campus since the 2014 season in their new $7.2 million stadium against Timpview of Provo, Utah. (Photo by Scott Varley, Daily Breeze/SCNG)

  • St. John Bosco’s Chris Steele (1) celebrates a tackle for a loss in Bellflower on Friday, Aug. 17, 2018. St. John Bosco plays their first game on campus since the 2014 season in their new $7.2 million stadium against Timpview of Provo, Utah. (Photo by Scott Varley, Daily Breeze/SCNG)

  • St. John Bosco’s Ralen Goforth makes a big hit on the Timpview quarterback in Bellflower on Friday, Aug. 17, 2018. St. John Bosco plays their first game on campus since the 2014 season in their new $7.2 million stadium against Timpview of Provo, Utah. (Photo by Scott Varley, Daily Breeze/SCNG)

  • St. John Bosco’s Jake Bailey escapes a Timpview defender en route to a long touchdown reception in Bellflower on Friday, Aug. 17, 2018. St. John Bosco plays their first game on campus since the 2014 season in their new $7.2 million stadium against Timpview of Provo, Utah. (Photo by Scott Varley, Daily Breeze/SCNG)

  • St. John Bosco’s Jake Bailey escapes Timpview defenders en route to a long touchdown reception in Bellflower on Friday, Aug. 17, 2018. St. John Bosco plays their first game on campus since the 2014 season in their new $7.2 million stadium against Timpview of Provo, Utah. (Photo by Scott Varley, Daily Breeze/SCNG)

  • St. John Bosco’s George Holani picks up a big gain in Bellflower on Friday, Aug. 17, 2018. St. John Bosco plays their first game on campus since the 2014 season in their new $7.2 million stadium against Timpview of Provo, Utah. (Photo by Scott Varley, Daily Breeze/SCNG)

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Ninety minutes before gametime, long lines streamed outside the new stadium, throngs eager to land in a seat for opening night. Tailgaters mulled about in the VIP parking lot as traffic backed up on Bellflower Boulevard with cars trying to squeeze into the lot. Gates opened early, at 5:45 p.m., for the 7:30 kickoff.

As fans streamed into the new park, they received commemorative opening-night t-shirts.

The home grandstands filled up quickly with Bosco fans and many streamed over into the visitor stands. With the visiting team facing a significant commute, there was plenty of space in the visitors’ bleachers left for the hometown faithful.

Without much pomp and circumstance – just a brief ceremony and pre-game prayer – the focus quickly shifted to football. And, like clockwork, the much ballyhooed Braves jumped out to a big early lead.

The St. John Bosco student section erupts before the start of the game in Bellflower on Friday, Aug. 17, 2018. St. John Bosco plays their first game on campus since the 2014 season in their new $7.2 million stadium against Timpview of Provo, Utah. (Photo by Scott Varley, Daily Breeze/SCNG)

The 5,000-seat on-campus stadium was dedicated last month at the Catholic high school, complete with a priest, prayers and a Holy-water christening. The stadium includes an Astroturf playing surface, two press boxes, custom suites and a level for TV cameras – as well as a state-of-the-art video scoreboard.

The stadium is named for attorney, Bosco alumnus and philanthropist Brian Panish, a loyal benefactor for the school and busy donor/fund-raiser to get the park built.

Friday’s game was the Braves’ first true home game since 2014. In recent years, Bosco has played home games at Cerritos College and El Camino Community College. In the top-tier Trinity League, perhaps the toughest in the state, Bosco is now the only team that boasts such a high-end on-campus stadium.

“This facility,” said St. John Bosco Head Coach Jason Negro during the christening ceremony, “speaks for itself.”