Saddleback’s new athletic facility expected to be ready for football game in September

Workers on Friday were continuing to prepare the new athletic stadium at Saddleback for an opening next month. This view shows the home bleachers and press box. (Photos: Tim Burt, OC Sports Zone).

Construction crews are putting finishing touches on for the new Saddleback High School athletic facility, which will be the home stadium for the football team.

Athletic Director Rob Thompson said Friday the Roadrunners first home game in the new facility is scheduled for Friday, Sept. 29, a league game vs. Costa Mesa.

Officials had hoped that the facility would be ready for the first game on Friday, Aug. 25 vs. Century. That game will be moved to Century, Thompson said.

Another home game with Orange will be played on Friday, Sept. 15 at Segerstrom, he added. Saddleback opens the season on Friday, Aug. 18 vs. Godinez at Santa Ana Valley.

New Saddleback coach Paige Nobles said Friday he and his players are excited about the opening of the stadium.

The Roadrunners have been practicing on the lower level field on campus.

Nobles, a former assistant coach at Dana Hills and Northwood head coach, was named Saddleback’s head coach in March.

Both bleachers, the press box, the synthetic field and locker-rooms have been constructed and the football field lined. Workers still have some finishing touches on the track, Thompson said.

The 2,500-seat lighted facility facility, built by the Santa Ana Unified School District at a cost estimated at $21.9 million will be the home for Saddleback High School’s football, soccer and track and field teams. Groundbreaking was held in March 2022.

For best view, click on the photo:

The new Saddleback facility will include locker-rooms for both the visiting and home teams.

—Tim Burt, OC Sports Zone; timburt@ocsportszone.com