Prep football state semifinals leaving Tacoma Dome

High school football players in the state have always wanted to get to the Tacoma Dome.
Imagine for a minute, if in the future, football players thought of Clark County as a destination.
The Washington Interscholastic Activities Association is taking the semifinals out of the Tacoma Dome beginning next school year and just might play the state championship games at another venue, or venues, as well.
Citing rising cost of renting the dome, the WIAA said the semifinals will now be played at local venues, similar to how the east side of the state hosts the semifinals that are not played in the dome.
That could mean an opportunity for Southwest Washington.
“We would be extremely interested,” said Rory Oster, Camas’ athletic director, about the prospect of Doc Harris Stadium hosting a semifinal game or games in the future. “We really want to get something down here for Southwest Washington if we can.”
Doc Harris Stadium has a capacity of 4,000, with covered seating on both sides, plus the ability to expand to beyond 5,000 with bleachers around the field.
McKenzie Stadium, which hosts the four teams in Evergreen Public Schools, also could be an option.
Still, it is way too early to start marketing any final four games in Southwest Washington.
Mike Colbrese, the executive director of the WIAA, said Wednesday that geography and travel time for the teams involved will be factors. It does not appear that the WIAA will just name a site prior to the quarterfinals.
“It will be very similar to what we do on the east side,” Colbrese said. “Secure a number of sites and make sure those facilities and managers are willing to host. Once we know the participating teams and look at geography, then we’ll set those sites.”
In the past, six semifinal games were played in the Tacoma Dome for the six classifications, while the six other semifinals were played on the east side of the state. The winners would then play the six championship games at the dome as part of the Gridiron Classic.
Colbrese said the WIAA is still considering its options for state championship weekend. The Tacoma Dome remains a possibility.
However, if the title games are not in the dome, Colbrese said “I doubt we’d play more than two games at one site.”
The sites for championship weekend also could be determined after the semifinals, just like the semifinal sites are determined after the quarterfinals.
“We would like to nail that down long before then, but it could be that situation,” Colbrese acknowledged.
Colbrese said he would have more information after the WIAA’s next executive board meeting Jan. 24 and 25.