Next week South Tahoe High School will be playing a night game on its new football field. With the blue and gold Viking emblem encircled at the 50-yard line and the word Vikings in gold on a Tahoe blue end zone, the field looks nothing like what it did at graduation in June.

It has a professional feel about it. Good thing because next near minor league football games will be played on that field.

STHS football games will be played on a new field under lights. Photos/Heavenly Mountain Resort

Helping pull all of this off before the first home game on Sept. 2 was a $20,000 donation from Heavenly Mountain Resort and the South Tahoe Alliance of Resorts.

The organizations joined players, cheerleaders and other officials on the field Thursday to commemorate what is being called Friday Night Lights. Besides the field being overhauled, lights are the biggie. Last year rented light standards proved night games would be a draw.

South Tahoe Vikings Booster Club and South Tahoe High School are offering a season pass that includes all regular season Viking home athletic events. The fee directly benefits athletic programs at South Tahoe High School.

For more information about different plans, contact Debra Goodyear at (530) 544.4204 or sthsbclub@gmail.com.

Viking Stadium looks nothing like it did just two months ago.

A concern the district has is keeping the field in good condition. At the Aug. 23 school board meeting, Superintendent Jim Tarwater said people have left evidence they’ve been walking their dog on the field.

Tarwater told the board a security fence will need to be erected. This is a look at the stadium fencing plan.

TRPA required a fence be installed on the hill.

Three entry-point gates will be open during school day, when events are going and will otherwise be locked.

Here is the 2011 STHS football schedule.

— Lake Tahoe News staff report