It’s official, Woodinville High will be kicking off its football season at 7:30 p.m. this Thursday against Mount Si High at the refurbished Pop Keeney Field in Bothell.

It will be the first game at the new Pop. Inglemoor is scheduled to host Snohomish at 7 p.m. Friday, while Bothell will play Mission Viejo (Calif.) at 8 p.m. Saturday at Qwest Field as part of the Emerald City Classic.

“We met with the Northshore School District (representatives) and the contractor this morning at a pre-certification-of-occupancy meeting. And we don’t see anything from preventing them from playing their first game on Thursday,” said Bothell Development Services Director Bill Wiselogle on Monday.

To prepare for the opening, two police officers and a fire-department official were also on site Monday morning to inspect the stadium.

Wiselogle added that some non-safety-related tasks like landscaping and other various jobs will be completed over the next few weeks.

He noted that teams were to begin practicing at the Pop Tuesday afternoon.

Work in and around Pop Keeney includes new parking, a new covered visitors’ grandstand, locker rooms and concession stands. Teams will also be playing on new field turf.

With the new grandstand, the Pop’s capacity is now in the 5,000 range.

“Oh man, we are so excited. We can’t wait — the unknown is the fun part. How loud is it going to be when it’s been already way loud, and where are the overflow people going to stand and how is that going to look?” said an excited Bothell coach Tom Bainter. “We’ve never had a field lined with people at the fences. With the new lights, it’ll be brighter and the brand-new turf down there, the locker rooms… it’s always special at Pop Keeney, now it’s just extra-special. It’s going to be great.”

Added Bothell running back Luke Proulx: “I’m really excited, it’s going to be crazy, and it’s going to be loud and intense. It’s going to be a really great atmosphere.”

In February, Northshore School District voters approved a $149 million bond sale to fund capital improvements and building maintenance around the district. At that time, district spokesperson Leanna Albrecht said some of the Pop Keeney Field work is related to last year’s sale of surrounding property to the city of Bothell. Other plans were dependent on passage of the bond sale.

Stadium timeline

1920

Bothell School Board authorizes removal of old orchard on land adjacent to Bothell-Everett Highway to provide space for the high-school football team to practice.

1921

Young Harold “Pop” Keeney (1920 Bothell High graduate) becomes the high-school football coach.

1953

With the opening of the new Bothell High, the football field is christened Pop Keeney Field, becoming a community facility.

1968

A covered stadium, funded with a voter-issued bond, is completed and becomes the home field for Bothell and Inglemoor high schools, as well as Woodinville High when it opened in 1983.

1986

The grass field is replaced with artificial turf after voters authorize the improvement. The community field is now utilized year-round by a variety of district and community groups.

1989

Pop Keeney Field is rededicated, commemorating nearly 70 years of community use.

2009

Northshore School District alumni organize a fund-raising campaign to replace the stadium scoreboard. Alumni, booster clubs, local residents, community organizations and businesses contribute more than $150,000 toward the project.

2010

Season to open with new parking, a new covered grandstand, locker rooms and concession stands. Teams will also be playing on new field turf.