Before this season, few people would have said the field at Haskell Stadium was fit for football games.

They should see it now.

Thanks to some fund raising  which could still use some more money  and an industrious work crew composed of Lawrence High players, some parents and other assorted volunteers, Haskell was re-sodded in mid-December.

In the past, the bumpy field would be so worn down by season’s end that some members of the three teams using it  Haskell, Lawrence and Free State  dreaded playing on it.

“Before we sodded it, I hated it,” LHS senior Brandon McAnderson said. “But I hated sodding it, too. It better be worth it.”

McAnderson was one of about 120 people who supported city football and Haskell Indian Nations University by helping lay 2,600 square yards of sod between the hash marks in less than an hour last December.

Already the field, which has seen use from the Haskell team, and from LHS and FSHS at the annual fall Jamboree last Thursday, earns kudos from city coaches and their players. The high school debut is Friday when Free State plays host to Shawnee Mission Northwest at 7 p.m.

“It’s pretty nice,” Free State coach Bob Lisher said. “It’s better than it’s ever been. It’s plush, it’s thick. They’ve done a great job.”

Charlie Hawkins, maintenance foreman at HINU, said the last time the field received a makeover like this was six years ago. His crew does routine maintenance, but the wear and tear created by the three teams wore out the middle of the field.

Along with the sod, a more visible crown was added in the middle of the field, to allow better drainage.

Dick Stuntz, vice president of golf course facilities at Alvamar, supervised the project. He’s one of the people to which Lions coach Dirk Wedd wanted to express his thanks.

But Wedd also had another request.

When the bill for the sod came, it emptied the LHS booster account.

“We’re short about $2,500,” Wedd said. “All of our football parents work so hard at fund raising, but we need some more help with this. We love high school football, so it’s important that we pay the note off.”

Those that want to make a tax-free donation to help defray the cost of the field can contact Jim Fender at 766-8627 or 843-2772.

He’s part of Lawrence High Football Inc., which annually raises money for the football team and other Lions sports teams.

Fender said some area officials were so pleased with news of a new surface, they have even donated money.

“The day we were laying down sod, they came over,” Fender said.

“They said it was great for the teams, and great for them.”