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The NFL's first black quarterback completed a pass and football and soccer players crowd-surfed beneath exploding fireworks during the dedication of Omaha South High School's new Collin Stadium Sunday night.
Marlin Briscoe, a 1963 graduate of South who went on to quarterback the Denver Broncos, took a snap from Husker and Green Bay Packer legend Dave Rimington. Briscoe, looking spry in a suit, dropped back and threw over the head of one receiver, Vershan Jackson, a South High star who played for the Huskers and went to the NFL. South High 1960s great Walter Gully pulled in the catch.
The crowd of more than 2,500 cheered. They applauded speeches by OPS Superintendent John Mackiel; Nebraska Gov. Dave Heineman and his wife, South alumna Sally Ganem; and James R. Young, Union Pacific Railroad Chairman and CEO, 1970 South graduate and member of the Heritage Services board.
The audience roared when more than 100 current South athletes rushed onto the gleaming artificial turf and flung miniature footballs into the crowd. Students also rushed the field during the fireworks, creating a mosh pit on the school mascot at midfield.
It was a night full of blasts from the past and hopes for a brighter future in the $8.7 million, 3,200-seat stadium at 2002 M St. Alumni, donors, students and their families packed the red-and-silver home stands to standing room only for the ceremony.
They gathered at the spot known since before World War II as the Hole to celebrate an event that old-timers thought they wouldn't live to see — a real home stadium in south Omaha.
“I almost couldn't believe it,” said Mark Martinez, a South High graduate and parent and retired deputy Omaha police chief. “I had to pinch myself.”
Steve Cavlovic played halfback for the South High Packers before graduating in 1950. But for Briscoe's ceremonial pass, he lined up at guard along with Chris Bober, who played for South High School in the 1990s before playing for UNO and the New York Giants and Kansas City Chiefs.
“I love this for these kids,” said Cavlovic, a son of Croatian immigrants and one of the alumni who pushed for the stadium project. “They'll never forget this.”
Ricardo Rodriguez, a senior class officer at South High, officially accepted the field on behalf of students. He said students feel privileged and honored.
“We share the excitement of generations of South High students and alumni who have waited so long for this day to come,” Rodriguez said.
Sophomore Jordan Hendrickson said he can't wait to play football in the new stadium. The first game there is Friday against Bryan High School.
“This was great, because we all got together to celebrate a new field and a new start at South High,” Hendrickson said.
Private donors provided $6.5 million of the stadium's cost. OPS paid the rest. Heritage Services, a nonprofit group of Omaha philanthropists, developed the field and raised much of the money. Kiewit Building Group built it. Holland Basham Architects, led by South alumnus Tim Holland, designed it.
The new Collin Stadium replaces the old Collin Field, both named for late South coaching legend Cornie Collin. The old facility was a hardscrabble practice field that languished for more than a half century as other metropolitan Omaha schools built home stadiums. South athletes practiced at Collin and played home games at borrowed stadiums.
The new stadium will serve as a home soccer and football field and track practice facility for South, and a gathering space for community events.
As a sliver of a moon rose over the nearby historic south Omaha business district Sunday night, people could be seen lining the fences, looking down at the field as lights and music rose up to the streets.
“This is much more than a football field, a soccer field, wins and losses,” Young said, noting that students who stay active and involved in school are likely to do well in life. “This is about a community coming together. ... The way I keep score, if one student decides to stay in school and stay active, then we've won.”
Contact the writer:
444-1057, christopher.burbach@owh.com
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