Editor’s Note: This is the third in a series of four stories profiling local football stadiums. For part 1 on Placer’s LeFebvre Stadium and part 2 on Del Oro’s Golden Eagle Stadium, visit AuburnJournal.com.

Tucked away in the northeast corner of the sprawling Sac-Joaquin Section, Colfax High is celebrating its 50th anniversary. Much like Del Oro, also celebrating its 50th year in existence, Colfax’s Marson Field is a centerpiece of 50 years of Falcon Pride.

Parking: Parking at a Friday night football game at Colfax is not for the faint of heart. The parking lots fill quickly as there are few spots available.

This forces many fans to park on Ben Taylor Road. Narrow, windy, and dark, Ben Taylor Road is a dangerous walk to and from one’s car. Walking on the road is necessary as there is no shoulder, and one is at the mercy of passing cars to see and avoid you.

Seating: For a small high school, the home-side seating is pretty good. There are generally enough seats in the stands for a late-arriving fan. Many visitors choose to bring folding chairs and sit on the asphalt high above the stadium.

Seating on the visitor’s side is also adequate.

Concessions: This is a big drawback to Marson Field. There is only one concession stand, located immediately behind the home stands, and the lines at halftime are frustratingly long. One wonders how much revenue is lost when a hungry fan looks at the long line and decides the wait is not worth it.

On the upside, the grilled onions that are available with a grilled hamburger make for a special Friday night meal.

Restrooms: To find the restrooms, one must leave the stadium and proceed to the P.E. hallway located outside the stadium gate. For one sitting on the visitor’s side, it is a long, long walk.

As the bathrooms are located in a school hallway, they become a sanctuary from the cold. By the beginning of November, Marson Field can be as cold as any field in the entire Sacramento area. The veteran fan often finds refuge from the cold by loitering in the hallway and warming up before returning to the frosty foothill air.

Stadium lighting: Excellent.

Uniqueness: For a visual experience, this is the finest football field in the entire section.

To begin with, the drive east on Interstate 80 is delightful. The transition from black oaks to pines is evident the higher one climbs up I-80. The drive through picturesque downtown Colfax is worth a stop and a picture opportunity.

Driving down Ben Taylor road, one sees the stadium lights illuminate the entire canyon. Inside the stadium, the backdrop of pines behind the stadium is simply breathtaking. No stadium in northern California can match this priceless view.

Adding to the visual impact of the stadium are the three pines strategically located behind the scoreboard. The symmetry of these three pines makes one wonder if this was the original plan some 40 years ago when the Falcons started playing their games there.