Football at Como Park Senior High School gets a new home

Como Park Senior High School has the odd distinction of never having actually hosted a homecoming football game at home.

But thanks to the Vikings, the National Football League and St. Paul taxpayers, an on-campus kickoff finally may happen in the fall — weather and construction timelines permitting.

Planning is underway for the installation next summer of a synthetic turf field funded in part by a $250,000 grant from the Vikings through the NFL Foundation Grass Roots Program.

The grant, announced by the school district this week, would cover about one-third of the field's projected $750,000 cost. The balance would be financed through a new districtwide "Facilities Master Plan" that also will pay for new lights and a new drainage system under the field.

While it's a big development for a school forced to play its home games off-campus, Como's improvements are not strictly for the benefit of its football program.

"The proud traditions of Como Senior High are evolving, and that evolution has brought new vigor to the school," Principal Theresa Neal said in a statement. "Joining football, basketball and hockey as athletic mainstays are, now, lacrosse and futsal. Many of these sports and many community events will take place each year on the new field."

Also voicing support for the project were Chad Kulas, executive director of the Midway Chamber of Commerce, and Dr. David Lee, an alumni parent. Lee said the new field will bring "tons of new energy to our campus" and give the school's student athletes "the opportunity to excel without limitations."

In a news release, the district said the school's long been at a "competitive disadvantage" when it comes to gridiron action. The team practices on a "combination of grass, weeds, mud and marsh, inside a track," the district said.

The $1.2 million project extends beyond the track, too, with plans for a ticket booth and additional bleachers to accommodate what's hoped will be a newer, bigger and truer home crowd.

The first home game next fall will be Sept. 8 vs. Humboldt High.

Anthony Lonetree

Eastern Carver County School district officials have announced Chanhassen High School's new principal following the arrest of Principal Timothy Dorway. Dick Ungar will replace Dorway after Dorway was charged with seven felony counts of possessing child porn videos.

Michael Bailey, a social studies teacher at the school, will move into Ungar's role as assistant principal of athletics. Administrators are working on a plan to fill Bailey's vacancy in the social studies department.

"The winter break will provide time for that department to organize coverage of his classes for the rest of the school year," the district said in a statement.

Dorway was hired as a principal for the school in 2010. The district placed him on leave after his arrest at his home in Victoria.

Agents with the state's internet Crimes Against Children Task Force arrested Dorway on Dec. 13. A judge ordered that he have no unsupervised contact with children or access to the internet during his bail hearing on Dec. 16, where his bail was set for $100,000. Dorway remained in jail until Saturday when he posted his bond.