It was only a scrimmage.
But try telling that to the St. Andrew’s football team Friday night.
For the first time, the Lions got to play football on their new home field.
After spending the entire 2025 season on the road while the new field was being built, St. Andrew’s finally had a place to call home.
St. Andrew’s head coach Wes Worthington leads the Lions onto their new home field for the first time before Friday night’s scrimmage against Pinewood Christian.
For head coach Wes Worthington, Friday night couldn’t get here soon enough.
“I woke up a couple times last night, not in fear, but just a lot of energy,” Worthington said before the scrimmage. “Can’t wait to get to the game and let our kids really enjoy this moment.”
His players had been waiting for it, too.
Senior Jack Kelly has been at St. Andrew’s for years. He remembers hearing about the new field and waiting for the day when the Lions would finally get to play on it.
“It means everything,” Kelly said. “I mean, yeah, I’ve been here for so long at this school. Oh man, we finally get to play, and that’s our field. Been saying this for years, and it finally gets to happen tonight.”
Last season was different.
St. Andrew’s captains, from left, Patrick Jackson Jr., Thomas Kirk, Addison Solomon and Jack Kelly prepare to walk to midfield for the first coin toss in the history of the Lions’ new home field before Friday night’s scrimmage against Pinewood Christian.
Daffin Park served as St. Andrew’s home field, but there really wasn't anything home about it. Every game meant getting on the bus and going somewhere else.
Pat Jackson Jr. remembers that part of last season.
“It was pretty tough,” Jackson said. “Knowing that after the game, we didn’t go back. We weren’t able to go back to our own locker room, reflect on the good things that we did and the bad things.”
Now they can.
Jackson said having their own field and locker room gives the Lions a place to come back to after the wins and the losses.
And the excitement around the team Friday was easy to see.
“Oh my God. It’s been so exciting,” Kelly said. “I mean, everybody’s ready to go.”
St. Andrew’s players wait for their captains to return from the coin toss before the Lions’ first football action on their new home field.
Jackson knew it was only a scrimmage. His coaches knew it, too.
It just didn't feel like one.
“It feels like a real in-season game,” Jackson said. “It feels like it’s a lot of good energy around. A good vibe.”
Worthington wasn't worried about the final score Friday night. He wanted to get a look at some starters he still had questions about and then give his younger players plenty of time in the second half.
More than anything, he wanted to see them play football.
St. Andrew’s lines up against Pinewood Christian for one of the first plays on the Lions’ new home field Friday night.
Even if somebody went the wrong way, Worthington wanted to see if his players would fly around, play aggressively and play the game the way it was meant to be played.
Kelly might have had the simplest answer of the night when asked what was going through his mind after waiting more than a year for this moment.
“I want to hit somebody,” Kelly said. “Go out there and win.”
After weeks of practice, he was ready to hit somebody wearing a different jersey.
Friday night was the first one.
The first official home game comes Aug. 21 when St. Andrew’s hosts Hilton Head Prep. By then, school will be back in session, and the Lions will get another first — their first regular-season football game on their own field.
But Friday night was still special.
After a full season of loading the buses, playing somewhere else and calling another field home, the Lions finally walked onto one that belonged to them.
The St. Andrew’s Lions are finally home in their den!
Photos courtesy of Prep Sports Report Staff
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