Under the Friday night lights, Wright City made history with the debut of its brand-new home. The Wildcats christened America’s Heartland Stadium with the first touchdown ever scored on its …
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Under the Friday night lights, Wright City made history with the debut of its brand-new home. The Wildcats christened America’s Heartland Stadium with the first touchdown ever scored on its turf, capping off a night that celebrated football, community and a milestone investment in the future of the school.
The official opening of the stadium was a night to remember not only for the Wright City football team, but the Warren County community as fans from all over the county came to see the new stadium – and of course some football between the Wildcats and the Warrenton Warriors.
The stadium, which is named after American Foods Group, made its debut on Aug. 29. The local company pledged $2 million in support of the construction of the high school’s stadium.
“We love to be a positive part of the communities that we operate in,” AFG executive Scott Willert said. “We like to help the community in many ways and this was a great way that we could do that, not only for the parents but for the students.”
“This gift is more than dollars and cents – it’s an investment in our kids, our families and our community’s future,” R-II Superintendent Dr. Amy Salvo added.
A ribbon cutting ceremony was held at halftime of Friday night’s season opener where members of AFG and the school district welcomed the new stadium.
“It is truly surreal to stand here tonight with our board of education and recognize a community partner that not only values the success of our students, but also understands the importance of one of the greatest gathering places in our hometown – our school,” Salvo said.
The stadium is definitely an upgrade from the old stadium, which features an artificial turf field, cool lighting effects and a digital scoreboard.
“You’re kind of down in a bowl here and the fans are on top of you, so it seems louder with the way the stadium is set up,” Rickard said.”The turf is super nice too and you don’t have to worry about rain or anything that could possibly disrupt the surface.”
The atmosphere was electric. With fans cheering on both sides and two packed bleachers, it was a special night for the community.
“I really appreciate our community coming out and supporting us. It was a fantastic environment and I know it meant a lot to the guys,” Rickard said. “Most of them have never played in front of this many fans, so for them to be able to turn around and look and see all the people here to support them, that’s going to go a long way with building their confidence.”
Wright City Activities Director Justin Rodgers acknowledged the preparation that went into opening the stadium.
“There was a lot of work behind the scenes by a lot of people to make this what it looks like tonight, so I just appreciate our staff, administration, coaches, players, everybody – it took a lot,” Rodgers said. “It’s so great to see this come to fruition and it’s hard to put into words. It’s pretty amazing.”
Rodgers added the stadium brings a new vibe for the school’s athletic programs.
“It’s hard not to feel fortunate and blessed to get to come out to something like this. It gives you something to be excited about – it’s really special to see,” Rodgers said.
