ORANGE PARK – Orange Park and Clay Highs have met on the football field several times. But on Friday, the matchup will have a different feel, as the stage is set for a historic night at the newly-refurbished Hoyt B. Cotney Stadium.

The Raiders will be under the “Friday Night Lights” with a newly-renovated, state-of-the-art version of the stadium, which got its first facelift since the original stadium was built by Clay County Jail inmates in 1962.

Students, fans, alumni, and the community will finally take a peek inside the Raiders’ new crown jewel.

“Generations of people and families from Clay County have attended school at Orange Park. (The stadium opening) is going to be a huge deal for past, present, and future Raiders. We hope to put our best foot forward, and I just can’t wait to see everybody at the game,” said second-year head coach Marcus Wimbley.

The stadium now will seat approximately 2,500 fans. Last year, the old stadium, which was 60 years old, could only be described with one word: dilapidated.

“The (old stadium) has been there almost as long as the school has been here. We were one of the only schools that still had an old concrete stadium. It was falling apart. There’s only so much glue and paint you can put on it. Even when you put paint on it, you could tell it was old,” said Joel Wallace, a retired U.S. Navy veteran and school’s track coach.

The new stadium, which boasts 39 more restroom stalls – an increase from six to 45 – and it will have a new concession stand and press box.

“It does wonders for the program,” Wallace said.

“Keeping up with the Joneses” is not only a principle that applies to major college football programs. It assists in the survival of local high school football.

“In this day and age, it’s about the facilities that you have. Everyone is trying to upgrade their facilities and outdo each other in college football, and it’s the same way in high school. Kids are trying to go whoever they think has the best facilities and whoever can present them with the best opportunity,” Wimbley said.

The coach, who finished 93-77 and won a state championship during 12 seasons of coaching in Memphis, Tennessee, finished 2-8 last year. But his team is halfway to last year’s win total following a 34-19 win against Jacksonville Episcopal last week.

The next renovation project will be to upgrade the field house and the weight room. “That’s our project for next year, so we’ll be able to compete with everyone in the county,” Wimbley said.

The new stadium resonates with Raiders players. Wallace, who estimated his track team consists of more than 60% of football players, is confident the new digs will rub off on them positively.

“When you play somewhere that’s run down, it’s harder to come out with as much pride. But now, when they take the field, I know they will have excitement. You’ll be able to see it in their eyes,” he said.

Just ask Austin Mills, a freshman running back who is gaining confidence while learning behind his teammates, or Donovan Bradley, a senior defensive back.

“I feel like it’s an improvement (on behalf) of the program. It means that we’re an up-and-coming program. If we look good, we play well,” Mills said.

Bradley said the new stadium will bring more Raiders fans to games, where they will see an improvement.

“I (believe) we’re going to have a great season and that we bring a lot to the table,” he said.