HAMILTON, Ohio — Badin senior running back/cornerback Lem Grayson can’t wait for the Rams' home opener in September.
The Sept. 5 game against visiting Edgewood will be Badin’s first true home game on campus in program history. The opening of Matandy SportsPlex at Lanni Family Stadium on Coach Terry Malone Field is sure to be memorable.
“I still can’t believe every time I walk up on the steps, like golly, we actually got our own field,” Grayson said. “And in the nighttime, we drive past, we see the lights on the Ram. It’s just awesome.”
Badin (9-3 record in 2024), a Division III program, has the ingredients for a special season. The Rams return several key players, including Grayson, who rushed for 860 yards and 11 touchdowns last season.
WATCH: We take a look at the new stadium during Badin's practice
An opportunity to showcase the team’s talent at home is something the Badin players and coaches have discussed this summer. The home side of the stadium seats 1,900 fans while the visitor side may hold up to 600 spectators. With standing room, the stadium capacity is up to 2,800 fans overall.
“I think it will sink in maybe after the season is over,” Badin coach Nick Yordy said. “I think for a lot of coaches, I think we feel the same way. We’re all kind of in awe still a little bit. And shock.”
Grayson already has some fun plans for that home opener. He plans to do a backflip in the end zone if he has an opportunity at a touchdown. The Sept. 5 game is sure to have a memorable environment.
“It’s going to be packed,” Grayson said. “I know that. It’s going to be loud. This is going to be crazy.”
Yordy said there is definitely a buzz around the football program this preseason. The Rams hope to utilize their home field through Thanksgiving. The players and coaches know the benefits extend beyond the home regular-season games.
“Our ability to work when it’s raining or when it’s cold out,” Yordy said. “In the past, if it rained the night before, I’m laying in bed trying to figure out where we’re going to practice at. We’re going to be in the gym or something like that. Because where we’re at right now was just a big mud pit.”
It's why the Badin school community takes a great deal of pride in a venue that impacts sports beyond football, too.
“Just to think about all the people that had a part of this,” Yordy said. “It wasn’t just one person. It was the whole alumni and people in the community. It’s a special place. I’m obviously biased from being here, but I think Badin is pretty special. And to play a true home game is going to be awesome.”
