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Stevenson High fans to gather Saturday before state title game

Stevenson High School Patriots fans will gather Saturday to cheer the football team before it heads to Champaign for the state championship game against Homewood-Flossmoor.

Boosters will gather at 11 a.m. at the Lincolnshire school in a space called the Forum, inside the entrance known as the Point.

"There's definitely a sense of excitement in the air around the school," Stevenson spokesman Jim Conrey said. "To be part of this historic moment has really energized the community."

Stevenson's longtime football and basketball announcer, Tim Tomaso, will introduce players and coaches and the school fight song will ring out, Conrey said.

Then, the team will board buses and head south.

The title game is set for 7 p.m. at the University of Illinois' Memorial Stadium.

The Patriots beat Glenbard West in Saturday's Class 8A semifinals game in Glen Ellyn to claim a shot at the title.

It's the first title contest for Stevenson since 2002 and only the second in its 50-year history. The Patriots lost to Lockport that year, 35-14.

Stevenson has qualified for the state playoffs for 26 consecutive seasons.

"I guess you could say we're like the Susan Lucci of prep football," said Conrey, referring to the actress who was nominated for 21 Daytime Emmy awards but only won once.

The team has gone 13-0 this season, the first time it's won 13 games in one year.

"It's gratifying to see the success of our football program, because it shows that you can have excellence on the field and in the classroom," Conrey said.

Each school in the game was allotted 1,000 tickets, and Stevenson High officials expected to be sold out of theirs Wednesday.

Still, tickets will be available on game day at the stadium.

"We should have well over 1,000 students at the game," Conrey said. "We're also looking for a big turnout of alumni, parents and other Patriot fans."

Buses will transport students who purchased ride tickets to Champaign. They'll leave the school's parking lot B at 2:30 p.m. Saturday, and they will return immediately after the game.

Patriot fans heading to Champaign for the game are invited to visit Tent City, which is across the street from Memorial Stadium, for pregame festivities. Every team in the state finals has its own party tent, sponsored by the Champaign Visitors Bureau.

No alcohol is allowed.

If the football team wins Saturday, it will be Stevenson's second state championship in the 2014-15 school year.

The school won the doubles championship at the girls tennis state tournament in October.

School board member David Weisberg praised Athletic Director Trish Betthauser for "putting together an athletic program that engenders this kind of performance."

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