BY COURTNEY PELZ
The Cincinnati Enquirer
LEBANON - Warrior football fever has gripped this city.
Signs are propped in storefront windows. Banners are strung throughout downtown. Merchants are adorned in maroon and white. Lebanon High School's football team is the talk of the town.
The Warriors - who rolled over rivals Roger Bacon, 49-13, in the opening round of the playoffs last week - play at 7:30 p.m. today at Dayton's Welcome Stadium in the Division II regional finals. Lebanon squares off against Miami Trace in the first-ever clash between the teams.
The winner advances to the state semifinals next weekend.
"It just brings the community together when something like this happens," said Suzie Alexander, part owner of the Village Ice Cream Parlor on Broadway and mother of Warrior player Tyler Alexander.
The ice cream shop has gotten in on the act: "Warrior" devil's food cake has been added to the menu during the team's tournament stretch run.
Area restaurants have catered meals to the players, coaches and cheerleaders. Many of those providing the meals are decked out in Warrior garb. Some stores are offering empty plastic milk jugs so fans can fill them with dried beans to use as noisemakers for tonight's game.
On Thursday, Lebanon cheerleaders plastered the high school's halls with banners, posters and signs. Today, the school is expected to thump and rock with cheers and music.
"It just gets crazy," junior Keith Abbott said. "The whole day is basically a pep rally."
"It's so awesome to see the spirit. It will be 50 degrees out, and people are shirtless with their chests painted maroon and white," sophomore Susan Harding said.
"The support for the football players makes a difference," said Sam Ison, the school's principal. "It creates a bond with everyone here."
"We've set attendance records this year, Lebanon Coach Dave Brausch said. "The games are at 7:30 p.m., the gates open at 6 p.m., and people are in line at 4:30 p.m. We're kind of football crazy now," he said.
Lindsay's eyes on the prize
