On Friday night, teams across the area will advance in area playoffs.
In Mesquite, the Poteet High School Pirates are the lone survivors heading to division finals, and it's not just the players benefitting from the playoffs.
The Poteet Pirates are revving up the excitement as the last Mesquite team still standing in the high school football playoffs.
"We work hard for it," quarterback Tanner Ramsey said. "Everybody's bought it and they want to do it."
"Everything has been really energetic and exciting and everybody is excited for the boys to go to the playoffs," said student Kaitlyn Hilliard.
Friday night, the pirates take the field against Lancaster High School in the 4A Division II Region II finals .
It's been a long way to make it this far. Last year, the team didn't make the playoffs and, before that, the team had only won two games in two seasons.
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"It's kind of a mindset that everybody has that if we're going to get beat it's going to be, you're going to have to beat us," Ramsey said.
The turnaround on the field has been paying off in the classroom.
"Students work harder because they want to be a part of those organizations and teams that are doing well, because it's something that they'll never forget," said Karyn Cummings, Poteet principal.
The playoffs are good for team morale and good for the district's pocketbook. Mesquite has been hosting several big games in stadiums like one where they charge $5,000 for rentals.
The district says that the further teams advance in playoffs, the more people fill up stadiums such as Mesquite's Memorial, one of the biggest in the state. It seats nearly 20,000 people.
"Typically when you get those good programs playing in the playoffs, the crowds are large, and the larger the crowd, obviously the more of a positive economic impact," said Steve Bragg, athletic director.
Lancaster and Mesquite Poteet face off at 7:30 p.m. at Allen Eagle Stadium.
