The playoffs are here for area high school girls basketball teams, and for the Erie Lady Cardinals, their playoff run is something the team hasn't experienced for three decades.
It's a send-off fit for a champion, and even before stepping on the court, in the eyes of their fans, the girls have already won.
"Just to see the community getting involved. It`s exciting because we haven`t done this in a long time," Erie Lady Cardinal fan Darla Lawson said.
A long time is an understatement. The Erie girls advanced to the sectional finals for the first time in 31 years.
"People from other communities are cheering us on, and I have friends from other towns coming to support our girls. Even the rival schools are coming to watch us play," Erie Lady Cardinals fan Cilia Maloney said.
Whether it's a wooden sign in the window or a good luck wish on a business billboard, everyone in Erie is on the Cardinal bandwagon.
"It`s very exciting. I was around town today and I saw a lot of people with signs. It`s good for our community," Lawson said.
The girls have even picked up some young fans along the way, with the elementary students making pictures and art work for them before leaving for the game.
"I think it`s really special that the little kids look up to these girls who will be playing," Maloney said.
This season for the Erie girls has been something special, not just for them, but for everyone in the town. Win or lose, it`s a year they`ll never forget.
"Just a great community that comes together no matter what it is. It`s just a very tight-knit community. I`m very honored to be a part of this and to be a part of this community," Maloney said.
During the send-off Thursday afternoon, many of the parents were holding back tears. That's how much the community support has meant to them all season. Some people will remember their record and sectional birth, but for the fans, it's this excitement that they'll remember the most.