TAMAQUA, Pa. -- The Tamaqua Area High School football team is putting together a season of firsts, a season that, win or lose Friday night, will go down as the most successful in school history.
There's that saying out there: numbers never lie. The numbers show this season has been a magical one for the Tamaqua football team.
Outside the school is a reminder to everyone that the football team has a big playoff game on Friday, a game that, win or lose, will be historic for this Schuylkill County community.
"Just making history, I guess, for Tamaqua," said senior Bronson Strouse.
It's a season that'll go down as the best in the history of the Tamaqua team. The Blue Raiders have already set the record for the most wins in a single season, and have won a district title and state playoff game for the first time ever.
"It's a memory that will last a lifetime that we did this, and we were the first team in school history to make state playoffs," said senior Brayden Knoblauch.
Signs of support can be seen posted all throughout the school and borough ahead of Tamaqua's state quarterfinal matchup against Wyomissing. The underdog Blue Raiders who few thought could make it this far are still alive, and the community is fully behind them.
"This week, we had someone donate a bus to us to go to the game. We have people calling to donate dinners, and we have to turn them down because so many people are calling. It feels pretty good," said senior Matt Kistler.
"Statistically, we've been one of the best teams to ever come through here. Really, we just want to win as many games as we can and just keep playing together with each other as long as we can," added senior Sean Lavine.
Kickoff between Tamaqua and Wyomissing is slated for 7:05 p.m. Friday at North Schuylkill High School.