Football season is extending longer than most would have imagined. After defeating Austin Anderson 40-20, the boys are off to the regional quarterfinals, “Round Three” in Waco battling the Longview High School Lobos on Saturday evening.

“I’m not surprised by how far we have gotten,” Coach Tommy Kaiser said. “What most have failed to realize in the past, is that we have gotten close to finals, just had some difficult games.”

The Cougars have clearly found a way to deal with those difficult games and come out on top. If they win this game, the boys only have to win two more games to reach the finals at Cowboys Stadium in Dallas.

The boys will be practicing all through the Thanksgiving break, even on Turkey Day itself.

“I always tell the players if they want to achieve a goal, they have to work hard no matter what to get it,” Coach Gary Van Sant said.

The players don’t seem to mind, according to Caleb Robinson, who added, “We’ve accepted having to play through the break.”

The wins have not just affected the high school, but the Tomball community as a whole, as local residents turn out to support the team at every game.

“Our fans usually outnumber the other school 2 to 1, and I believe that is what the boys love the most,” Kaiser said. “It really inspires them.”

The spirit is so high that the high school itself has made a charter bus available to 50 students at a cost of $30, which includes the ride there and back, and a lunch.