Playoff fever strikes communities
BY SUZANNE LOUDAMY Staff writer

It has been many years since Whitehouse and Troup could both boast of having plans beyond the regular season. While the coaches and players work on skills, watch films and plan strategies, the rest of the community has big plans to help prepare for the win, too.

The Troup Tigers will face the Kerens Bobcats on Friday night at 7:30 p.m. in Athens at the Bruce Field Complex. The stadium is located at 6800 State Hwy 19 South. Directions to the stadium, according to the Texas high school football stadium database, are from the Athens courthouse square, take Hwy. 19 South to College Street and turn left (one block). Go through two stop signs to Dull Averiette Street and turn right. Parking is on the left at Athens Middle School. Bruce Field is on the right.

To get the players pumped up and ready for the game there will be a pep rally on Friday at 2:30 p.m. in the gym.

To fuel the fans, Austin Bank and Brookshire's are co-sponsoring a tailgate party from 5:45- 7 p.m. in the parking lot across from the Athens stadium.

Tickets for the playoff game are $5 and will be on sale at the gate the night of the game.

Wildcat and Tigers signs abound, as both communities are showing their support for their playoff football teams.

As the Wildcats of Whitehouse prepare for their playoff battle with the Tigers of Mount Pleasant, their fans have some special events planned as well.

A community wide pep rally is scheduled for 6 p.m. on Thursday night at Wildcat Arena. The evening time allows for more of the community to participate versus the regular school time slot. District champ t-shirts will be on sale for $15.

No fan can cheer to the max on an empty stomach. To remedy that, the First Baptist Church of Whitehouse and the Whitehouse Athletic Boosters have partnered up to feed the Wildcat fans hot dogs and hamburgers from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. The tailgaters will be located near the tower in the home side parking lot of the Mesquite Memorial Stadium. Coordinators say just bring your own chair and they will take care of the rest.

The Cats will take on the Tigers of Mount Pleasant with kick off at 1 p.m. Mesquite Memorial Stadium is located at 2411 W. Scyene Road in Mesquite. Directions given on the Whitehouse ISD website are to take I-20 to Terrell where you take the Hwy. 80 exit toward Dallas. In Mesquite, exit 635 South then exit onto Military Parkway. Turn right onto Military Parkway. The road splits - take the left of the Y. The stadium is on the left.

Tickets for the game are $5 for adults and $3 for students through noon on Friday. All tickets at the gate will be $6 with the gates opening at 11:30.