FOOTBALL FRIDAY: Give it Up for the Great Fans

Being on the sidelines for a high school football game is pretty cool as a reporter. You get to learn about a team's strategy, say hello to the school board member who's also a diehard fan and hear which calls were complete horse-something-or-other.

Up in the stands, though, there's a completely unique atmosphere that makes being a fan even more fun. There's students who cheer better than anyone, parents whose kids are better than everyone (they proclaim loudly) and longtime community members whose weekly entertainment is the game.

Last weekend, I was on the sidelines and in the stands for Lincoln-Way North's 26-18 win over Lincoln-Way Central (see links to stories below). This weekend, I get to play the role of fan when I travel with my family to Penn State University to watch my brother play college football for Indiana State.

I'll trade in my Patch hat for my Sycamores T-shirt, my calm and curious demeanor for one much more ravenous and all-knowing. But a fan is a fan is fan, and we had some good coverage of them this week.

Below are some links to everything we've covered and more you'll want to know heading into the big game. But this is your site, and we want you to get involved. Send us your fan photos and video. Tell us what you think is the best part of the game. And check back every week for some great stories.

Game of the Week

We'll be at a road test for , when the Celtics travel to for a 7:30 p.m. Friday kickoff. Providence is 1-0 after beating Morgan Park last week, and Minooka is 0-1 after a loss to Morris. More games:

• as a home game against Thornridge at 7:30 p.m. Friday.
• looks to keep rolling during a home match against Dunbar at 7:30 p.m. Friday.
• has its first road game of the season, a 7 p.m. contest at Thornwood.
• has its home opener against Crete-Monee at 7:30 p.m. Friday.

Get Connected

Today we're also introducing the Lincoln-Way Sports Fans group on Facebook. It's a forum for fans in the Lincoln-Way High School District to talk sports. Whether you're a Griffin, Knight, Phoenix or Warrior, alumni, current students, coaches, teachers, administrators and all members of the community are welcome to join and invite others!

Also follow @PatchPreps on Twitter for instant scores and updates. You can get them directly to your phone or check in when you please.

Want More Coverage?

Check back every week for game coverage, video highlights and athlete profiles.

Game coverage:

Photos and video:

Top athletes:

Fan-damonium:

Latest Standings

For a full rundown of conference standings, go to the Illinois High School Association website. See where the local teams rank in Patch sports editor .