Lion Backers
The Albany Lions are playing Hamlin in the quarter-finals of the UIL 2-A division II football playoffs in Shotwell Stadium in Abilene this Thursday, Dec. 6, and the Athletic Booster Club invites local fans to participate in the send-off on Thursday afternoon.
The community pep rally took place on Wednesday, Dec. 5 at 7:30 p.m., and the cheerleaders began beating the playoff drum right afterward. Volunteers signed up to continue the long-standing tradition of banging on the playoff drum throughout the night, the following morning, and into the afternoon until time for the send-off.
Shotwell Stadium
Albany will sit on the home side of Shotwell Stadium, and the home team sits in the west stands, on the press box side, so local fans should enter the venue from either the northwest gate or the southwest gate.
The 15,000 seat stadium is located at 1525 E. South 11th Street.
Tickets are priced at $5. There is also a $5 parking fee.
A norther is forecasted to come through the Big Country on Thursday, and along with swapping the wind direction earlier that afternoon, the front will cause chances of precipitation throughout the day, with rain chances increasing overnight, so fans might want to take rain gear and a heavy jacket even though the low temperature on Thursday night is not expected to fall below 37 degrees.
The Lions will take on Hamlin in the quarterfinals, with the winner advancing to the state semifinals next week to face the survivor of the Stratford/Gruver game held in Canyon on Dec. 6.
The 12-1 Pied Pipers are the runner-up team from District 7, and their only defeat was a 34-27 loss to Albany on Nov. 9 for the district championship.
The Lions swept District 7-2A, winning the district title for the 11th year in a row, and advancing to the playoffs for the 17th straight season.
Albany beat Rocksprings 47-7 in week one of the playoffs, defeated Santo 38-28 to claim the area crown the following week, and took the regional championship with a 48-27 win over Wheeler last Friday.
Thursday Send-off
The send-off will be downtown at 4:00 p.m. on Thursday, Dec. 6, and everyone in the community is encouraged to attend and bring signs and noisemakers as the football bus rolls down Main Street.
Fans should note that Shotwell does not allow the use of large air horns, but members of the Booster Club will be selling air horns that are permitted in the Abilene stadium, according to club representative Tisha Wilkins.
At press time, playoff t-shirts were still available.
