(December 7, 2007)

BEEVILLE--It's the first week of December and two South Texas communities are still enjoying Friday night football. If they win tonight, both the Refugio Bobcats and the Beeville Trojans will move onto the state semifinals. There's definitely euphoria in these communities as the teams prepare for their big football games.

In Refugio, fans are standing behind the Bobcats, who have made these long runs into the playoffs in the past. Meanwhile in Beeville, it's a different type of excitement as the Trojans have never gotten to the state quarterfinals in the school's history.

"Lake Travis here we come Playoffs 2007." 

The AC Jones High School cheerleaders are excited about its game with Lake Travis. The team got a big sendoff from students and the community.

The players were led out of the city in a procession from law enforcement officers and firefighters. The Trojans have never made it to state quarterfinals, so the community is head over heels for this team.

"This is a tremendous thing for the community, Beeville," said Eric Souza, who is the Head Coach for the AC Jones High School Football team. "A lot of fun. I've been fortunate to this do before with Mathis. It's just great for the community."

"Everybody is pumped up ready to go," said Roberto Elizalde, whose son plays on the high school football team. "We're going to wake them up tonight. They're in a dream but we're the real thing."

We caught up with the Refugio Bobcats as they boarded their bus for San Antonio. This just after they went to eat at the Burger King, a team tradition for playoff away games.

"A lot of people talking about it," said Dana Adams, a Refuguio resident.. "Everywhere you go people are talking about football the Refugio Bobcats. There's always pride in Refugio."

"While I was born and raised in Refugio and I bleed orange and black and we're going to win and our community is way behind these Bobcats. Go Cats Go," said Beka Preston, a Refugio mother who showed up to send her son off the playoff game.

Both these small towns just hope they can keep winning so they can enjoy another week of football fever.

--Manuel De La Rosa, Area 3 News, mdelarosa@kiiitv.com