The football team is competing for the Class 5 state championship on Saturday night at Mizzou, and if the Pirates win, it wouldn’t be the first time Pattonville has won a state title.

PHS Career & Technical Education department chair Holly Martinez was the sponsor for the state-winning 1997 varsity cheerleading team. The year before, the cheerleaders took second place at the state competition in Columbia, Missouri.

“The underclassmen wanted to come back and win. They wanted to redeem themselves,” Martinez said. “I think that time around, they knew what it took and knew that it was a commitment.”

At the 1997 competition, they perfected their craft by performing a routine with no penalties.

Pattonville could soon have a sixth team win state to join the 1986 baseball, 1994 softball, 1997 cheerleading, and the 2010 and 2013 varsity drill teams.

The football team faces off against Staley High School on Saturday night at Mizzou for the Class 5 state title.

Martinez believes that what really contributes to a team being successful is their ability to come together.

“A lot of it was due to team bonding and the trust that they had to develop through the year.”

As far as the team’s feelings about their success: “They made sure everyone was at practice and on time, working together,” Martinez said. “It felt great because they had put in so much time and effort.”

Tune in to the Pirates Sports Net audio broadcast of the game on Facebook Live. Like PattonvilleTODAY to hear if the Pirates add another state championship to its resume.