BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (WIAT) - The city of Birmingham lit up purple and white in support of one of its own city schools Friday night. Parker High School made its first appearance in the state championship football game since 1980.
The hype and excitement of Parker fans was evident from the Herd Walk before kickoff, and it carried all the way through the game. The band and fans were loud and proud for the Thundering Herd.
"What’s the word? Thundering Herd!”
It's been 44 years since Parker's last time on the field playing for a state title.
"It’s history. This is history," Parker fan Sharon Johnson said. "It means so much because we had a chance last year and we didn’t make it, but this year we got it.”
Many Parker fans were excited to see a Birmingham City School represented at the Super 7.
"To be here in Birmingham, Alabama, you just can’t get it any better than that," Parker fan Tenishia Gaines said. "We’re in Birmingham, Alabama bringing a Birmingham City School to the Protective, it’s such a blessing.”
"It’s everything. It’s the way the community rallies behind us," Parker fan Nika Johnson said. "We worked hard, so it’s everything to us, it’s amazing.”
"Alumni, we’re out here. Super proud of these kids, they play hard," Parker fan Jaramiah Williams said. "They got the community behind them. Big Smithfield behind them, it is what it is. Bringing the championship home tonight, I believe that.”
Parker head coach Frank Warren says it means a lot to be in this game and his team deserves it.
"That’s a great team, not taking nothing from them but like I said, we ain’t scared of nobody, we play anybody any time but we’ve got to respect our opponents, we’ve got to do everything the right way to win this game though," he said. "Fear the herd.”