As the town of Gatlinburg gears up for what could be a historic moment for the local high school football team, the enthusiasm is far from contained. Gatlinburg's official website announced a community sendoff set for Thursday, December 4, in honor of the Gatlinburg-Pittman High School Highlanders, who remain undefeated and are on their way to their first-ever Class AAA State Championship game following a win against Tyner Academy. The team's success, unprecedented in the school's football history, is shaping up to be the kind of story that townsfolk will talk about for years to come.
Starting bright and early at 9:30 a.m., not only will the Highlanders be walking down Parkway accompanied by cheerleaders and band members, but football team alumni and former coaches are also set to make their presence felt. The ceremonial parade route starts at the junction of Parkway and Reagan Drive and will finish up at Parkway's intersection with Cherokee Orchard Road. It's here that "brief remarks will recognize the team's remarkable season and wish the team well for their pursuit of the program's first-ever state championship," according to the official website.
Such festivities come with logistical adjustments. From 9–10 a.m., the Parkway from Reagan Drive to Cherokee Orchard Road will be temporarily closed to allow the procession to move safely and without delays. GPHS football alumni are asked to gather at the Reagan Drive starting point by 9 a.m., where they can reunite and support the Highlanders’ ongoing championship campaign.
Anticipation is high as the Highlanders prepare to face Westview at Finley Stadium this Friday at 11 a.m. on the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga campus.
