But as Colby Frokjer boomed two 50-plus-yard field goals and it was clear Roy High would be reaching Thursday’s 5A state championship game, a question percolated to the top of a few minds: how could students and staff celebrate the occasion and make a memory?

Luckily for principal Stacy Rountree, she had a way to make it happen. By recently doubling a fundraising goal for the school, students had already earned a “reward day” that would include treats, an assembly and more. So Rountree paired that with the day the Royals would try to win their first football state championship in 43 years.

“When Gina Butters, our superintendent, was principal at Roy High, she started an initiative in the Roy cone: one team, one dream, one community, everyone graduates,” Rountree said. “Just building that community support, it starts in elementary and goes through junior high and high school.”

Classwork proceeded as normal Thursday morning, though Lakeview teachers and staff dressed in black T-shirts with “Roy vs. Everybody” written in yellow on the front, which gave away the activities soon to come.

Photo supplied, Stacy Rountree

When the 11 a.m. kickoff arrived, every screen in the building was tuned to an internet stream of Roy facing Bountiful on the football season’s final stage in Salt Lake City while students worked on football-themed curriculum during the day.

Classrooms dotted with black and gold decorations held kids eager to rally for the Royals. Fourth graders were thrilled when instructional coach Leslie Boren told them she taught Roy offensive lineman Cade Draper when he was a fourth grader.

Some fifth graders came to school wearing Burger King paper crowns to match the high school’s student section, and many children from all grades wore black and yellow outfits — including many Roy High shirts and a handful of Little League football players wearing their Roy City team jerseys.

Second grader Gracie Hansen said she and her sister, Ambry, go to all Roy’s home games to watch their uncle, Hunter Webb.

“I don’t want it to be their last time,” Gracie said about the season’s final game. “I love watching my uncle play and having a party.”

Gracie said she wants to be a cheerleader at Roy High and Ambry said it’s fun to come to school and have her friends cheer for her uncle.

Fifth grader Ashtynn Wallace, whose uncle is Roy football assistant Connor McGuire, went to a few games early in the season. She said it’s “really fun to all wear black and yellow together,” and she’s excited to attend Roy High when she’s older.

Students got their first big cheer watching the lunchroom’s dropdown screen when the broadcast showed a touchdown from Roy’s 1981 state title win, and not long after yelled when Logan Cella punched in his first rushing touchdown.

Some smaller lunch eaters let out little “Let’s go, Royals!” yells individually before older students joined the lunchroom in more organized group chants.

On location for @standardex at a Roy elementary school where a watch party of Roy High football is in full effect. Roy takes a lead before halftime on a pass to Robert Young @standardexsport pic.twitter.com/orbKcNUPPM

— ????Brett Hein???? (@bhein3) November 21, 2024

One of the six former Royals on Lakeview’s staff is aide Sherry McCain. Her family moved to Roy when she was in sixth grade, all three of her children attended Roy High School and, for the last 10 years, she’s cooked up the garlic fries at Roy’s football concession stand.

Her story highlights many connections throughout the city that lead back to the high school. Her family used to live next to the parents of Roy High’s athletic director Mike Puzey, who became like “second grandparents” to her kids, she says — and she was asked to help with game operations.

“It’s just fun to give back to my community and get to know other people, give service and just be involved,” McCain said.

Perhaps the biggest Roy superfan among staff alums is head custodian Jeff Wardleigh, who missed Lakeview’s festivities to cheer Roy in person at Rice-Eccles Stadium instead.

The air of excitement in the halls was apparent.

“It tied in with our reward party for our fundraiser … the kids needed a reward for that. So it just felt perfect to tie the two together and hopefully bring that community involvement that we’re all working together for, for the success of our students,” Rountree said.