The North Hall community joined together Thursday to cheer on the Trojans as they left for the semifinal game in Macon.

Following a send-off from their fellow classmates at North Hall High, the boys basketball team stopped at North Hall Middle, Mount Vernon Elementary, Wauka Mountain Elementary and Riverbend Elementary.

The younger students were just as excited about the basketball team.

The middle-school cheerleaders lined up with silver pom-poms to welcome the team with chants of “Go North Hall!” and “Go Big Green!”

The team, dressed in khakis and white button-down shirts, walked the halls to greet the students who lined up to wish them well.

“Most of the players on the team came through North Hall Middle,” Principal Brad Brown said. “I appreciate them coming down to the middle school to let us share in their glory.”

Even the youngest North Hall residents were excited about the semifinal game.

Mount Vernon Elementary kindergartner Ryan Lynch, who was wearing a North Hall shirt for the occasion, said he was very excited about the game.

“Basketball is my favorite thing to watch,” Lynch said.

The elementary students came equipped with index cards to gather autographs from the players.

Parents said they knew of many who were planning to make the drive to Macon, whether they had kids on the team or not.

Sharon Coker, whose sons Canler and Karson are on the basketball team, was overcome with all the excitement that has built up around the team.

“There’s a spirit bus going of mainly students, and we’ve made goody bags for the boys,” Coker said.

“We are definitely like one huge family in this community.”

Brown said sports have a way of bringing the community together.

“For a lot of them it’s a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity,” Brown said. “We’re excited for them, and they’re going to represent us in a way that will make us proud.”