McLouth was hosting Sabetha in the first round of the Class 3A state playoffs that night. The school’s bleachers, which are on one side of the field, were filled.

Additional bleachers were brought over from the McLouth High School baseball field and placed on the east side of the field to allow for more fans.

MHS athletics director Tom Pierce said the school sold 960 tickets to the game.

“We’ve never had our bleachers on the other side,” Pierce said, referring to the east side, which is the visiting team’s sideline. “We just didn’t think our bleachers on our side would hold everybody.”

McLouth’s permanent bleachers technically hold 1,500 people, Pierce said.

“But not everybody’s a supermodel who isn’t very wide,” Pierce said.

Excitement swirled throughout McLouth all season. The Bulldogs just completed their first undefeated regular season since 1953 after MHS beat Maur Hill in the regular-season finale and improved its record to 10-0.

Pierce said people in the community who haven’t been regulars at the stadium on Friday nights in the past gradually have made their way to McLouth games this fall.

And against Sabetha, it was clear that many fans were out to support their Bulldogs.

“It was by far the biggest crowd we’ve had this year,” Pierce said.

He also said it doubled gate receipts of any other home game this season.

Although Pierce thought there were plenty more people in attendance than the 960 tickets sold, he said McLouth had a great playoff atmosphere, complete with television cameras recording footage for 10 p.m. telecasts.

“It was a lot of fun,” Pierce said. The crowd was into it. … I think the patrons on both sides had a really good time as far as the atmosphere was good. I know the students enjoyed it.”

Unfortunately for the Bulldogs, they won’t have any more playoff games in McLouth this season. MHS lost, 21-8, to Silver Lake on Saturday in Silver Lake. The Bulldogs ended the season 10-1.