Photo Gallery: GBHS Students Head to Waldorf to Cheer Gophers On

After a , students approached 's athletic director about arranging for buses to watch the boys basketball team in Waldorf, MD.

"After the Broadneck game, I went into the locker room to congratulate the team and when I came out there was a group of students who asked if I could arrange for buses to the [North Point game]," said Athletic Director Bruce Sider. "And I told them I would."

Sider had a little more than 24 hours to coordinate with the school, students and parents and get two buses together to take 112 students to Waldorf.

"Thursday morning I got the field trip forms signed by the administration. Some of the senior [student] leaders helped me distribute the forms and I told them I had to have them signed and returned by 11 a.m. today," he said.

Students requesting tickets had to pay $10 to secure a spot on the bus.

School spirit has been high throughout the season, especially during the tournament. After the team's Tuesday, head Coach Mike Rudd thanked the students for showing up.

"I was real pleased with our fans. They really showed up and gave us a great home-court advantage," Rudd said.

Team spirit also was high Wednesday against Broadneck, with a few students even organizing cheers throughout the game.

One of those students, senior Tim Clark, 17, said he attended every home game and many away games this season.

"Me and my friend Martia [Mariano]...round up our friends to cheer on the team," he said before boarding the bus to Waldorf. "People had low expectations because we lost some big players over the last few years, but they saw that we were doing phenomenal this year."

Clark said he and Mariano get encouragement from players and coaches, who sometimes stop them in the hall to thank them for their support.

"We like winning. It's as simple as that," he said of himself and other students he referred to as the Gopher faithful. "We hate losing and I know the guys hate losing...I know they can win [against North Point] and I want to be there when they do."

Lynaie Ash-Lewtas, a senior shooting guard for the Lady Gophers, said there has always been strong support among students and athletes at Glen Burnie. The girls basketball team lost to Great Mills Feb. 25 in the first round of the state tournament.

"Our team didn't make it that far and there's always a big support system at Glen Burnie," she said before boarding the bus. "I'm not going to say [if the team will] win or lose, but I know they always play hard and do they best they can."

Tipoff is at 7 p.m. Check back late Friday night for a writeup on the game.