The Vero Beach High School’s Fighting Indians football team has truly captured the imagination of the entire community in its quest to win its first state championship title in 44 years and all the new and old fans who want to watch the championship game on television Saturday night will have plenty of choices to do so locally.
Those not lucky enough to have secured a bus ride and a ticket to the 7:30 p.m. Saturday game against the Lake Mary Rams at Pitbull Stadium in South Dade County on the campus of Florida International University can attend watch parties for the game in the comfort of their own or their friends’ homes, at their private club, or with other fans at one of various sports bars around town.
The Fighting Indians led by coach Lenny Jankowski boasts an undefeated 14-0 undefeated record this season but face a tough test against the Rams, who are 11-3 and defeated last year’s Class 7A champions, the Venice Indians, in the semi-finals last weekend.
The game is available via streaming at home from the NFHS network. A yearly subscription to high school football games costs $80, but one-game passes are still available at just $15.
Excitement around the community has been whipped up with a verity of activities all week, including a spectacular fireworks show at a pep rally Thursday night at the Citrus Bowl at the Vero Beach High School football stadium, followed by a Friday night prayer service and dinner. The buses taking the team, the band and the cheerleaders to Miami will be escorted out of town by police motorcycle riders.
For those staying in town, rather than stay home, it might be more fun to watch the game at a sports bar with other screaming fans, and most self-respecting sports bars around town will make the game available to their patrons. Mulligan’s beachside restaurants and bars at their various locations will stream the game on the beach along with the Riverside Café on the shore of the Indian River Lagoon. On the mainland, What-a-Tavern on Royal Palm and the Big Shots bar on U.S. 1, among others, will all carry the game and have promoted the event to their regulars.
The Quail Valley River Club on Highway A1A streamed the Fighting Indians’ semi-final game last Friday night and members are said to be excited to be able to see the final championship game on three large-screen TVs in the bar and restaurant area tomorrow night again.
Another top choice of local high school football fans all season has been Cap’s Pizza on 27th Avenue off Oslo Road. Cap’s has also been selling Indians T-shirts and other paraphernalia, but unless you pre-ordered your shirt, you may be out of luck to secure one by Saturday.
Since the Fighting Indians’ title run started in the championship playoffs, the shirts, jackets and other items have been flying off the shelves and Cap’s said it cannot guarantee there will be any left by Saturday night.
