The stage doesn't get any bigger, and the stakes don't get any higher. So you might think, the mood around Southridge and Lake Oswego High School might be a little tense. But that couldn't be further from the truth.

As players started their warm-ups Wednesday at Lake Oswego, Sister Sledge's We are Family blasted from the loud speakers. As the team went into their stretching routine, the house DJ transitioned into the Weather Girls and Its Raining Men. And what better way to close out the set, than Gloria Gainer's I Will Survive.

There was no disc jockey at Southridge, but things seemed equally loose. Players and coaches were smiling, laughing and joking. Just another game? Business as usual, right?

"There's a lot more media, there's a lot more people talking about you, a lot more attention drawn to you, but once the football game begins, its the game," head coach Brad Mastrud said.

The Skyhawks were going over their formations in a rapid fire manner, a couple plays on offense, a couple p-a-t's, a kick off or two. The teams have done all the heavy lifting, Wednesday it was time to fine tune. 

Make no mistake, the coaches are taking this week very seriously. They know there teams will have to be almost perfect to pull out a win in Saturday's championship game.

This year's undefeated Lake Oswego team is probably the most well balanced, most consistent team in recent history. The Lakers are poised to win their first state championship.

"This is the stage you want to be on. The kids are excited, the school's excited, the whole program is," Lakers head coach Steve Coury said.

Their offense is running on all cylinders, and their defense is probably the best in the state. The Lakers have held six teams to seven points or fewer, and have only allowed two teams to score more them 14.

"We're thrilled about being here. I think the kids deserve the right to be here. We've had a great year and now it comes down to one game."

The Lakers will need all the defense they can get, as the Skyhawks have been putting some lopsided totals on the scoreboard these days. Southridge is averaged 49 points in their last five games. Senior quarterback Kellen Mastrud has been throwing passes to Mitch Mathews for years, and that chemistry is paying dividends.

The defense isn't too shabby either, giving up more than 20 points twice all year.

The lights will be bright Saturday at Reser Stadium, the crowds bigger, the stakes higher that any point in their young lives. Just don't tell the players that. To them, it's a football game.