Friday Night Lights kicks off in the FOX23 viewing area

CHAFFEE, Mo. (KBSI) – Swing down the tailgates. Football season is underway as Friday night lights continues for local high schools in the area,

We talked to Chaffee high school football players about tonight’s game and their recognition as seniors for senior night

“My expectations for the season is that we all play hard stay healthy and keep working hard and practice my expectations for tonight that we all just play as hard as we can every play act like it’s your last get a shot of redemption for last Friday night.” Says red devil running back Logan Horton

As red devil running back Logan Horton looks to help the team bounce back this week

He has an additional incentive for himself and his teammates to produce points on senior night

Horton says its been a blessing saying, “means a lot, we came all this way from the junior high and now we’re seniors playing our big game.”

We asked Red Devil wide receiver Connor Berry about the atmosphere in Chaffee for their first home game.

“Adrenaline filled I think it’s gonna be good we always have large crowds here at Chaffee everybody supports football one hundred percent i expect a good game tonight you know if both teams come out and play one hundred-percent I don’t think we really know right now who is going to come out on top.”Berry says game days bring the entire community together as one, “here at Chaffee it’s you know really about family we do a good job of supporting each other in the community no matter what everybody’s reaching out leaning a hand you know having a high school football this soon where everybody in the community get to come together and be together and watch all these kids play, you know Chaffee, It’s just fun to watch.”

Chaffee head coach Jack Altermatt is excited to watch his team execute on the field.

“I think defensively offensively and the special team wise we, we can be a challenge for about anybody on our schedule. We just have to execute so if well execute, we kind of stick to the plan that we have every single week we can have success.”

He says that he’s proud of the atmosphere the team has built these past 3 years since he became the head coach

“From day one from the first day, I met them they all basically just kind of bought in and just did what was asked of a them I mean show up with a good senior class. Connor said iy earlier too it’s about family so I feel like this. This group likes each other, they like to be around each other, they have fun together and we’ve had. We’ve had a really strong bond from day one from this group.”

Elsewhere tonight Scott City prepares for their home game, but with an additional mission, as they host a green out night for Dominic Hooper.

Hooper passed away in 2014 due to a devastating ATV wreak.

Being an organ donor, hooper saved 5 different lives through organ donation.

We talked to Dominics father Chirs Sinder about the event, he says.

 “This event started 10 years ago in memory of my son Dominic, who was an organ donor. He said five people’s lives through Oregon donation, Scott city school and his mom and I got together with the idea of starting a green game to raise awareness in Scott city for Oregon donation and it’s turned into from just a green football game into the carnival out here.”

Snider says all the proceeds from tonight’s event including the football game, carnival, concession stand and more go towards American transplant for organ donation research

Snider says the community has been pivotal in the progression of the green game saying

“The community has just been amazing to us they way they’ve come together and support us is unreal and tonight will be one of the biggest crowd at Scott city this year for a football game and it’s in support of not only us but for Dominic the kids come out here they have a good time at the carnival we’ve got a dunk tank bouncy house face paint some blow up games and things like that so bring your kids out support a good cause raise awareness for organ donation and have some fun and cheer on the rams tonight.”

The excitement continues to pour on from fans like Benton, Missouri resident Don Alpers

“Oh I just love football, love football, Oh I’ve been coming to high school football games ever since I was probably 10 years old, I watch all kinds of football i’m a big football fan,
It’s exciting.”