Here we go!

Chances are the Highlands football stadium will be rockin’ Friday night with enough black and gold to look more like Heinz Field than RamLand.

The 4-0 Golden Rams were selected as the Steelers High School Football Showcase Game of the Week, winning a visit from Steely McBeam and a former Steelers player who has yet to be announced.

“It will be a pretty cool environment,” Highlands athletic director Drew Karpen said.

“It’s great for the (Highlands) players since I’m sure the majority are Steelers fans. To get to interact on this platform is cool.”

The unnamed NFL veteran will act as honorary game co-captain and toss the coin on the 50-yard line to start the action between the Rams and the Hampton Talbots.

Coin toss with honorary co-captain @Dangerfield__ #SteelersShowcase | #PlayFootball???? pic.twitter.com/7E5wpfBa2q

— Steelers Youth FB (@SteelersYouthFB) September 17, 2021

Last week at North Hills vs. Moon, former Steelers safety Jordan Danger­field climbed into the stands to play drums with the Tigers band, pose with fans and learn some moves from the cheerleaders.

It’s a safe bet Terrible Towels will be twirling in all parts of the stands, Highlands band director Matt Beresik said.

“We are hoping to represent the ‘Black and Gold,’ along with our Highlands brown and gold,” he said.

The home team student section scrapped its original theme, shifting instead to “Blitzburgh.” Expect a sea of Steelers-themed merchandise in the form of tattoos, beads, boas and maybe even some foam fingers.

The “Steelers High School Football Showcase” pits the top WPIAL teams for the chance to be showcased on Twitter via @SteelersYouthFB; Instagram via @steelersyouthFB; and Snapchat at steelersyouthfb.

Squad ???? @CVHSWarriors #SteelersShowcase pic.twitter.com/240dl5iEJX

— Steelers Youth FB (@SteelersYouthFB) September 11, 2021

Clips are featured on Steelers social media platforms to hype the game, and images from Friday Night Lights are posted live.

Karpen said the Golden Rams were chosen as a finalist based solely on their top-ranking performance this season.

“Once you become a finalist, it’s all by popular vote, and we really pushed it out there,” he said. “We had a good feeling that our community was behind us.”

Highlands won handily, Karpen said, remaining at the top of the heap from beginning to end. The school edged out competition from Thomas Jefferson at Belle Vernon and Central Catholic at North Allegheny.

“It couldn’t be a bigger stage for this game,” varsity gridiron boosters President Tony Litwicki said.

Litwicki, coincidentally, had scheduled food trucks and a DJ to dot the middle school campus along Argonne Drive from 4 to 8 p.m., giving the game a festive tailgate atmosphere.

“Sports are a special part of the culture in Western Pennsylvania, and we want to do everything we can to tie the community in,” Litwicki said.

“This just brings an added excitement and intensity.”

Highlands vs. Hampton already was billed as a game to watch.

It’s a battle of the undefeated in the Class 4A Greater Allegheny Conference game. Both teams are 4-0 for the first time since 2015. In addition, the schools are knotted at 15-15 in the all-time series that began in 1984.

Mike Marchinsky, Steelers youth football and player relations manager, said the showcase is one of several initiatives aimed at supporting youth athletics across the region.

The Steelers TV crew will interact with the students, band and cheer team, he said.

A highlight package will appear on Steelers.com and will be introduced as part of game entertainment at subsequent Steelers home games.

“Our kids love it when folks interact with the group,” Beresik said.

“We’ll be glad to show them some Highlands hospitality and share in the fun at the game.

“Hopefully, our special guests are rock fans. Our halftime show this year features the music of Led Zeppelin. Let’s go 5-0, Rams.”

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