The seconds wind down on the clock. The score is 35-21 and as the clock hits zero the Cal High football team goes crazy.

They just beat San Ramon Valley and secured at least a tie for a second straight EBAL championship. (With a 21-3 against Livermore the following week, Cal won its first outright league title).

As the football team celebrates, the student section does the same. Oh wait… Our student section was quiet. Almost everyone had cleared out 10 minutes ago to go to In ‘n’ Out.

Yes, you read that right. Our football team is defending EBAL champions for the first time in school history. And yes, our 12th man does sucks.

Why is it that students go to football games and not watch the actual games?

I get that it is hard to pay attention for all four quarters of the game. Eventually, students are going to socialize. What I do not get is why people talk for the entire game and sit with their backs turned to the field.

Let’s get something straight. Our student section is supposed to be where the 12th man stands. It’s for the students who wear face paint, have orange towels, and yell non-stop for our football team. There is a difference between where students sit, and the student section. If you are in the student section you are a part of the 12th man.

As an individual who has watched my fair share of Cal High football games, eight years to be exact, I love Friday night football.  So you can understand how it really makes me livid and dumbfounded when students leave the game five minutes early just so they can go to In ‘n’ Out and miss our football team win an EBAL championship.

In ‘n’ Out will not disappear when the game is over. You know what does go away? The celebration of first outright championship under our belt.

The team shared previous titles with SRV in 2007 and 2012. To have our very own title is a huge accomplishment, one that I feel hasn’t received enough praise from our student body.

As our football team continues its run in the playoffs, it is the most crucial time for our 12th man to get its’ act together. We need to revamp our student section and we are going to do it with some simple rules.

Number one: Yelling, “We are not sober” does not help the team in any way.  And, yes you are making a fool of your non classy self. Number two: Never ever sit down, or yell at others to sit down during the game. Number three: When Cal is on defense, make as much noise as possible. Number four: Do not leave the game early to go to In ‘n’ Out.

Get it together Grizzlies. We have a shot to redeem ourselves Saturday night.