KSHB 41 reporter Ryan Gamboa covers Cass County, Missouri. Numerous Harrisonville community members reached out to help share this story. Share your story idea with Ryan.
—
The clock is ticking to help Harrisonville High School win $1 million in a national contest. Click here to vote.
T-Mobile's Friday Night 5G Lights competition aims to promote small-town pride in communities with 150,000 people or fewer.
Back in September, T-Mobile announced Harrisonville was a top 25 finalist. As a result, the school was awarded $25,000.
"Friday nights are an event, it's not just a game," said head football coach Brent Maxwell. "It truly is an event that people come out and celebrate."
Throughout the season, Harrisonville High School has sported T-Mobile pink and has been working diligently to garner enough votes to come out on top.
If Harrisonville wins, the prize money will go toward renovations to Harrisonville's Memorial Stadium, including its video board that is out of commission after a lightning strike.
"We’re a pretty tight-knit community," Maxwell said. "Yes, football uses it (scoreboard), soccer uses it, boys soccer in the fall, girls soccer in the spring, track and field uses it in the spring, but it’s used daily for middle school physical education. I think it’s a great opportunity not only for our teams, but our school, but maybe even more importantly, our community."
Senior quarterback Levi Hall says the team prioritizes its work ethic on the field, and it translates to who they are in the community.
"It’s awesome to be a part of this and try to win money for our school and promote it as much as possible," he said.
Hall told KSHB 41 his younger brother is a sophomore football player. The prize money would help benefit him, a legacy Levi would be proud to leave behind.
"My little brother is most important to me," he said. "It [would be] amazing to be able to leave this behind that he will be privileged to benefit from."
Harrisonville High School ranks No. 11 in the voting pool behind schools from coast to coast.
Kansas City music legend Tech N9ne even offered his support for the Wildcats along the way.
Voting closes on Friday, Oct. 24, and there's a lot of ground to be made up.
To participate in the contest, click here and enter your email to vote for Harrisonville. You can vote once each day.
"If it benefits the kids, you should care about it, too," Levi Hall said. "We ask [for] all the help in the world, just to give a little bit of time to go out and vote, and give a little bit of your day."
—
