As you cross the Mercer County line into Maria Stein you may notice the town has been stricken with a certain type of fever.

“Oh. I don't know exactly how to say it," Kevin Schwieterman said. "It's continued now for almost 20 years.”

Schwieterman co-owns the Korner Kafe.

He said the town calls it Flyer Fever and it seems to have spread from Marion Local High School.

The symptoms he described aren't typical.

"You see smiles in them, in their faces. The kids are happy. The family is happy and most of them are relatives of the players,” he said.

He's referring to the football team. That's who has been affected most by this fever, which seems to create wins, specifically state championships. Ten championships since the year 2000.

The fever then spreads into the stands where everyone turns a shade of blue and gold.

It's so intense, even the Pastor Gene Schnipke of Saint John the Baptist Catholic Church is praying for them.

“On Friday mornings before the games the kids usually come here for Mass and then afterward we have donuts," he said. "The way it catches on is by getting to know who the kids are and seeing them play and it's just enjoyable to watch them do their thing and support them along the way.”

This Flyer Fever may sound crazy, but if it helps the team win another championship, the town doesn't seem to mind.​

Coverage begins at 9:45am with Todd Bell, Matt D’Orazio, and Ashley Collins announcing.

These two teams are very familiar with the spotlight – and each other. Marion Local defeated Kirtland last year 34-11, while the Hornets got the better of the same match-up (22-20) in a title game in Ohio Stadium back in 2015. These two programs have combined for nine state championships since 2011, often competing in separate divisions.