YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio — In high school football, the support of fans goes a long way.

As the Canfield Cardinals prepare to fly into their Division III state football championship game Friday, one student is making it her mission to stir up school spirit. 

Natalie Sargious steps into character on game days, getting into Canfield High School’s mascot costume. 

“I noticed we didn’t have a mascot this year, and I was like, I could just be the mascot,” she said. 

The cardinal costume is a perfect fit for the junior’s personality. 

“I’ve always been like this,” she said. “Even in middle school, like for the middle school pep rallies, I would get really into it. I would go all out.”

She’s now bringing that enthusiasm to help pump up the crowd at the high school’s football games and pep rallies. 

“It’s kind of liberating knowing half of the school doesn’t know who’s behind this and I can do whatever I want,” she said while covered head to toe in the outfit. “And I’m just there to be ridiculous.”

But her family knows about this alter ego. 

“They think it’s really funny,” she said. “My mom, whenever she sees pictures of the mascot on Gridiron, she’ll text the picture to me and be like, ‘Is this you?’ As if there’s another one.”

Sargious waves her red costumed wings to show older students it’s OK to act excited. 

“It’s kind of easier to cheer on your team if I were there,” she said. 

And she said she loves being a fuzzy friend to the younger kids. 

“It’s my favorite thing ever when they come up to me and they’re like, ‘Big Red!’” Sargious said. “And they all give me high fives and they hug me.”

She’s helping fire up fans as the Canfield High School football team makes a run for the championship title. 

The Canfield Cardinals will take on the Bloom-Carroll Bulldogs at 3 p.m. Friday at Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium in Canton.