The parking lot at the Salem Football Stadium was nearly full, the stands were packed and the eastern hill was more maroon than green as Salem fans turned out in droves to support their home team for the Homecoming game against the Blacksburg Bruins on Friday, Oct. 12.

Jerry Blevins, Jr. says he’s been coming to Salem football games for over 20 years–and he and his friends don’t just catch the home games: they make it out to all the games on the road, too. Dedication to Salem football runs in Blevins’ family, as is the case for many Salemite families. But the Blevins men took their love for football one step further.

His dad, Jerry Blevins, Sr., died in June 2000, but if he’d lived for the first game of the next season, he’d have seen his 200th consecutive Salem football game, Blevins, Jr. said. So, as per his dad’s wishes, Blevins had his father cremated and he scattered his father’s ashes on the 50-yard-line at the Salem football field. During what would have been his father’s 200th game.

Talk about a lifelong fan!

Did you make it out to the Homecoming game? Show your Salem pride–and your photos! Email news@sosalem.com or upload up to 10 files at a time using our share tool.

You can see photos from the Salem High School pep rally here and be sure to check back for more photos from the Homecoming parade, action shots of the game and Paparazzi photos from the Homecoming dance.