Oswego School District 308 Superintendent Andalib Khelghati is ready to cheer the Oswego High School football team onto another victory.

Khelghati was watching on Nov. 15 when the Panthers football team notched a 24-21 victory over Maine South in a Class 8A quarterfinal game.

“We were on the 50-yard line in the stands, myself and Oswego School Board President Dominick Cirone,” he said following the Nov. 17 Oswego school board meeting. “I think some of us are still hoarse from the game.”

The team is now headed to the semifinals for the first time since 2003, when it won the 7A state title. It moved to the 8A classification several years ago.

The Panthers will host Lockport Township High School at 5 p.m. Saturday.

“I’m just really proud of our students and the coaching team and the families,” Khelghati said. “This is truly a team effort. Behind every player is a great coach. This is really a culmination of a lot of effort.”

The day after the Panther’s win over Maine South, Khelghati said he received congratulatory messages from elected officials such as Oswego Village President Ryan Kauffman and Kendall County Board Chairman Matt Kellogg.

“The one thing I love about the game of football is that it really is a team sport,” Khelghati said. “We have an incredible defensive team and we also have an incredible offensive team. We’re focused on one game at a time.”

He noted the community has been rallying around the team.

District 308 board secretary Mary Jo Wenmouth also has been watching the team during the season.

“The boys have worked really hard,” she said. “It’s been a while since we’ve come this far.”

As she noted, the Oswego football team came from behind to win against Maine South.

“When they get behind, they still know what they need to do and they don’t panic,” Wenmouth said.