Sure, the players and coaches toss and turn, find it hard to sleep the night before football games.

But don’t count the Bothell High fans out of the restless-night equation.

Sophomore supporter Mark Woods says, “I get no sleep Thursday — or Friday — nights.” He added that he’s nervous and excited about the game’s outcome the night before, but equally pumped up after a Cougar win — so much that he and a handful of friends, including fellow sophomore Zach Anderson, stay up until around 3 a.m. discussing the game afterward.

The fans were out in full force for last week’s victory over Issaquah at the final Pop Keeney Field game this season.

They’ll have to hit the road to the Tacoma Dome for this Saturday’s 7 p.m. kickoff with Skyline in the 4A state semifinals.

There’s at least 500 or so rabid fans over at Bothell High who feel they’re part of the team’s success. They paint their faces, wear crazy clothes — and they yell loud enough to get the Blue Train rolling into the end zone and deter the Cougars’ opponents from making headway on offense.

“We’re high-spirited. My parents think I’m crazy,” Anderson said. “We cut our T-shirts, fray them at the bottom. We wear anything blue, black and white. At school, you have to look nice and match and stuff. (At games) wearing random things is the coolest thing ever. Anything goes.”

Woods and Anderson say that upperclassman Spencer Cannon leads the way with his fireman’s helmet, chest protector and whatever else he straps onto his body. He also hoists the 10-foot-tall flagpole into the sky at key points during the game and lets the large blue Bothell flag fly.

“He’s the most important one, the highest on the totem pole,” Anderson said with a laugh.

The rest of the group follows suit and the cheers roar throughout the games.

“My voice is always gone after the game,” Woods said.

“All the fans are there for total support. As principal, I am very proud of the numbers of student fans who come to each game,” said Bothell High’s Bob Stewart. “Their noise has caused a few false-start penalties, as well as penalties for delay on the opposing teams who come to Pop Keeney.

“They are a great group who are positive in their support and much appreciated by the football team,” he added.

And don’t forget the cheerleaders, who are every bit as crucial as the fans.

“Our cheerleaders focus on crowd involvement, traditional and non-traditional, with means to keep our Bothell fans spirited, entertained and involved in the game,” said Andy Gault, Bothell cheer co-coach. “We are also blessed to have some of the best high-school fans in the nation.”

Woods, who was sporting a Bothell “Welcome to the Dark Side” T-shirt and Cougar beanie on Wednesday afternoon, said the fans were at their loudest during the team’s recent 25-20 victory over Skyline to clinch the 4A Kingco championship at the “Pop.”

“They (Cougars) make you want to be louder, and you know you can make a difference,” Woods said. “Especially on third and fourth down, you yell as loud as you can. You can make the game change if they (opponents) make the wrong call.”

Against Skyline, a fourth-and-5 turned into a fourth-and-30 for the Spartans as they were hoping for a comeback late in the game. It never transpired.

“We’re about being classy,” Anderson added. “When the other team is all happy that they just scored, we (yell), ‘Scoreboard, scoreboard,’” meaning that Bothell is still usually ahead and on its way to another victory.

Woods and Anderson are just two of the Big Blue cheering throng, but their story is an entertaining one that could be a model for future face-painters and flag-wavers.

“We were the real high-energy kids,” Anderson said of him and Woods, who have known each other since kindergarten.

On home-game days, the buddies usually paint their faces and don their gear at Anderson’s house, and then enjoy a pre-game meal of chicken teriyaki (extra rice, please) and Arizona Tea at around 3:30 p.m. at Bento Teriyaki near Pop Keeney.

“They know what we want, they got it down,” said Woods, noting that after eating, they walk around downtown Bothell and then arrive at Pop Keeney at about 5:30 p.m. or so to help paint other fans’ faces.

This isn’t the first time the boys have supported their team to the hilt, Woods said, noting that his dad — lovingly, of course — calls him a “loser” for his ultimate fandom.

“We did this at Canyon Park (Junior High). At pep assemblies, we had our faces painted up. We were the only kids dressed up,” said Woods, who plans to play varsity Bothell football with Anderson next season.

“The team says, ‘Thanks for coming out, guys,” Anderson noted.

And with that praise, it’s a victory for all involved in the Blue Train’s quest for a state title.