Those who traveled to Winston-Salem on Saturday for the Class 2-AA state championship were treated to a wonderful experience, full of hope and excitement. Those who followed the game between the Washington High School Pam Pack and the East Lincoln Mustangs on TV, radio or through the Daily News’ live blog, got all that second hand, but still witnessed history. Those who missed it entirely, that’s unfortunate, because it was one great game.

Those guys, the Pam Pack players, played their hearts out. They may have left the field defeated, 14-13, but they’re heroes in the eyes of many. They took a team that hadn’t been to a state championship in 58 years to the biggest stage possible and with them, they took the imagination and pride of so many who have passed through the halls of Washington School through the years.

It made all the sense in the world for there to be a big sendoff for the Pam Pack, as they left Washington on Friday morning. The streets were dotted with supporters, holding signs declaring support for their team. Signs outside local businesses had been changed to reflect their pride of the Pack.

What many don’t realize is what happened when the team got home late that night. One would imagine that the greeting on the Pam Pack’s return would be a lot less festive, a lot less noisy. But they’d be wrong.

As the buses pulled back into town, there were fans: with sparklers, with flashlights, honking horns in appreciation for the job well done.

That’s the definition of pride: pride for a school and pride for a team that gave everything it had on the field.

To those who turned out for that classy welcome — some of them in pajamas, some of the smaller ones, up was past their normal bedtimes — thank you for showing their appreciation, win or lose.

And to the 2014 Pam Pack football team, its coaches and support staff, thank you for the hard work and effort, for the many victories compared to a very few defeats, for taking the school and its fans on one wild ride to the state championship.