By DEBRA PALMIERI

dpalmieri@tnonline.com

As the crowd gathered in the parking lot of Northwestern Lehigh High School, the question on everyone’s mind was “How long until they arrive?”

The air was bitter cold as midnight of Nov. 16 approached, but volunteers with the four Northwestern Lehigh fire companies, and NOVA and Cetronia ambulance corps personnel, and the moms, dads, siblings and friends of both the girls and boys state champion PIAA Class 2A soccer teams barely seemed to notice the chill.

For Weisenberg Volunteer Fire Company Station 51, the welcome home was personal.

Sophia Schaffer, a supporting fire company member, plays on the girl’s team. Junior Firefighter Brandon Krapf is the starting goalkeeper on the boys’ team and Junior Firefighter Dean Carl is the backup goalkeeper on the boys’ team.

“They are at Kernsville Road,” someone called out.

Another said the buses were getting on Route 100. Yet someone else called out 18 minutes ... 14 minutes ... until they arrive.

Another said, “Listen for the sirens.”

And soon, the sirens could be heard, and the New Tripoli Fire Company engine could be seen pulling into the entrance of the high school.

Earlier that evening, volunteer firefighters with the Germansville and the Weisenberg fire companies had suspended a huge American flag from the respective fire companies’ aerial units.

Slowly entering the parking lot just before the midnight hour, the two J&J buses pulled aside the school’s entrance and the Northwestern Lehigh soccer champions disembarked to a proud and warm welcome by the community.