SHELBY, Ohio — Nearly two decades have passed, but the memories are still fresh.

Erik Will vividly recalls all the people who came to see him and his Shelby teammates off at the sign near the edge of town. He remembers being awestruck by the site of Massillon’s Paul Brown Tiger Stadium and the bitter cold that greeted the Whippets as they exited the busses and made their way inside.

It was Nov. 21, 1998 and Will was a senior cornerback on what was one of the greatest teams in Shelby’s storied history. The undefeated Whippets were preparing to play Beloit West Branch for the Division III, Region 11 championship and a berth in the state semifinals.

“We got on the bus and there were just rows of people in their cars flashing their lights. When we got to the city limits, there was a sign that said something about the last person out of town should turn out the lights,” Will said. “Then when we got off the bus in Massillon, I remember thinking that I couldn’t believe a high school team played its games in a stadium that big.”

West Branch would roll to a 43-12 win over the Whippets on that cold November night.

“I think it was 18 or 19 degrees at kickoff. It is still the coldest game I ever played in or coached in,” said Will, who will lead the Whippets back to Paul Brown Tiger Stadium for Friday’s Division IV, Region 15 championship against state powerhouse Steubenville. “We were a triple-option team and we fumbled the ball away on the first play of the game. (West Branch) scored and we were down 7-0. It was the first time all year that we trailed in a game.

“I got to experience it as a player, which was awesome, but we fell short. To bring this group back is special.”

Steve Hale was the coach of the 1998 team. Will would coach under Hale at Olentangy Liberty before taking over at his alma mater in 2013.

“I got a text from Steve after the playoff sites were announced on Sunday and it said, ‘You’re going back to Paul Brown Tiger Stadium,’ ” Will said. “Steve has his own regional final to worry about (Olentangy Liberty plays Lorain in the Division I, Region 2 championship game Friday at Madison’s Ram Field), so it meant a lot to get his words of encouragement.”

The Whippets went to tour Paul Brown Tigers Stadium in preparation for Friday’s game on Tuesday. It was the first time Will had been back in the stadium since that fateful night in 1998.

“When you are a smaller school like Shelby, you don’t get to play in facilities like these very often,” Will said. “I told our guys to enjoy it, but don’t get caught staring into the bright lights. It’s just another football game.”

Playing in a regional championship game, it turns out, isn’t nearly as taxing as coaching in one.

“As a player, you know that ultimately you are the ones who decide the outcome. I remember being anxious for the game to begin, but I was never nervous,” Will said. “As a head coach, I get it now.

“This is such a special group of kids. They already have left their mark on the program.”

Quarterback Brennan Armstrong plans to approach Friday’s game like any other.

“Coach said Steubenville is a team that’s in the running for a regional championship every year,” Armstrong said. “We’re going to prepare like it is any other week and see what happens.”

If Will feels a little nostalgic before kickoff Friday night, it is understandable.

“It has been 18 years since we played there. It’s hard to believe,” Will said. “There are times when it only feels like a couple of years ago.

“I’ve gotten a lot of texts from former teammates the last couple of weeks. There are a lot of proud Shelby alumni out there who have been very supportive. I can’t thank them enough.”