There weren't many people at Old Colony Regional High School's Oliveira Field Saturday afternoon, and for good reason. It was brutally cold out.

Perhaps we've all grown a little soft during what has been a very mild fall. High school football games last weekend were competed in 60-degree temperatures and a warm mist that felt almost tropical as compared to what we've been led to expect in November. This weekend, however, was an effective reminder that outdoor life at the 41st Parallel can be very challenging when the days grow short and the icy winds blow down from Canada.

But it's times like that when you learn exactly who the "real" fans of a football team are.

With the sun sinking behind pines and maples to the west of the football field Saturday, a hardy group of parents, friends and fans ringed an even hardier group of football players and coaches, who had just concluded 40 minutes of spirited play and were handing out awards and hugs for the effort that had just been given on the field.

This isn't Thanksgiving Day, when as many as 10,000 people might gather at one of our local football fields to see ancient rivals renew a conflict that has been waged for 70 years or more. It's been just a couple of years since the coaches and administrators at Old Colony and Tri-County Regional of Franklin have formalized their Saturday-before-Thanksgiving game as the "Cougar Classic," and as one might expect, the ceremonies were less formal and more friendly than you might find elsewhere on the holiday. It was also a time for reflection - and for the Tri-County Cougars, time to take the next step on a journey they've never taken before.

The Cougars defeated their namesakes from Old Colony, 21-0, thus completing a 5-0 march through the Mayflower League's Small School Division. It's Tri-County's first Mayflower championship and it's unshared and unsullied, which is reason enough to celebrate for a school that's been in existence for more than 30 years and had yet to earn a football title.

And now, as head coach Dan MacLean said, "Now we've got to get ready for a big playoff game. These kids aren't used to it, the school's not used to it and we have to come together as a family and try to win a playoff game."

Tri-County will play the winner of the Catholic Central League's Small division - the winner will emerge from among Pope John, Lowell Catholic or Marian on Thanksgiving - next Tuesday in the MIAA Eastern Mass. Division 4 playoffs at a site and time to be determined.

The next step after that would be the divisional Super Bowl at Gillette Stadium against the winner of the Commonwealth Small and Boston South game, but to everyone's credit at Tri-County, that's not on the radar screen as yet. One step at a time, and the first playoff game is a pretty huge step.

"We're just going to keep doing everything we've been doing," said the Cougars' field general, Lucas Mistler. "We're going to go out during practice and we're going to hit, we're going to continue to condition. We're going to get as prepared as we can, and go out there and battle. We hope to win this one."

Mistler, a heady and fearless left-hander from Norfolk, has been the guiding force of the Cougars all season long. Running for more than 1,100 yards and equally effective out of the "spread" offense as he is from a more traditional set, Mistler has been at the forefront of the Cougar attack through a seven-game winning streak that has brought his team to the playoffs.

But if you ask him, the emphasis is squarely placed upon "team."

"I couldn't be where I am without my team," he said after gaining 117 yards on 14 carries, scoring a touchdown and a two-point conversion in the victory over Old Colony. "Without amazing blocking by my team, I wouldn't have made it there. I give all the credit to them."

Indeed, the Cougars are not a one-man show. Running back Mike Foster picked up 84 big yards to help dominate the second half. Jarred Guimond made an interception, Derek Mucciarone had another that was negated by a penalty, and Mitch Dupre and Steve Morgante made big plays all over the field on defense. It's all part of the family-forging process that began on the practice field back in August, Mistler said.

"We started out, and it was a battle at the beginning," he said. "As we progressed, our team started really started to come together. And every single week, all we could think of was, 'let's go fight, let's go win the next game. We're not going to let anyone take it from us.'

"It started kicking in, when we got on our winning streak, that we could do this," he added. "We could win the league. It's just the hugest thing I've ever been a part of."

Coming off an emotional 14-0 win over previously-unbeaten Holbrook a week ago, MacLean worried briefly if his charges would have enough left in the tank emotionally to take care of business against Old Colony.

"It was a tough week for us ... the elements, it was a perfect let-down week, and that's what scared me," he said. "But the kids responded. They were excited.

"We came off an emotional win last week, and it's tough to get them going and get them fired up all week long. But I think they did the right thing," he said.

Indeed they did, keeping the ball for almost 75 percent of the second half and running for 205 yards, 148 of those after halftime. The Cougars got stronger as the prize came more clearly into their sight.

"They don't want to stop," MacLean said. "They're so excited and I think they're peaking at the right time."

Happy words for a very happy time for the Tri-County football family, whose members - close and extended - will gather again a week from Tuesday to see if the magic can continue.

MARK FARINELLA may be reached at 508-236-0315 or via e-mail at mfarinel@thesunchronicle.com. Read Farinella's blog, "Blogging Fearlessly," at thesunchronicle.com/farinella.