There's a new disease taking hold in the village these days and its symptoms include wild laughter, exuberant cheering and big, bright smiles.

With one state title in the bag and a second one potentially on the line this weekend, Redskin fever has officially taken hold of Cooperstown.

"It's really upbeat and exciting," said CCS high school principal Gary Kuch. "Having two different sports teams reach this level is pretty phenomenal."

Signs have sprung up on lawns in some parts of the village in support of the boys cross country and girls soccer teams and Kuch said the girls made banners congratulating the runners on their title and put them up in the school Monday.

"I think they're getting a lot of the attention they deserve," he said.

The boys cross country team won a Section Three Class D team state title on Saturday, their first since 1962.

Senior Josh Edmonds finished second overall and will compete in the Federation race this weekend in Wappinger Falls. (See story page 11).

The school held a pep rally in the gymnasium and parade through the village for the cross country team Tuesday honoring them for their accomplishment. Both the boys and girls squads rode on fire trucks decked out with signs inscribed with phrases like "May the ground tremble beneath your mighty feet" and "Run boys run."

"I'm very proud of all of you," said cross country coach Jessie Ravage at the pep rally. "Thank you for a great season."

The girls soccer team won the Class C Section III crown Nov. 12 beating Candor 1-0 and competes Friday in Binghamton at 11:30 a.m. against Hoosick Falls for a chance to play for the state championship on Saturday.

The girls will leave for Binghamton Thursday morning after a team breakfast and school send-off and will spend the night there, Kuch said.

Two spectator buses will take about 100 students from the school to the game Friday and parents are free to take their children out of school to bring them to the game as long as they have notes, said middle school principal Michael Cring.

Cring said the school was only sending two buses - one of its own buses and one charter bus sponsored by the law firm of Lambert and Trosset - because they would not be able to get the buses back in time to take the rest of the kids home at 3 p.m.

"It's just far enough away that it makes it difficult," he said.

Cring, who is also the school's athletic director, said the student body has been extremely supportive of both teams throughout the season and that the excitement is apparent in the halls.

"There's a buzz about both," he said.

Cring said community support has also been excellent with more fans turning out to games, particularly since the boys basketball team's historic run in 2003 when they finished 26-1, losing only their final game - the state championship.

Mayor Carol Waller said that if the girls also brought home a state title, the village would hold some ceremony to commemorate their success.

"I don't want to jinx them, but if they win, of course we will do a celebration," she said Monday. "To go this far is absolutely wonderful and I hope they have continued success this weekend."