But the best they could do was don a Kelly green hood and matching cape, tights, pitchfork, horns and green face paint - hardly befitting the little devil that Sports Illustrated declared one of the country's most unique high school nicknames.

So on Friday, in front of the home crowd during a boys basketball game, Cary students unveiled an unnamed, hulking tower of green-fabric muscles and angry eyes - the school's first authentic mascot costume.

Students and athletics boosters raised the money for the $3,200 costume by donating money and selling T-shirts that read "I helped bring back the Imp."

The costume, designed by StageCraft, is a dead-ringer for the school's official logo that was first drawn by alumnus and former athletic director Lee Mauney. .

In the past, whenever school officials or students wanted to have a mascot, the price of getting one was a deal-breaker.

"In the 20-some years I've been at Cary, the price has always been intimidating. But we didn't let that bother us this time because we had so many people who wanted to contribute to it," said Kurt Glendenning, Cary's athletic director. "We thought it'd be really good for the spirit of athletics and it can be at anything the school does."

Next up: what to call it. The school is expected to vote on the Imp's official name sometime next school year.

Its namelessness hasn't stopped it from joining in all the mascot games.

Already living large

It was recently invited to join The Fayetteville Fire Antz, a minor league hockey team in Cumberland County, who plan on setting a new Guinness Book of World Record for most mascots in one building later this year.

In the meantime, the nameless mascot will work on delighting fans and intimidating opponents - and perhaps its jump shot.

The Imp, which is dressed in full uniform, couldn't help the home team on Friday.

Cary lost to Apex, 49-35.