The West Orange-Stark Mustangs won two straight state football championships but haven’t taken the field yet for a game in 2017. Tropical Storm Harvey’s flood brought a two-week rainout as the community has cleaned out damaged homes and businesses.
Coach Cornel Thompson had water inside his house and said all but four coaches had homes that flooded. Probably half the team members also had flood damage. For days after the storm, team members had spread out across Louisiana and north Texas to find places to stay. They’re back home now and are ready for some football.
Friday at 6:30 p.m., the Mustangs will have the home field advantage when facing the Bridge City Cardinals at Dan R. Hooks Stadium. WO-S is giving free admission to the game and will host a pre-game tailgate party with free food before the game.
“These kids are resilient and they will come back,” Thompson told KOGT’s Gary Stelly during Friday’s Morning Show. Thompson pointed out football teams had carried on with the season after Hurricane Rita in 2005 and again with Hurricane Ike in 2008.
The team had two scrimmages and was set to begin the season on Friday, September 1. But Harvey came. By the morning of Wednesday, August 30, most of the roadways across the county were accessible only by boat or big truck. Football games and even school weren’t important as people had to first be rescued, and then find the basics for survival.
Thompson said 17 players came to the first practice after Harvey, which was this past Monday. More came the second day. On Wednesday, not only was the team practicing, but the players found time to help others. They volunteered to unload two 18-wheel truck trailers of donated goods brought from Kentucky by Father Jim Sichko, whose sister, Thereze, is the secretary for the WO-S athletic department.
“Even with their own personal problems and their own families needing help, they went out and helped,” Thompson said.
The BC at WOS game can be heard on KOGT at 6:30pm.
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