South Pike entered the week with hopes to notch its first win of the season tonight at home against Amite County.
That must wait one day after school officials announced Thursday the game would be postponed until Saturday at 6 p.m.
Bands of rain and tropical wind powered through Pike County and Magnolia the past three days and dumped 10.93 inches of rain and left some streets flooded with an array of trees and powerlines down.
As of Thursday, South Pike’s campus and football field were spared by the storm.
“The lights are working,” South Pike coach Michael Andrews said. “Parts of the field are still soggy but everything still seems to be intact.”
South Pike’s baseball field was flooded but the football field lies on an elevated plane.
The Eagles are scheduled to resume practice this morning without their best player after hunkering down for the hurricane since Tuesday.
South Pike quarterback William James, who is the team’s leading rusher, will miss the next two to three weeks with a knee sprain he suffered in a 28-0 loss to McComb.
James will get a MRI next week, but Andrews expects James back in time for district play Sept. 28 against Tylertown.
Sophomore Jamorris Shaw, along with senior Destin Mcghee, will help replace James.
After the big loss to McComb, Andrews said he’s noticed a distinctive attitude change among his players.
Several Eagles missed practiced last week and were reprimanded as a result by not playing against McComb. That could explain the lopsided score, but Andrews is confident his players got the message.
“I’m a disciplinarian, so I don’t believe in kids missing practice and then being able to play,” Andrews said. “If you aren’t at practice, you won’t be able to play. Hopefully it has opened their eyes and McComb got their attention.”
Amite County enters Saturday seeking its first win as well. The Trojans, under the direction of new coach Robert Raines, lost their opener to Wilkinson County last week, 32-8.
