By STEVE JACKSON
Hurricane Milton is gone, but the horrible storm’s aftermath on football of the five South Shore prep teams is up in the air.
As of Oct. 14, Lennard High is closed Oct. 14 and Oct. 15. The tentative plan is to re-open Lennard on Wednesday, Oct. 16.
Even that date is tentative, depending on restoration of electric power and accessibility of students in the storm-ravaged Ruskin area to be able to get to school. As of earlier this week, the football game set for Oct. 18 between Lennard and Parrish has not been changed or cancelled. Lennard’s schedule calls for an Oct. 25, 7 p.m. road game at Palmetto High, the 6-0 powerhouse atop 6A-District 11. Lennard is 6-1 and 2-0 in the same district.
Lennard head football coach KB Belton has not been with his players since they were trounced 55-7 up in Plant City, Oct. 4, without their star quarterback who was out with a neck injury. Coach Belton indicated earlier this week that he has proposed that Lennard play Parrish at the end of the regular season, but Parrish, which has been practicing, does not agree with that suggestion of Coach Belton.
East Bay High veteran head football coach Mike Gottman says he has been coaching in Hillsborough County for 30 years and has never seen anything as bad as the current situation. “We have not been able to practice for about two weeks—since Oct. 3,” said Coach Gottman earlier this week. Gottman thinks the regulations require at least three days of practice before a game. This would mean no games this Friday, Oct. 18. Games could posssibly be played Saturday, Oct. 19, but only if schools start back, along with football practice, Oct. 16. Otherwise, the schedule calls for East Bay and Spoto to meet in Spoto, Friday, Oct. 25. East Bay could theoretically play its Tampa Bay Tech game, originally scheduled for Oct. 10, during a bye week of Nov. 1. This week’s game with the Riverview Sharks could, theoretically, be moved to the recently declared extended week of Nov. 8. However, no decision has been provided to East Bay or to any of the other South Shore schools as of Oct. 14 by the Hillsborough School District. According to Coach Gottman, East Bay is also struggling with roof damage to its field house, which includes the football locker room facilities.
Sumner High, coached by George Selvie, missed its Oct. 10 home game with Hillsborough High due to Milton. That game could be played in the extra week at the end of the regulation season. For now, the 3-4 Stingrays host Strawberry Crest Oct. 18 and visit Alonso High Oct. 25.
The Riverview Sharks of Coach Tony Rodriquez missed the home game with Bartow due to Milton. Now the Sharks have an Oct. 18 clash at East Bay for a game that could be played Oct. 19 or in the extra week at the end of the regulation season. Riverview has a home game set for Oct. 25 against Bloomingdale High and Nov. 1 with Armwood.