Pleasant distraction: Football offers Grand Lake families respite from hurricane recovery
Published 4:30 pm Sunday, December 27, 2020
Rodrick Anderson
Months after Hurricanes Laura and Delta devastated Southwest Louisiana, residents are still picking up the pieces, including the Grand Lake Hornets football team.
But the Hurricane Hornets, as they have come to be known, were able to use football as an escape from the struggles and getting ready to play in the program’s first-ever state championship game.
“It is great because it lets you get your mind off everything,” senior wide receiver Kyler Little said. “Everyone has had to deal with the hurricanes and stuff going on at home, plus fixing up their houses. It gives you time to escape.”
The Hornets will face No. 1 Oak Grove at 11 a.m. Monday in the Class 1A state championship game.
Quarterback Eli Fountain said the Hornets are playing for their families. Many sacrificed their time and money to make sure the team had what it needed while still trying to recover from the storms, including feeding them after games and practices.
“Between the pandemic and the hurricanes, everyone is fighting and working out together,” Fountain said. “We all have that one thing that we can relate to each other from the hurricane.
“Our one goal is to give back to our parents. At the end of the day, we go back to reality with our people, and they might be struggling. But we get to do everything here for them so they can enjoy it and forget about (hurricanes).”
Several players have yet to return to their homes and are commuting to Grand Lake, including senior lineman Zack Johnson. His family’s home was heavily damaged. He is living in Sulphur but finds purpose in the struggle.
“It has given us motivation and reason to be happy that we are playing,” Johnson said. “It has definitely been stressful for my parents.
“To be able to go to a state championship and finish the year off right has definitely proven to them that all the practices were not for nothing. The best thing about this season is learning not to take anything for granted and the coaches telling us every day to play like it is your last.”
The Hornets have been road warriors this season, unable to use their home stadium and have been practicing at Westlake High School and its artificial surface this week in preparation for the state championship game at Northwestern State’s Turpin Stadium in Natchitoches. But senior running back Levi Murrell said it has made the Hornets stronger mentally.
“I think it makes us better football players,” he said. “To me, it is easy to win at home. To go away every game and win something for your community is pretty nice. Going from a 2-8 season to being able to experience a state championship is amazing. It has been crazy.”
Rodrick Anderson/American Press
