Dragons Game With Bellaire Cancelled Due to Hurricane Ike

Thursday, Sep. 11, 2008
Dragons Game with Bellaire Cancelled Due to Hurricane Ike
Breaking News
By Zach Warner
Staff Writer
Game No. 3 of the Carroll football season will have to wait another week, as the Dragons’ scheduled Sept. 12 matchup with Houston Bellaire has been cancelled.

Carroll (2-0) planned to host the Cardinals (1-1) at 7:30 p.m. Friday at Dragon Stadium, but Bellaire was forced to change plans due to travel restrictions brought on by Saturday’s forecasted arrival of Hurricane Ike.

Chauncey Willingham, Carroll’s interim athletic director, confirmed plans to cancel the game on Thursday.

“We’ll try to see if we can schedule any other games, but that chance seems pretty slim at this point,” Willingham said.

The Dragons will be unable to reschedule a game with Bellaire this season because the Cardinals’ football schedule is otherwise full. Carroll would at least look into the possibility of scheduling a game with another football team for the Dragons’ off week, which is set for Oct. 3, Willingham said.

Carroll football coach Hal Wasson said that they have checked with other six-team districts down south that have had to cancel their games due to the severe weather anticipated from Ike. Many of those schools have also successfully switched their games from this weekend to their off weeks later this season.

“I would say it’s going to be a long shot, but that doesn’t mean we’ve given up on the option,” Wasson said.

“We’re disappointed that we’re not getting to play … but that’s part of life and some things are out of your control. Mother Nature intervened.”

Wasson said that the possibility the Dragons only play nine regular-season games is not a concern. The focus is district, he said, and the games Carroll plays in the non-district should help them be ready to face a challenging district.

Carroll plays a strong area team in Mesquite (2-0) on Sept. 19 and state 5A power Galena North Shore, ranked No. 4 in the state by the Associated Press, on Sept. 27.

“We’re disappointed that the Bellaire game’s cancelled, but we don’t think that we’ll have a problem going into district,” Wasson said. “We’ll be battle-tested.”

Carroll will hold regular practices on Friday, turning its focus to Mesquite instead of Bellaire. Meanwhile, Bellaire and other teams near the Texas coast have bigger things on their mind.

“Those people in the Houston and Galveston area have a lot more to worry about than a football game,” Wasson said. “Our thoughts and prayers are with them.”