New Iberia Senior High, Westgate High School, St. Martinville Senior High, Erath High School, West St. Mary High and Hanson Memorial School each have canceled their season-opening games against opponents from parishes hit even harder by the storm than the Teche Area.
Games that had not definitely been canceled or for which cancellations were not announced by Wednesday evening were Loreauville at Berwick, tentatively scheduled for Sunday at 2 p.m.; Catholic High at Jeanerette; False River at Delcambre; and Franklin at Central Catholic.
 Michael Lamothe of New Iberia attempts to drive through the Westgate High defensive line during football jamboree action last Friday. Much of this week’s slate of high school football games in the area has been canceled, though some games may be played. NISH and Westgate have both canceled their games this week, as have St. Martinville, Erath, West St. Mary and Hanson. - Lee Ball / The Daily Iberian Advertisement
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Part of the roof at Opelousas High was torn off by the storm and Hutson said he was told it will be more than a month before students will be able to attend school at the facility. Students may be forced to attend classes at other parish schools in the meantime, but for now it would not be fair to ask the football team to play this week, said Hutson.
The Yellow Jackets coach has scheduled voluntary workout sessions for his team on Thursday and Friday at 5 p.m. at the school for those players who are in town and who can attend. Hutson said the work is a way to give players something to do after being cooped up for a few days, and it also will help keep the team in shape after already missing half the week’s regular work.
NISH is scheduled to play at 2007 Class 5A runner-up Acadiana on Friday, Sept. 12.
“We know we have a lot (of players) who didn’t leave and some who came back starting yesterday,” said Hutson. “It will be an entire week we’ll lose come Monday that we’ll miss.”
Erath was to play another St. Landry team, Port Barre, but has canceled that game, according to EHS assistant coach Tommy Byler. The Bobcats will open the season the following week in Abbeville at Vermilion Catholic.
St. Martinville has canceled its season opener at parish rival Cecilia, scheduled for Friday. The Tigers are set to open the season on Thursday, Sept. 11, at home against Franklin, though that game may be played on Friday, Sept. 12. SMSH coach Marc Broussard said he must still contact Franklin coach Zeb Simon to determine when that game will be played.
“I spoke to my principal and he spoke to the (St. Martin Parish School Board) director of operations, and was told, not in so many words, no football in the parish until Monday,” said Broussard.
Westgate, which was set to play at Breaux Bridge in St. Martin Parish this week, has canceled its game as well. The Tigers are set to open the season Friday, Sept. 12, at Lloyd G. Porter Memorial Stadium against Evangel Christian, though coach Brian Fine said that too remains up in the air depending on the situation in New Iberia.
“I just found out I have electricity at my home,” said Fine Wednesday afternoon as was headed back from North Louisiana. “I don’t know how many of our kids have electricity. We’re trying to organize and see how many we can get together Sunday.”
Evangel already has a competitive advantage, he said, in that the Eagles have practice all week and will play their regular season opener, while the WHS coaches haven’t seen their players since last Friday.
“We need to play,” said Fine. “We need the competition. But I don’t want to be at a disadvantage.”
Hanson was scheduled to open the season today against Ascension Catholic. However, Donaldsonville, home of the ACHS Bulldogs, was slammed by Gustav.
“We don’t have school until Monday, and I don’t know where a lot of our kids,” said HMS coach Richard Sandusky. “I just talked to the coach at Ascension Catholic and he had water in his house and didn’t know where most of his players were. I wanted to play because I didn’t want to miss a game. It would’ve been a stretch for us to get in touch with everybody and have a practice or two (before playing over the weekend), but he told us there’s absolutely no way they could play, so that made my decision easy.”
HMS is now set to open the season at Riverside on Friday, Sept. 12.
West St. Mary’s game at Kaplan has been canceled. WSM is set to play host to Jeanerette on Sept. 12.
Loreauville was set to play at Berwick, and LHS coach Trent Delahoussaye said the BHS coach was “adamant” about playing, so the teams tentatively scheduled the game for Sunday at 2 p.m.
Delahoussaye expected to find out Thursday morning whether that game could be played. The Tigers are set to play host to Central Catholic on Sept. 12.
Franklin’s scheduled game this week against Central Catholic also remained up in the air on Wednesday. Hornets head coach Zeb Simon said no decision has been made as to whether the Franklin-Central Catholic game scheduled for Friday will be played or not.
“I have been in contact with Coach (David) Fuhrer at Central Catholic and we are looking into the possibility of playing the contest Saturday or Sunday,” said Simon. “But right now the first priority is to make sure that the kids are okay and that the facilities at the campuses are in good shape.
“No decision on whether or not we will play will be made until about 6 p.m. Thursday.”
If Franklin’s is canceled, the Hornets are set to open the season on Sept. 11 at St. Martinville.
Jeanerette was set to play host to Catholic High on Saturday at 7 p.m., but CHS coach Craig Brodie said he is waiting to hear from Jeanerette whether that game will be played.
“I’d like to play the game,” said Brodie. “I’m don’t think we’ll have any problem contacting our kids. I’m just worried about Jeanerette (being able to contact its players and be ready for the game).”
JSH head coach Terry Washington said later Wednesday that his home in Baton Rouge sustained major damage and he probably would not be back in Iberia Parish until Friday.
“We’re trying to see if Catholic High would be willing to play on Monday,” said Washington. “If not, we’re probably going to have to cancel the football game because there’s no way possible we’re going to be able to play the game on Saturday.”
Catholic High is to play at Teurlings Catholic on Sept. 12. Jeanerette is set to play at West St. Mary on Sept. 12.
Delcambre’s game against False River also remained questionable Wednesday afternoon. The Panthers are set to play at Lake Arthur on Sept. 12.
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