ASHLAND, Ohio – Three teenagers left behind the flood-ravaged streets of suburban New Orleans for a sloppy, rain-soaked football field in Ohio.
Looking to salvage a season wiped out by Hurricane Katrina, they have found new teammates at Ashland High School. They are among 32 athletes in Ohio and many others nationwide who have started over with new teams.
The Salmen Spartans were preparing for their season opener and looking for their 15th straight trip to the playoffs when Katrina hit, flooding parts of Slidell, La., and destroying the high school.
For quarterback Derrek Sander, wide receiver Ryan Eden and punter Kyle Hopton, it was more than the loss of their senior year. The devastation hindered their dreams of landing a spot in a college program.
“I wanted to play somewhere. I had to play. I worked so hard in the summer and the offseason, not to sit at home and not play,” Sander said.
“I’ve got to play football to get into college. That’s what I want to do – play football in college,” Sander said.
They found their chance to display their skills 840 miles north in Ashland, a rural community halfway between Cleveland and Columbus.
“It’s different. A little colder,” Sander said.
Icenhour and other teammates say the three fit right in at school and even attended homecoming shortly after arriving.
“It’s a credit to our kids for being able to accept them, and a credit to them,” Ashland coach Scott Valentine said. “They’ve come in and picked up things and helped our team.”
Valentine is gathering film to send to colleges of the three. Sander has gotten some interest from Alabama.
“Anybody and everybody you can think of does stuff for us,” Hopton said. “There’s always somebody there to help you out.”
Ashland suffered a tough 20-0 loss to Clear Fork in the driving rain Friday, dropping their record to 4-5 and ending any hope of reaching the playoffs.
But Ashland will try to salvage the season Friday with one last win.
ASHLAND, Ohio – Three teenagers left behind the flood-ravaged streets of suburban New Orleans for a sloppy, rain-soaked football field in Ohio.
