Hurricane Harvey cancels Faith Lutheran’s football game in Texas

Faith Lutheran head coach Vernon Fox tries to fire up his players in the first half of their prep football game against Bishop Gormanat Bishop Gorman High School in Las Vegas Friday, Nov. 18, 2016. Josh Holmberg/Las Vegas Review-Journal

Hurricane Harvey has cancelled multiple games in Southeast Texas, and a local team’s game is one of them.

Faith Lutheran planned to play St. Pius X (Texas) on Friday, but the storm has changed those plans. St. Pius X coach Stephen Hill tweeted Monday that the game would not be played as scheduled, and Faith Lutheran coach Vernon Fox confirmed the game was cancelled.

Fox said he had been communicating with Hill throughout the week and hoped the storm would die down and they could play. Hill told Fox on Sunday it wouldn’t happen.

“We are really in prayer for them and everything they are going through,” Fox said. “He gave me some details in regard to the depth of what they’re up against. It’s an unfortunate event.”

The two originally scheduled a home-and-home series, and St. Pius X defeated Faith Lutheran in their game in Nevada last year, 42-10. The Crusaders’ schedule for next season is close to finalized, and a makeup game in Houston has not been scheduled.

The Crusaders are still trying to play a game this weekend. Fox said other Texas schools have contacted him about trying to get a game in, and the Crusaders have looked at Nevada schools’ schedules looking to see who might be willing to play on their bye week.

“We’re trying to figure out what alternatives we have,” Fox said.

The Crusaders are in their second season in Class 4A after winning three league titles in a row and the 2013 state title in Division I-A (now Class 3A). They reached the playoffs last season and reached the Sunset Region semifinals.

Faith Lutheran is 0-1 this season after falling to Valor Christian (Colorado) on the road last week. Valor Christian will play at Faith Lutheran next season, and the Crusaders are close to finalizing a home-and-home with Bakersfield Christian.

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Contact Justin Emerson at jemerson@reviewjournal.com or (702) 387-2944. Follow @J15Emerson on Twitter.