Electricity still wasn’t restored at Champagnat Catholic School in Hialeah as of Thursday morning.
But its football team was flying comfortably to Louisville.
While the rest of South Florida’s teams had their scheduled football games this weekend postponed or cancelled in the aftermath of Hurricane Irma, the Lions will take on Kentucky powerhouse Trinity High on Friday night at 7:30 p.m. as originally planned.
"We have no power at the school, but we’re patiently waiting," Champagnat athletic director Isabel Alonso said. "Fortunately none of our families suffered major damages. That’s what counts."
Your Champagnat Lions are heading to Louisville to play Trinity @GoRocks and they are looking sharp! #BringItHome #SafeTravels #GoLions pic.twitter.com/nvkSRPKtSi
— ChampagnatLionsRock (@ChampagnatCS) September 14, 2017
Champagnat (2-0), ranked No. 2 in the state in Class 2A, faces a huge test as the host Shamrocks (4-0) are ranked No. 16 nationally by MaxPreps and 19th by USA Today.
Trinity enters the game with Kentucky’s longest win streak - 19 games - and has already defeated three out-of-state opponents this season – Carmel (IN), Warren Central (IN) and Archbishop Moeller (OH).
The Lions will need to slow down Trinity’s potent passing game led by quarterback Nick Bohn and wide receiver and University of Texas commit Rondale Moore.
Champagnat has wins over Class 7A contender Doral Academy and New Jersey’s Barringer High.
For a number of the Lions’ players, the trip is their first experience on an airplane.
"I met the boys at the airport today and their faces were priceless," Alonso said. "It’s these moments that make the job really cool."
According to LouisvilleCatholicSports.com, Trinity High is offering its support for Hurricane Irma victims by asking those attending Friday’s game to make monetary donations, which will be added to special collections at Louisville-based parishes and sent to Catholic Charities.
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