PANAMA CITY, Fla. — The sun rose over Tommy Oliver Stadium on Saturday morning, and by the afternoon, a high school football game was underway.
That familiar scene of everyday life in the midst of so much chaos was a much-needed respite for an area recovering from Hurricane Michael's assault 10 days ago, when the monster storm battered the eastern Florida Panhandle, flattening homes, leaving thousands without power and claiming lives that are still being tallied.
Those who attended Saturday's game welcomed the free food and free admission, but mostly they relished an oasis from the devastation, watching and cheering as Lynn Haven's Mosley High School battled Pensacola High in a Class 5A-District 1 game originally scheduled to be played Friday night.
For once, who won and lost didn’t really seem to matter.
Steven Kyle, an eight-year resident of Lynn Haven with two daughters who attend Mosley High, stood close to the fence surrounding the football field, anxiously awaiting kickoff.
"To me, it's just an example of Bay County and how we are a community," he said. "We need this, to support our community. For these players, cheerleaders and band to do what they love is amazing. This is a great community effort, and I think it’s going to go a lot further than just today.”
On Saturday, more than 3,500 fans arrived for the game. Countless hugs were shared and it didn’t matter if those embracing were wearing apparel from Mosley, Bay, Arnold, Bozeman or any other school.
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