BARNSDALL, Okla. — Football is back in Oklahoma, and on Sept. 6, it will be back in Barnsdall.
The game marks the first home game since the May 6 tornado.
After practice on Sept. 5, Barnsdall football players put the finishing touches on the field by spray painting the yardage markers.
“I think it’ll be nice for [citizens] to come out, you know, just support us and it’s the first home game since the storm, it’ll be pretty good,” Senior James Johnson said.
Johnson's extended family is still recovering from the tornado's aftermath, so he is especially excited to be back on the field. “It’s a really big relief just to be able to relax and not think about it.”
“We’re pretty excited here in town, the football team gives this community something to stand behind,” super fan Arron Zappone said.
He streams all the games on Facebook, and his daughter plays softball for the school. He might be the Panthers’ biggest fan.
“[The Panthers] give us something to do on a Friday night,” Zappone said, “Get out and cheer for those guys who work hard all week.”
Kylee Sweeney, Barnsdall’s head coach, wants his team to make it special, “I hope that we give them back a sense of being able to rally, cheer … a sense of hope."
People in town say – the team already gave them a sense of hope, months before they took the field.
“When the tornado did hit, a lot of these boys just went straight to work,” Sweeney said, “Whether it was grabbing chainsaws, to go work on trees and debris or hauling stuff off.”
Friday night is Barnsdall’s first home game, but it’s their second one of the year. They won their first game 55 - 12. For their neighbors, for their friends, for their town, they’re ready to continue their winning ways.
“I hope they enjoy it. We’ll put on a good show for them,” Senior Henry Easley said.
The Sept. 6 contest, against Oklahoma Union, begins at 7 p.m. at the Barnsdall football stadium.
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