For the past week, Clearwater Central Catholic has worked out in limbo, unsure which football team it will play in its spring game.
On Friday, the Marauders found an opponent. CCC coach John Davis said his team will play Lakeland Victory Christian at 3 p.m. Thursday. The game, originally set to be played at Victory, is now at CCC.
The Marauders were originally scheduled to play at Clearwater on May 24. But first-year Tornadoes coach Donnie Abraham said he wanted to back out of the game because of low numbers. Instead, Clearwater will hold a scrimmage next week at school.
“I just felt we weren’t at a point where we could play in a spring game,” Abraham said. “I’m glad it worked out for everybody.”
Davis said he tried to contact every Pinellas County school that was hosting a spring game to see if anyone would add his team and turn it into a jamboree format. There were no takers.
The game against Victory Christian happened because Shorecrest canceled against the Storm due to low numbers. Shorecrest athletic director Tripp Welbourne said the team has only 15 players and will practice through next Thursday without a scrimmage.
“I’m just glad we have someone to play,” Davis said. “I understand where Donnie is coming from. I’ve been there before, trying to rebuild a program. The only thing I’m disappointed in is that Clearwater and county administrators didn’t do more to help us out and find us an opponent instead of us having to look for one.”