Crenshaw County Clash canceled due to concerns about COVID-19

MONTGOMERY, Ala. (WSFA) - It’s one of the biggest rivalries in Alabama, and it was supposed to kick off on Friday night. But on Wednesday, Brantley and Luverne found out their game was canceled due to concerns about COVID-19.

“You talk about the Brantley-Luverne matchup, you know that’s something that you look forward to from the time you’re in fourth, fifth, sixth, seventh grade,” said Luverne head coach Jason Rowell. “That’s one of those games you circle on your calendar and our guys were excited about it, but a lot of things are out of our control right now.”

“[The players] were saddened that we couldn’t play it, but they took it in stride,” said Brantley head coach Roland Jones. “There’s nothing really they can do. We’re in this pandemic right now and it’s tough on all the kids, and there’s really nothing I could say. They just want to play the game and unfortunately won’t be able to.”

Crenshaw County Schools shared a statement online, noting that it wasn’t just because of football players, but also cheerleaders and members of the band.

But, it doesn’t make it easier for either program to swallow.

“You feel for these players and the last three classes that have been dealing with COVID,” said Rowell. “It’s not something that’s fun to tell a team or see a senior that’s quarantined because of contact tracing or that they have COVID and see them miss the most memorable game of their high school career.”

Superintendent Dodd Hawthorne said there were hundreds of new cases in the county this week, which prompted the cancellation. Although it’s disappointing, both programs are forging ahead with the season.

“They’re saddened, but they’ll be ready for the next week, and whoever it may be,” said Jones. “Whoever the opponent is, they just want to play the game. They want to represent Brantley and do their best and make the community proud of them.”

“They’ve seen a lot of adversity in the last three years, so they’re used to it, and I’m excited about this generation because they’re gonna know how to overcome,” added Rowell. “We say all the time, we just gotta be like the snail that made it to the ark and just persevere.”

As of now, the game will remain canceled, with no official makeup date on the schedule.

Copyright 2021 WSFA 12 News. All rights reserved.