10 days after hurricane, football offers a welcome escape

Castor Gay knew his life had changed the moment he watched his back fence disappear into the howling wind and water started pouring from his ceiling. Mike Maddox sensed the same thing when he packed into a tiny pantry closet with his mom, brother and five dogs while his house shook.

Hurricane Michael delivered quite a punch when it hit the teenagers who make up the Mosley High Dolphins football team.

But just 10 days later, under the bright sunshine at Tommy Oliver Stadium in downtown Panama City, a small return to regular life had already begun. Gay was back in his bright orange, white and green jersey while doing his job on the offensive line protecting Maddox, who was once again a quarterback.

Mosley High football players listen to a pep talk during practice at their heavily damaged school, in the aftermath of Hurricane Michael in Lynn Haven, Fla., Friday, Oct. 19, 2018. (AP PhotoGerald Herbert)

For a few hours, football was important again.

And the Dolphins were ready to punch back against the Pensacola Tigers.

"We ain't got to hit nobody in the mouth in a couple weeks," Mosley coach Jeremy Brown said as his voice rose to a crescendo during an emotional pregame speech. "We ain't been able to practice because we ain't got no field because all our fields have nails and roof tacks all over them. But there ain't none of them out there on this field today."

Mosley High football players walk to practice on the baseball field, since the football practice field has storm debris, at their heavily damaged school, in the aftermath of Hurricane Michael in Lynn Haven, Fla., Friday, Oct. 19, 2018. (AP PhotoGerald Herbert)

"Hit them in the mouth!"

In many ways, it was almost shocking to see football being played in the midst of such widespread devastation. From the higher seats of the stadium, the effect on Panama City was evident, with debris, utility crews and snapped pine trees as far as the eye could see.

There was a FEMA trailer in the parking lot and during game timeouts, officials talked about city-wide news like electricity, water and gas issues to an estimated 1,500 fans in attendance. But for the most part, it was a joyful gathering where everyone forgot their worries. Fans, football players, cheerleaders and band members from several area schools were at the game.

Mosley High defensive coordinator Danny Nagy, left, and defensive line coach William Mosley, survey damage to their football practice field, in the aftermath of Hurricane Michael in Lynn Haven, Fla., Friday, Oct. 19, 2018. (AP PhotoGerald Herbert)

"Man, this is great," said Nate Starr, the lead game official whose home in Callaway was heavily damaged during the storm. "It gets the community together. We're all family now."

Frank McCall, who has two sons on the Mosley team, acknowledged that when he first heard about Saturday's game, he thought it was crazy. But after realizing admission and food would be free and it would provide an escape for the community, he changed his mind.

"Sports are always the one thing, that regardless of race or religion, always brings people together," McCall said.

Franlisa Smith, whose son, Nick, is a defensive lineman on the Mosley High football team, hugs defensive line coach William Mosley at the start of practice at the school, which was heavily damaged from Hurricane Michael, in Lynn Haven, Fla., Friday, Oct. 19, 2018. (AP PhotoGerald Herbert)

In many ways, Hurricane Michael was an equalizer for the diverse population of Panama City. There was hardly any home that was spared the storm's wrath and everyone at Saturday's game could commiserate about insurance adjusters, fallen trees, shattered houses and altered lives.

Gay's house is in an upper middle-class neighborhood in Lynn Haven, a hard-hit suburb just north of Panama City. He said his family prepared for the hurricane in the usual way, grabbing some puzzles and downloading a few movies as they prepared to go without power for a day or two and then go about their lives.

Then came Michael's 155-mph (250-kph) winds and the snapping of trees.

Mosley high football team members arrive for practice at their heavily damaged school, in the aftermath of Hurricane Michael in Lynn Haven, Fla., Friday, Oct. 19, 2018. (AP PhotoGerald Herbert)

"This wasn't going to be a normal hurricane party," Gay said.

Much of Gay's time since the storm has been spent picking through the remains of his house in the stifling north Florida heat.

Tarps covered the roof. Shingles lay everywhere outside. He'd lost a lot — but not his humor.

Mike Maddox, quarterback for the Mosley High football team, shows the closet in which he hid with three adults and five dogs during Hurricane Michael, in his damaged home, in Lynn Haven, Fla., Friday, Oct. 19, 2018. (AP PhotoGerald Herbert)

"I just try to look at the bright side," Gay said with a grin. "Me and my parents always wanted to redo our front porch and flower bed, kitchen and living room. This certainly gives us the chance to do that."

About a mile away, at Maddox's house, he and his family had spent an hour in a closet under a staircase with their five dogs as the worst of the storm hit. A few windows were blown out and water got into some rooms.

Like several other Mosley players, Maddox spent much of the past 10 days at the houses of out-of-town friends or relatives who had power. Communication with teammates was difficult.

Many of them thought the football season was lost.

Then Brown began to spread the word: The Dolphins would practice on Thursday in an effort to get ready for Saturday's game. When a little more than half the roster gathered under the shredded roof of Mosley's football office — including most of the starters — the game was on.

"There were a few tears shed," Maddox said. "It was more emotional than I thought. But that's a good thing."

The 43-year-old Brown said the best part of the first practice was being able "to put all our arms around these boys and hug them." Like his players, Brown and his family — which include four kids ages 6 to 17 — are dealing with storm damage.

But Brown said it was important that he also concentrate on his "second family."

"We tell the kids all the time that every team takes on a different personality," Brown said. "Well this one's got an extremely different personality now with everything they've been through.

"The whole thing — man — it's still kind of unreal."

That's why police lieutenant Mike Renaldo, who works for the Bay District Schools department, said it was so important to have a few hours of fun. Just like everyone else, he'd spent the past week and a half sweaty and stressed out.

He took a big bite out of a fresh hot dog and smiled.

"You should go grab one of these: It sure beats an MRE," he said with a grin, referring to the ready-to-eat meals many had been eating for days.

As for the game, the fans saw a great one, but Pensacola rallied to beat Mosley 24-21. Gay was emotional afterward, but not because the Dolphins lost. He suddenly realized that for a few moments, when he was sweating and pouring out his emotions on the football field, it was like Hurricane Michael had never happened.

"I felt better than normal, felt like old again," Gay said wiping away tears. "There was no loss. Nothing. It was all back. I don't care about the scoreboard — I'm back with my friends, family and brothers."

Follow David Brandt on Twitter: www.twitter.com/davidbrandtAP.

For the latest on Hurricane Michael, visit https://www.apnews.com/tag/Hurricanes.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Russia has moved some troops onto an airbase in Niger where a small number of U.S. forces remain, but Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said he doesn't see it as a significant issue. Most American troops left that base in the nation's capital, Niamey, a U.S. official said.

The arrival of Russian trainers in the West African country about three weeks ago came in the wake of Niger’s decision to order out all U.S. troops. The order dealt a blow to U.S. military operations in the Sahel, a vast region south of the Sahara desert where groups linked to al-Qaida and the Islamic State group operate.

The Pentagon has said the U.S. troops will depart but has not provided a timeline.

When Russian troops arrived last month, it was unclear where they were staying. The Niamey base, Austin said late Thursday, is located at the capital city's Diori Hamani International Airport, and “the Russians are in a separate compound and don’t have access to U.S. forces or access to our equipment.”

He said the U.S. will continue to watch the situation but he doesn't see it as a significant force protection issue.

A U.S. official said the Russian forces are on the other side of the Niamey facility, known as Airbase 101, and that other international forces — such as the Germans and Italians — also reside. The official spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss troop movements. It's unclear how many U.S. troops remain at the Niamey base.

The Russian presence on the base comes as tensions remain high between Washington and Moscow over the ongoing U.S. support for Ukraine's military.

About 1,000 U.S. troops are still in Niger, but the bulk of them moved to what's called Airbase 201 near Agadez, some 920 kilometers (550 miles) away from the capital, not long after mutinous soldiers ousted the country’s democratically elected president last July.

A few months later, the ruling junta asked French forces to leave and turned to the Russian mercenary group Wagner for security assistance.

In October, Washington officially designated the military takeover as a coup, which triggered U.S. laws restricting the military support and aid that it can provide to Niger. Since then, diplomatic efforts to restore ties with Niger have been unsuccessful.

Until recently, Washington considered Niger a key partner and ally in a region swept by coups in recent years, investing millions of dollars in the Agadez base, which has been critical to U.S. counterterrorism operations in the Sahel. The U.S. also has invested hundreds of millions of dollars in training Niger’s military since it began operations there in 2013.

The Pentagon also has said the U.S. will relocate most of the approximately 100 forces it has deployed in neighboring Chad for now. Chad is also considering whether to continue its security agreement with the U.S.

Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder, Pentagon press secretary, told reporters that the departure from Chad "is a temporary step as part of the ongoing review of our security cooperation, which will resume after Chad’s May 6th presidential election.”

FILE - Supporters of Niger's ruling junta gather for a protest called to fight for the country's freedom and push back against foreign interference, in Niamey, Niger, Aug. 3, 2023. Russia has moved some troops onto an airbase in Niger where a small number of U.S. forces remain after most American troops left the base in Niamey, the nation's capital, a U.S. official said Thursday, May 2, 2024. (AP Photo/Sam Mednick, File)