Refugio head football Coach Jason Herring spent all summer planning for this week, the Texas Class 2A State Championship game. He would have no idea how far he would have to veer from that plan to get to this point.
鈥淎 hurricane would wipe out almost any football team in the world, but our kids have been hit in the mouth since they were that little by life,鈥� he says. 鈥淪o, the hurricane was just a little bump in the road. Does that make sense? Our kids are so resilient because they鈥檝e had to be their whole life.鈥�
The team has had to overcome months of storm cleanup and a life-changing injury to one of its players. Herring has had both the necessity and the distraction of raising tens of thousands of dollars for storm relief.
Now, just shy of four months after Hurricane Harvey, his team is on the precipice of a second-straight state championship. And for one more time 鈥� the 13th out of 15 games 鈥� the team, the band, the town loads up buses and heads out on the road. This time, they head to AT&T Stadium in Arlington, a venue that could hold the population of Refugio 35 times over.
And even though this would be the team鈥檚 third championship game in a row, this one would be different.
"To win a state championship this year,鈥� Refugio High School Principal Brandon Duncan said, 鈥渁fter, you know, we had kids sleeping in the field house, we had damage to our school, we couldn鈥檛 play any home games, all of our 'home' games were out of town 鈥� except for two 鈥� I think it would mean a great deal more this year just given the hurdles that have been placed in front of these kids, and coaches, and the staff, and the town.鈥�
Championship week for Duncan begins at the First Baptist Church in Refugio. Since August, churchgoers have been meeting at the elementary school because of storm damage. The Rev. T. Wayne Price says his church is still waiting to clear up some things before renovations begin next month.
School Superintendent Melissa Gonzales points to repairs just outside the school as a sign the town is getting past Harvey. But there are still a number of roadblocks to fully repairing and renovating the schools.
鈥淭here are a number of agencies that we鈥檙e dealing with, and I think that sometimes slows the wheels down,鈥� she says. 鈥淎nd just keeping it straight in your mind is a challenge. But it鈥檚 a blessing that so many people want to help us. And I just have to keep that at the front of my mind. And I just have to keep the ultimate end goal in sight and that鈥檚 to rebuild our school.鈥�
Standing in the back of the room is Casey Henderson.
In September, during the second game of the season, Casey broke two of his vertebrae; he couldn鈥檛 feel or move his lower extremities. After two months of rehab at University Hospital in San Antonio, he鈥檚 walking now and talking about the future. He hopes somehow it includes football. He also knows how fortunate he is.
鈥淚t feels pretty good to know that many people aren鈥檛 supposed to be walking from my injury, and I鈥檓 one of those that are walking away from my injury,鈥� he says.
The Hendersons gathered in their newly rebuilt home, which had been deemed unlivable after the storm tore it apart.
Casey's mother, Nichole Henderson, is thankful.
鈥淐asey鈥檚 walking,鈥� she says. 鈥淲e have our family together. We have this gorgeous house, thanks to Coach Herring and Brian Miller. I鈥檓 just, I鈥檓 happy. I鈥檓 happy we鈥檙e all together. I鈥檓 just 鈥� there鈥檚 really no words to describe it. I鈥檓 just in awe, I guess.鈥�
鈥淛ust to be back home, back in our house, I got all my family back together,鈥� Casey鈥檚 father, Charlie Henderson, adds. 鈥淐asey and her are not halfway across the state. I鈥檓 feeling good. I鈥檓 feeling real blessed. Thank the Lord that he really helped us get back together and everything.鈥�
But it鈥檚 not all good news for the Hendersons. Nichole was let go from her nursing job. With physical or occupational therapy visits five days a week, she says, taking care of Casey has been full time.
And Casey still misses being out on the field with his teammates.
鈥淵ou know, scoring touchdowns, being out there every Friday practicing with them, all of that,鈥� he says.
One person not in church is Coach Herring. To say he鈥檚 been busy with work would be an understatement. He is the type 鈥� as many coaches are 鈥� to throw himself into the sport.
鈥淟et me give you a perfect example, you ready?鈥� he says. 鈥淎nd I鈥檓 ashamed to say this: The 15th was our 20th anniversary, [and I did] nothing more than [say], 鈥楬i, baby, happy anniversary.鈥� That鈥檚 it! I mean, I was here at 6:30 [a.m.] and I got home at 9 [p.m.].鈥�
He and his staff have been deep in preparation for the last game of the season, the state championship against the Mart Panthers.
The game starts as most Bobcat games do: Two quick touchdowns put Refugio up 14-0 in less than four minutes.
But then, Mart finds its bearings in the second quarter and takes control of the game. Mart scores 28 unanswered points, before finally winning the game 34-21.
As time ticked down, the people of Refugio began to look toward what鈥檚 next.
鈥淵ou know, we made it to state and I鈥檓 proud of those boys,鈥� says Refugio County Sheriff Raul 鈥淧inky鈥� Gonzales, who is married to the school superintendent. 鈥淚 really, really am. They really shouldn鈥檛 be here, with all that they鈥檝e gone through with the hurricane and being homeless and stuff, I鈥檓 very proud of them.鈥�
鈥淎fter this game, I鈥檓 sure a lot of them will be working and concentrating on getting people back in their homes and trying to get with their life,鈥� he says. 鈥淚ncluding myself.鈥�
Pinky and Melissa Gonzales have been living in an RV behind their storm-damaged home all fall. She says roughly 13 percent of Refugio students are still technically homeless. That may not include folks staying with family or friends.
All the public housing in Refugio is closed indefinitely. Most of those residents have had to commute from the town of Beeville, about a half hour away.
As for the Rev. Price, the team鈥檚 unofficial chaplain, members of First Baptist Church are meeting with an architect and contractor Jan. 3
鈥淪o, we look forward really getting started and possibly in four or five months getting back in the building," he says. "That鈥檚 our hope.鈥�
The end of the season also means Herring can tend to his own house.
鈥淥ur house still has a lot to be done to it after the hurricane,鈥� his wife, Lisa Herring, says. 鈥淎nd then hopefully he can settle down a little bit and just relax. I know he鈥檚 been working really hard, through football season, of course, but also through the aftermath of Harvey. So hopefully, we can some R&R.鈥�
The Herrings, much like the rest of Refugio, are ready to let Harvey go.
鈥淭hat鈥檚 the truth,鈥� Lisa Herring says. 鈥淩eady for it to be over! But it鈥檚 been a beautiful season and we鈥檙e proud.鈥�
After the game, Herring finds his wife in the crowd.
鈥淪on of a bitch, we didn鈥檛 play well,鈥� he says.
鈥淚 thought y鈥檃ll had it when you came out,鈥� she replies.
鈥淚 know,鈥� he says. 鈥淚 think that bit us in the butt, because we came out so on fire 鈥撯��
鈥淎nd then you were just flat afterward,鈥� she says.
鈥溾�� and then we were flat the rest of the time,鈥� he echoes.
Their 10-year-old son gets their attention.
"Oh, you gotta go pee?鈥� Herring asks.
And just like that, the biggest loss of the football season seems to wash away, for now.
They know, in the end, it鈥檚 just football. But for this small Texas town, the game has been so much more this season.
鈥淭he longer your football team goes, the better your school year goes,鈥� says Principal Duncan. 鈥淟ess discipline, you have better attendance, kids keeping their grades, the town, there鈥檚 a lot playing into football than just wins.鈥�
鈥淚t鈥檚 the one constant we鈥檝e had in our lives this year,鈥� Superintendent Gonzales says. 鈥淓verything else seems to be in turmoil, but football is still there and still keeping us going.鈥�
鈥淔ootball has not only been medicine for this community and these kids, but it鈥檚 been medicine for me,鈥� Herring says. 鈥淲hen it鈥檚 over, it鈥檚 like depression sets in, good or bad. But I鈥檓 always sad when football ends.鈥�
But, like so many other Refugians, he鈥檒l have some projects at home to keep him busy.
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