Tropical Storm Isaias has forced the Pell City High School football game against Southside to move to Thursday night, October 8, as announced on Pell City’s official Facebook page. The decision came "out of abundance of caution," with the storm expected to hit Alabama’s Gulf Coast late Friday or early Saturday, bringing heavy rain and winds to the region.
Pell City, located in St. Clair County, is not under the state of emergency declared Wednesday for 40 Alabama counties. Still, the threat posed by Isaias’s arrival prompted officials to adjust the Alabama High School Athletic Association (AHSAA) Week 7 schedule for the Gadsden area. The weather forecast showed an 80% chance of rain in Gadsden on Friday night, with a 55% chance at the typical 7 p.m. kickoff time for high school games. Saturday’s outlook worsened, with rainfall virtually certain and winds expected to reach up to 25 miles per hour.
The rescheduling of the Pell City-Southside match joins the earlier shift of the Sand Rock-Fyffe game, which was moved to Thursday due to referee shortages. Those games now join a list of Gadsden-area football contests split between Thursday and Friday nights, with most set to start at 7 p.m.
Thursday’s schedule includes Sand Rock vs. Fyffe and Pell City vs. Southside. Friday’s lineup features a full slate of matchups, including Albertville vs. Lee-Huntsville, Asbury vs. Geraldine, Etowah vs. Hanceville, and several others across the region. The adjustments reflect ongoing efforts to maintain the high school football calendar amid logistical challenges and weather threats.
Fans wanting to follow the games can turn to the NFHS Network, which streams many Gadsden-area football programs. The subscription service costs $11.99 and covers multiple sports, including volleyball, though availability depends on individual schools providing the stream. Most area schools have arranged to broadcast at least some football games via the platform.
The changes reflect broader disruptions to the high school sports scene in Alabama this fall, as officials juggle weather concerns and staffing shortages. Isaias’s approach has led to precautionary moves even in counties not under state emergency, aiming to keep players, coaches, and fans safe.
The most recent confirmed change remains the Pell City vs. Southside game now set for Thursday night, a move that came shortly after the Sand Rock-Fyffe game was also rescheduled for the same evening. Both adjustments come as the state prepares for worsening weather conditions expected to hit over the weekend.
According to Yahoo Sports.
