PREPS REPORT

Purvis football team loses equipment in fire

Ros Dumlao
The Clarion-Ledger
File Photo

Purvis High School's field house was destroyed in a fire Saturday afternoon.

Football coach Perry Wheat said the building was a "complete loss," and with that, so was all the football team's equipment.

The Tornadoes open their season Friday at home against North Forrest.

"We're just going to have to regroup. ... It's going to be tough for a little while," said Wheat, adding that there were no injuries.

Wheat said he did not know the cause of the fire. He received a call of smoke coming from the area, and when he arrived at the scene around 1 p.m., the building was engulfed in flames.

The building housed all the team's equipment, as well as the dressing and weight rooms.

Wheat said he will hold a meeting Sunday to discuss the "game plan" leading up to Friday's opener.

In the meantime, he said other school's, such as Oak Grove, Sumrall and Southern Miss have donated equipment to the Tornadoes.

"That just says a lot — the coaches, they want to win on Friday nights, but when something like this happens, it's more than just football," Wheat said.

Last season, the Tornadoes finished 9-3, reaching the second round of the 4A South State playoffs.