Sabine Pass’ Sept. 29 football game at West Hardin has been canceled, coach Jason Thibodeaux said Wednesday.

Thibodeaux said he had 15 players available as of Wednesday, with some still displaced. He added that number has varied by the day, however, because some have been excused to help their families and neighbors clean up from Harvey. Others who joined the program late, Thibodeaux added, would not be ready in time to play the West Hardin game, leaving Sabine Pass with a low number of athletes. The Sharks, who finished with 28 players a season ago, struggled with attracting players to preseason camp weeks before Harvey impacted the area.

That was despite posting their first winning record (6-5) since 1983 and making the UIL playoffs for the first time since 2011.

Sabine Pass, which has had as many as 19 players before Tropical Storm Harvey ravaged the area, has now lost four games — almost half of its season — mainly due to the storm’s effects.

Harvey left many of Sabine Pass’ students displaced and players from opposing schools having to rebuild, forcing the cancelation of games at Pasadena First Baptist and Galveston O’Connell.

The Sept. 21 home game against the Deweyville junior varsity was called off because Deweyville no longer fields a JV team, according to Thibodeaux.

With two open dates on the original schedule (Sept. 15 and Oct. 6), the Sharks plan to begin the season Oct. 13 at home against Burkeville to start District 12-2A Division II play.

The rest of Sabine Pass’ schedule is: Oct. 20 at Iola, Oct. 27 at home against Hull-Daisetta, Nov. 3 at Colmesneil and Nov. 10 at home against Evadale.

— I.C. Murrell