Rome coach Reid says team ‘doing fine’ after rollover bus crash

Rome’s football team has no plans to alter its season opener Aug. 16 against Creekside despite a traumatic rollover bus crash Thursday evening that sent up to 15 students and adults to the hospital.

“The team is doing fine,” Rome coach John Reid said Friday morning. “About half of the 25 players on the bus were taken to the emergency room. Many had bruises, sprains and other injuries that you might imagine would occur when a bus rolls three, four times. The Rome Wolves are tough, and although we went through some trauma, we did not have a tragedy, and for that we are thankful.”

One of the team’s buses struck a car that crossed the center line around 10:50 p.m. on Highway 101 near Doc Moates Road and Old Rome Road north of Rockmart in Polk County, according to the Georgia State Patrol. Atrium Health Floyd Medical Center told Channel 2 Action News that 12 students and three adults were treated and released.

“The bus was struck by another car that crossed the center line, causing the bus to lose control and flip over and roll until it struck a power pole and severed the pole,’' Reid said.

Rome’s season opener will be on its home field, Barron Stadium. The Rome-Creekside game is part of a doubleheader in the Corky Kell + Dave Hunter Classic. The opener is Callaway against Cass.

Rome, coming off an 11-2 season, has averaged 11 wins and won two state championships during Reid’s 10-year tenure.