Teammates from the school in rural Zebulon, south of Atlanta, visited different churches, where parishioners fed them. They found comfort in the games and music. And they sat around talking about Dylan Thomas.
The 16-year-old linebacker collapsed in the third quarter during a game last week and had to be helped off the field. He became incoherent and lost consciousness. He died two days later, on Sunday.
Friday, a police escort led a convoy of buses and cars on the way to Pike County's first game since Dylan's death. A handful of supporters wearing red -- one of the school's colors -- stood along a highway and waved as the convoy headed for Macon.
What was just supposed to be just another Friday night game for the 4-1 Pirates took on new meaning. Teammates said they were determined to play for Dylan -- who wore No. 32 -- and for everyone in the tight community, such as the churchgoers who welcomed them into their sanctuaries.
"The loss of Dylan will now force us to strengthen our hearts," Jordan Holley said of his former teammate in a message to CNN. "We may not be the fastest, strongest or best team in our region and we may not win another game this season but moving forward there's not a single high school team in the United States that has more heart than us, right now."
The game against Rutland High School promises to be emotional.
Both teams plan to gather at the locker rooms and hold a brief service honoring the Pike team, according to Rutland Coach Mark Daniel. The Pirates will take the field for the first play with only 10 players and Rutland will take a knee as a tribute to the missing player, according to Daniel, Rutland's athletic director.
"I think we'll have a lot of people in the stands that have no ties to either school," said Bibb County Athletic Director Barney Hester, who oversees athletics at Rutland and several other schools. "I just think the communities are going to come together in support of the Pike and the Thomas family."
Twenty-four hours before the game, hundreds attended Dylan's funeral. His teammates and members of the junior varsity team wore their red jerseys following his family's request.
Mourners painted the number 32 on car windows.
A group of players from Peach County High school -- the team Pike County played when Dylan was fatally injured -- came to pay their respects Thursday. Peach County Coach Chad Campbell had told his team it was going to a tough day. Two years ago, two Peach County players died in a car accident, Campbell said.
Campbell said he knew what Pike County was going through, and how community matters.
"Pike County loves their sports and their community. This is a rallying cry for that community and knowing from our circumstances a couple years ago, it made our community get closer," he told CNN.
The Georgia High School Association, which oversees Georgia high school sports, said there is no evidence of negligence in Dylan's death. Coaches took every precaution, the association said.
Pike County Coach Brad Webber said officials were unsure how or when Dylan was injured. Coaches reviewed the game to try to figure out what happened. Did he take a big hit, for example?
Nothing stood out. And that's what makes it harder, Webber said.
"If you know, you can prevent things. But just the way that happened, it's just devastating," he said.
In a Facebook post apparently by Dylan's mother, Shannon Burgess Thomas, she said her "heart is broken today." The post thanked everyone for "the love you have shown for ... our baby boy."
"Dylan Thomas is in a better place and holding gods (sic) hand believe that," the post said.
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