By Bret Strelow | App State Athletics
BOONE, N.C. — A hardened football team reunited with its hungry fan base, eager to entertain a community with a long recovery effort ahead in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene.
A rainbow can be a reminder that storms end, giving way to hope for a brighter future.
As fans from a crowd of 33,783 departed Kidd Brewer Stadium following App State's 33-26 victory against Georgia State on Saturday, an actual rainbow appeared above The Rock.
Excuse the Mountaineers for maybe being a bit too eager to reconnect with their fans — head coach Shawn Clark accepted blame for the wall-climbing "Rock Hop" celebration with students on Miller Hill following App State's first Boone touchdown in 37 days — but this was a long time coming.