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Texas Families at Little League World Series Concerned About Devastation from Harvey

SOUTH WILLIAMSPORT — The runner up of the 71st Little League World Series is from Lufkin, Texas, which is a little more than 100 miles north of Houston. T...

SOUTH WILLIAMSPORT -- The runner up of the 71st Little League World Series is from Lufkin, Texas, which is a little more than 100 miles north of Houston. The players and their families have enjoyed their time in South Williamsport, but they say their hearts are back home in Texas where that massive storm has caused widespread damage.

Despite the excitement of the Little League World Series, parents and friends from Lufkin, Texas are busy rescheduling flights since the Houston Airport is closed. They are also concerned about their family and friends back home.

The boys from Lufkin, Texas made it all the way to the Little League World Series final, and their families and friends couldn't be happier.

"We're excited about being here and what's happening today, but our hearts are back home," said Jennifer Deaton of Lufkin, Texas.

A little more than 100 miles south of Lufkin, Houston is experiencing what meteorologists call "catastrophic flooding."

Deaton's family in Houston has three feet of water inside their home.

"They're completely stranded. The only way out of their neighborhood is by boat."

"It's just a mess. We're getting quite a bit of rain. We're supposed to get up to 10 inches of rain where we live," said Brian Miller of Lufkin.

The Houston Airport closed, leaving around 150 Texans rescheduling flights out of Pennsylvania.

Karen Binson tells Newswatch 16 all of their vehicles are at the Houston Airport.

"We are a little concerned about our vehicles, but that will be fine. But the main problem is getting back home and getting back to work," Binson said.

The Southwest team's flight was rerouted to the Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport, so Little League is paying for the kids and their parents to take a bus from Dallas to Lufkin.

"That's way above what we imagined they would do," said Miller.

As for the players, they have been focused on baseball, but that's all about to change.

"They're OK. I think they'll understand better when this is all over, but right now they know what's going on but not to that extent," said Deaton.

Japan won the Little League World Series championship game 12-2.

The Little League team from Mexico was supposed to fly into a different part of Texas with a connecting flight through Houston. Little League rerouted their flight to the airport in Monterrey, Mexico. Both teams are scheduled to leave Monday morning.

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