A new era of high school football will kickoff next Friday for the Lone Tree Lions. Last November, the five-member Lone Tree school board agreed to drop the district’s football classification from Class A 11-man football to 8-man football beginning in the 2016-17 school year. The move was suggested to the broad after information showed declining numbers following this season in all levels of the Lone Tree football program.

Lion head football coach Chad Shield told KCII Sports the move was made to sustain Lone Tree’s football program long term, stating there are 15 out for football at the junior high level. Lone Tree also suffered a number of injuries to upperclassman last season, forcing multiple freshman and sophomores into the starting lineup at the varsity level.

Moving down to 8-man football means there are a few changes the Lions’ football team will have to adjust to, including having three fewer players on the field. Eight-man football is played on an 80-yard field, 20 fewer yards than in 11-man football. Senior linebacker Michael Schmidt added with the cutback defender eliminated in 8-man football, the importance of opening field tackling is much more important.

With the exception of the WACO Warriors, who will join Lone Tree in 8-Man football this fall, all the Lions opponents this season will be different from year’s past. The district opponents for Lone Tree this season includes: WACO, the Springville Orioles, the Iowa Valley Tigers, the English Valleys Bears, the Cedar Valley Christian Huskies, and the Easton Valley River Hawks.

The first 8-man football season for the Lone Tree Lions kicks off August 19, hosting the Central City Wildcats in a non-district matchup.