(Radio Iowa) — The Heart of America Conference has approved a nine game football schedule for the upcoming season. The move comes after the NAIA moved to alter the length of fall sports seasons. The league has two divisions for football and utilized an 11-game conference schedule.

That’s William Penn coach Todd Hafner. He says the changes only effect two crossover games and not division games.

Hafner says he is thrilled they have a nine game season.

The Statesmen will open September 12 at MidAmerica Nazarene. Iowa schools Grand View, Clarke and Graceland are members of the Hear of America Conference.

(Radio Iowa) — As the Iowa Cubs wait to see if there will be any kind of Pacific Coast League season team officials are looking at other ways to utilize Principal Park. Sam Bernabe is president and CEO of the I-Cubs.

Baseball returns to the stadium on Monday with the start of the high school season and the stadium will host 16 games over a 17 day period.

(Radio Iowa) — Northern Iowa athletic director David Harris says officials with the Missouri Valley Football Conference have been looking at options for the football schedule, if some states don’t open. The Panthers play two games in Illinois, one in South Dakota and another in Ohio this fall.

Harris says the possibility remains that some conference members may not be able to host a game.

Harris says it is a discussion that is going on in every conference right now.

The high school softball and baseball season gets underway on Monday around the state and like a lot of teams the Atlantic softball team is fired up for games to start. Atlantic Head Coach Terry Hinzmann said the team has been a lot of fun in practice with the excitement for a season that was uncertain during the pandemic. A lot of protocols have been put in place to follow for practice and games but Coach Hinzmann said that part has been going well.

Atlantic is coming off another strong season with a 27-9 record, but the year ended with some disappointing losses including in the opening round of the postseason. Coach Hinzmann said the team has certainly been motivated by the end to last year but he thinks more of the enthusiasm has come from just being able to compete.

The Trojans will be replacing a couple of stellar seniors from last year in shortstop Bailey Newell and right fielder Karsyn Rush but a lot of varsity experience returns as well. 6 starting sophomores and 2 junior starters are back for another season. Coach Hinzmann said they will need to have a mixture of power and speed to have success this year but ultimately it comes down to strong defense and the returning pitching staff.

The Trojans open up on the road Monday at Lewis Central. They will then play a varsity doubleheader on Tuesday to open the home slate against Denison-Schleswig. We will have that Tuesday double-dip on KJAN. The Trojans are playing their home games at the Atlantic Little League Complex this year due to construction on their traditional home field.