MAC ON SPORTS: SCHLARMAN DROPS 8-MAN FOOTBALL, LSA REPLACES WITH WEST PRAIRIE
J. Thomas McNamara
Decatur LSA athletics director Kurt Younghouse already had Danville Schlarman replaced before the school formally announced it was dropping football for this fall.
Younghouse responded to the Decatur Tribune’s question about the effects of the Hilltoppers cancellation would have on the Lions football program.
“Added West Prairie as a home game for 9-18-21 at 2:00 PM. Now looking for officials,” wrote Younghouse.
Schlarman athletics director Jerry O’Neill said in a press release, “ Schlarman Academy will not be fielding a football team in the I8FA (Illinois 8-Man Football Association) for the 2021-22 school year,” O’Neill said.
“With our lack of numbers, and for the safety of our student-athletes, we could not, in good faith, fulfill our obligations to the conference. Hopefully, we will have increased numbers going forward. We are sorry for any inconveniences this may have on our 8-man football conference schools.”
I will have more on this developing story in a future print edition of the Decatur Tribune.
