Lone Tree drops 2025 varsity football season

There will be one less team this football season in 8-player District 5.

Lone Tree has officially dropped its 2025 varsity schedule due to low numbers, a move that effects four area teams (Belle Plaine, English Valleys, HLV-TC and Iowa Valley).

Lone Tree had only 10 players show up for the first official day of practice. The Lions thought about consolidating this season with another school, but wanted to try to field their own team. They still plan to play some JV games.

Belle Plaine and Iowa Valley have already found opponents to fill out their schedules in Week 0 (Aug. 22). The Plainsmen will travel to play Janesville, and the Tigers will head to Springville.

The other option is to use the empty slot in the season and find another 8-player team with a bye that week and have them agree to add a game.

The added game will make the opposing teams go over the eight-game regular season limit in 8P, but the Iowa High School Athletic Association has approved the added ninth game for any team that agrees.

HLV-TC has decided with the late notice not to add an extra game and will instead play the Lone Tree JV team on the originally scheduled date.

Once an official update is received on English Valleys, that will also be added.