FOOTBALL FRIDAY: Eagles vs. St. Paul -- Eight-Man District play begins tonight

District play begins in Eight-Man football this week in Kansas and Uniontown opens Eight-Man I District 1 with a home match against St. Paul on Homecoming tonight at the UHS football field. This is also a Three Rivers League contest and Homecoming.

The Eagles are 2-1 in the TRL and 2-2 overall. Their losses have come to state-ranked teams, Madison and Chetopa. Their victories versus Altoona-Midway and Crest have come by a combined 94 points.

Uniontown head coach looked at some of the positives from the Chetopa game as the Eagles were the toughest opponent the Green Hornets (4-0, 4-0) have faced this season.

"Chetopa had not had to punt yet this year; we were able to force two," Stroud said. "They had not trailed yet this year; we were ahead 8-0). They had not had to play past halftime yet."

The Eagles are hoping for the return of John Reed this week. He was injured during the preseason.

St. Paul (1-2, 1-3) hasn't won in the field yet as it received a forfeit from Altoona-Midway and has lost to Howard-West Elk, Chetopa and Crest. The Indians lost to Crest, 28-24, last week at home.

The rest of District 1 includes league members Marmaton Valley (1-3) and Pleasanton (1-3). Waverly (4-0) and Marais des Cygnes Valley (2-2) are members of the Lyon County League.

Waverly's first three opponents were a combined 2-10 but the Bulldogs knocked off previously-unbeaten Burlingame last week, 58-32. MdCV comes off a loss last week to previously-winless Hartford, whose first three opponents -- Waverly, Burlingame and Madison -- were a combined 10-2.

As for the TRL schools other than Uniontown, each team's only win came over Altoona-Midway.