Semi-pro football team coming to Mills County

    Semi-professional football is coming to Mills County.
    The Mills County Militia will begin its inaugural season in the semi-pro Central Plains Football League this season with a home opener on March 19. The Militia will play its home games just east of Malvern.

    The Mills County franchise is the brain child of Steve Prusia. A longtime fan of indoor football – the CPFL plays eight-man football on a 50 yard field, much like indoor football –  Prusia discovered the league through his brother, Scott, who will serve as the Militia’s head coach.
    “I’m a truck driver so when I’m on the road I’d look for an indoor football game in whatever city I was in to go to,” said Prusia.
    Scott Prusia served as the previous head coach of the now defunct San Angelo Stampede of IFL (BEEF). After some research, Steve Prusia purchased a three-year franchise agreement last year and has been building his team and roster every since.
    The Militia will play their home games at the Robert L. Prusia Memorial Field, dubbed “The Farm,” east of Malvern along Highway 34.
    The Militia are one of seven new teams to join the 12-team league with teams as far north as Omaha and as far south as Cape Girardeau, Mo. The Militia join the Omaha City Rhinos, the Weston Rebels, West Central Warriors, Jackson Apaches, Missouri Mustangs, Newton County Tigers, Springfield Lightning, SEMO Copperheads, Kansas City Bulldogs, Junction City Force and Topeka Thunder playing a 10-game schedule.
    The championship game matching the top team from each of the two divisions will meet in a June 18 championship game in Kansas City.
    The Militia roster is made of mostly former regional players with college and indoor football experience. Glenwood graduate and former All-Hawkeye 10 Conference lineman A.J. Lucy is listed among the Militia signees. The roster also lists former University of Nebraska and Canadian Football League kicker Chuck Tack.
    “Scott and I have ties all over and most of these guys have played a lot of places. We have ex-Omaha Beef and Iowa Blackhawks players. They’re from all over,” Prusia said. “There’s no paycheck involved so these guys are doing it for the love of the game.”
    The team’s color will be Vegas gold and dark green and the helmets will feature a crossed rifles insignia in honor of Highway 34’s history as an infantry memorial highway. Steve Prusia said the team name seems a natural fit for the area.
    “We’re the Militia, which plays into the fact there were militias around southwest Iowa during the Civil War and we’re playing a lot of teams from Missouri and Kansas,” said Prusia.
    The Mills County Militia will host the Weston, Mo. Rebels in their season opener on March 19.
    “From what I understand the team is made up mostly of employees from the federal prison complex in Leavenworth, Kan.,” Prusia said. “Should be a good game.”