Area athletes will have one more week to make the most of their summer strength and conditioning programs before the official first day of practice arrives Aug. 17.
While individual sports will have a bit more of a cushion coming off the summer break team sports will jump into the fall season with both feet first with planned team scrimmages taking place shortly after the start of practice.
Fans looking to get their first glimpse of the Iola High School football team, as well as the Mustangs’ newly turfed field can do so when they make their 2026 debut at Municipal Stadium for the 2026 Blue and Gold Scrimmage. The following week, the Mustangs head to Chanute to partake in the Chanute High School Jamboree and open the month of September on the road against Pioneer League rival Wellsville for the first game of the season.
The IHS cross country team will also participate in the Blue and Gold Scrimmage. Fans can get an early preview of the team, and jog alongside their favorite runner Saturday as the team hosts its 5K fundraiser at 8 a.m. Saturday at Riverside Park. They open the season Sept. 3 at the Anderson County Invitational.
The Iola High volleyball team will participate in its only preseason tilt Aug. 22 while hosting multiple area schools for the IHS jamboree. They are just one of two IHS programs with a regular season event scheduled in August.
The Mustangs will be at a Wellsville tournament Aug. 29.
The other team with an event schedule in August is the IHS girls tennis team, who will make its 2026 debut in Chanute Aug. 26. The girls golf team will make its debut during the Sept. 1 Oswego Invitational.
Over in Humboldt, the Cubs do not have a team scrimmage listed on their calendar, but they are scheduled for a rare pairing with the Iola Mustangs at the Aug. 28 Chanute Jamboree. The Cubs open the season on the road against Bluestem Sept. 4.
The Lady Cubs volleyball team will get its preseason slate started a bit ahead of Iola with plans to attend the Columbia Jamboree Aug.. 27 before potentially facing Iola a few days later at the Wellsville Invitational.
The Humboldt cross country team will make its 2026 debut at the Anderson County Invitational Sept. 3. The HHS girls golf team, who did not participate in fall sports last year, is tentatively scheduled to participate in the Columbus Invitational the same day.
With Crest not starting school until Aug. 21, the Lancers and Lady Lancers will have a limited slate of preseason activities. The football team will participate in a to-be-determined jamboree Aug. 28, then host Yates Center for the Sept. 4 season opener. The volleyball team does not have a jamboree scheduled on the school calendar, but does have a Sept. 1 season opener scheduled against St. Paul. The cross country team will make its debut during the Sept. 3 Anderson County Invitational.
In Yates Center, the YCHS Wildcats will make their debut on the gridiron at the Aug. 28 Sedan Jamboree before hosting Crest the following week. The volleyball team will make its debut at the Aug. 29 Uniontown Invitational. The cross country team will make their debut at the Sept. 5 Burlington Invitational.
Editor’s note: Marmaton Valley High School and Southern Coffey County High School school calendars were not available at press time.
