ST. JOSEPH, La. — With the numbers at Tensas Academy began to dwindle, Chiefs football coach Joe Coats knew it was going to be tough to field a team.

However, the Mississippi Private School Association’s eight-man football league, now in its second season, came to their rescue.

The Chiefs will begin play in the eight-man league this season.

“We’ve got only nine high school age players,” Coats said. “It’s kind of hard to play 11-man football with nine people. We’ve got six junior high age players and some of them are going to play as well.”

Coats said the school would prefer to play 11-man football, but had no choice in the matter.

“We didn’t have any other way to go,” Coats said. “Everyone at the meeting said we’d like to play football this year.”

The MPSA eight-man football league began last season with just six teams, and has expanded to 10 teams in its second season.

That has allowed the league to form two divisions, the South and the North.

Tensas Academy will compete in the South division against Rebul Academy, Ben’s Ford Christian School, Collegiate Christian and Mount Salus.

Coats said the team has adapted well to the eight-man game, which features just three linemen and lots of wide open space.

“The players like it alright,” Coats said. “We haven’t played an eight-man game but we practiced it in the spring and we’re looking forward to it.”

Coats said tackling would be a key for his team.

“A lot of the game is played in open space, so open field tackling will be a key ingredient. You’re trying to cover the field with eight men instead of with 11.”

Coats said he expects Tensas Academy to play in eight-man football through at least 2010.

“We’ve got some classes in elementary grades that are a bit larger,” Coats said. “A lot seem to be moving out, but not many are moving in.”

Even though it might take some people a while to get used to the game, Coats said it is an enjoyable brand of football.

“Everybody was a little concerned at first, but reality has got to show up at some point,” Coats said. “I think they’re going to like it. It’s a wide open, high scoring, exciting kind of football.”