The below statement comes from the World Headquarters of the Western Nebraska Pioneers, released on their social media platforms today.

“Happy Military Monday! Just a couple quick updates…

We are quickly restoring the roster, with at least 6-8 players arriving before Thursday’s home game. More players are coming, obviously it’ll take a couple days for them to travel here. We are thankful for the players who believe in us and chose to stay.

We are thankful beyond words for the overwhelming support of our community, our host families and friends through something that could have killed the Pioneers for good.

We have confirmed two teams from Colorado who will come to play us in the next couple of weeks, mixing up the opponents and replacing the three Kansas teams who cancelled the night before their first game here and threw our season into turmoil. The Pioneers are pursuing legal action against that group.  

One is the El Paso County Miracles, who were in our league last year and reached out in support. The other is the Colorado Tribe, who pulled back from collegiate ball last year but are now back to it and looking to come to Gering for the great fan experience and level of play. We’ll announce those dates as soon as they’re finalized. 

Those games will be on the same dates as our current home games, just replacing the Outlaws or Pioneers as the road team so our guys can get some rest.

We have seen the social media hate from what our community calls “the usual suspects”, those who would never have the guts to even try what we have attempted for the last nine years – bringing something good to our little town in Nebraska. Anyone who thinks this is easy, please feel free to try it rather than blast those who do.  

The Pioneers don’t have time to engage these 3-4 people – everyone in our community knows who they are and the evil they stand for. We instead choose to work hard, face any challenge and do the best we can to give the people who choose to be a part of the Pioneers family our best efforts. Are we perfect? Of course not. If anyone knows of a perfect person (and we can only think of one), we are wide open to bringing that person into the Pios and Outlaws family. 

We’ll be back on the field tonight at 6:35, we welcome you to join us.”

Tonight’s game against the Outlaws can be heard on KNEB AM 960/100.3 FM starting with the pregame show at 6:20 pm.