Lunkers sign first player, with more tryouts to come

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The Springfield Lunkers, which is rolling out team announcements leading up to its summer debut next year, has signed its first player.

Matt Rush, who formerly played football for the Missouri State University Bears and the Queen City Insane Asylum, is the team's inaugural player, according to a news release.

"I couldn't be more proud to continue my football career in a professional capacity with the Ozarks Lunkers," Rush said in the release.

Rush will earn a per-game salary at a yet-to-be determined amount, and his initial contract is for one year, said Monica Henderson, vice president of team operations.

"We will have 18 players on the roster during the season," Henderson said via email. "We hope to sign additional players in the next 30 to 60 days."

A second round of tryouts is scheduled tomorrow at Betty & Bobby Allison Sports Town after the first round was held in October, according to the release.

The Lunkers was announced as The Arena League football team's name in June, when Springfield businessperson Mark Burgess was unveiled as its owner, according to past reporting. The Springfield indoor football team later named Caleb Scott, previously of the Queen City Insane Asylum, as its general manager, and a mascot name of Lunky recently was unveiled.

Home games are slated to be held at the Ozark Empire Fairgrounds' Wilson Logistics Arena.