The special reason why a Twin Cities high school is adjusting its football schedule
Excitement is in the air for the start of another high school football season. But in one Twin Cities suburb, there will be no Friday night lights. A visiting team of ospreys will require the Apple Valley Eagles to play during the day.
(8-23-25) Apple Valley (Minnesota) has moved two home football games to different times and relocated boys and girls soccer games from the stadium to another on-campus field.
The reason…Osprey’s (fish hawks), who have wingspans up to 6 feet, decided to build a nest on one of the light fixtures.
Tampering with an occupied osprey nest in Minnesota is illegal under both federal and state laws and can result in severe penalties. Ospreys are protected as migratory birds, and their active nests cannot be disturbed or destroyed without a permit.
Apple Valley athletic director Cory Hanson
“We had someone from the DNR come out, and we’ve learned that those birds are federally protected under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act. We cannot move their nest, nor can we turn our lights on, because it might endanger them. Those lights get really hot.”
Apple Valley’s football team will play its first home game during Week 2 against Waconia, the game originally scheduled for Friday night (September 5th) has been moved to noon Saturday.
Two weeks later, Apple Valley will play a Friday home game against Hastings with an early starting time of 4 p.m.
There is good news…Apple Valley has been using drones to check on the nest where the three chicks have hatched. They could be leaving before the end of the season.
Stateline Sports Network 