BUTLER TWP — The Butler County Bears will play in their third league in as many years this summer and will continue to play their home games at Butler High School’s Art Bernardi Stadium.

The semi-pro football team finished 6-3 last year in the Gridiron Football Alliance (GIFA), losing in the league title game.

This year, the Bears will compete in the 20-team Heartland Football League. They will be in the Red Division of the North Conference with the Pittsburgh Pride out of New Kensington, Columbiana Scourage in Salem, Ohio, and NEO Disciples of Warren, Ohio.

“This is a very travel-conscious league,” Bears coach and owner Kirk Bergbigler said. “We wanted to join last year, but they asked us to wait a year to show them how stable our franchise is.

“They make sure their member teams are on solid ground and have viable facilities to play in. That’s what I like about it.”

Six teams from both 10-team conferences will make the playoffs. The two conference champions meet for the league title.

The Bears will open the regular season May 19 after playing the Pittsburgh Stealth in a preseason game May 5 in McCandless Township. The first home game is June 2.

Heartland League teams — covering Western Pennsylvania and most of Ohio — play a 10-game regular season schedule.

The Bears began conditioning workouts three weeks ago. Berbigler said the roster stands at an all-time high of 51 players.

“Attendance has been great at these workouts,” he said. “The fewest players we’ve had at one is 35.

“We’ll probably wind up with close to 60 guys in camp. We’ll trim the roster to 53 from there. Roster size is unlimited, but we’re not gonna make people stick around who aren’t going to play.”

Anyone interested in being a player or cheerleader for the Bears may visit butlercountybearsfootball.com, call Bergbigler at 724-991-1861 or cheerleading coach Yvonne Bartmas at 724-968-0494.

Butler County Bears2012 ScheduleMay 5 (preseason) — at Pittsburgh Stealth, 2 p.m.

May 19 — at NEO Disciples, Warren (Ohio), TBA;

June 2 — PITTSBURGH PRIDE, 7 p.m.;

June 9 — COLUMBIANA SCOURAGE, 7 p.m.;

June 16 — at NC Vikings, Geneva (Ohio), TBA; J

une 23 — at LE Panthers, Lakewood (Ohio), TBA;

June 30 — LE INVADERS, 7 p.m.

July 14 — CLEVELAND COBRAS, 7 p.m.;

July 21 — NEO DISCIPLES, 7 p.m.;

July 28 — at Pittsburgh Pride, New Kensington, 4:45 p.m.;

Aug. 4 — at Columbiana Scourage, Salem (Ohio), TBA