Junction City ? A women’s professional football league has awarded Junction City an expansion franchise the league’s first west of the Mississippi River with four more teams planned for cities in Missouri, Iowa and Nebraska.

The Junction City Cavalry are slated to begin play in the National Women’s Football League in 2003.

“When people see that we’re not a joke or something cute on the field, then we’ll be OK,” general manager Rachel Madden said. “Hopefully we’ll be received with open arms. I think this will definitely benefit Junction City.”

Madden had planned to try out for Baltimore’s team, but couldn’t make the tryout. She contacted the league office and was offered a chance to start a team in Junction City.

Catherine Masters, chief executive officer of the Nashville, Tenn.-based league, said Friday that teams are also planned for Kansas City, Mo., St. Louis, Lincoln, Neb., and either Des Moines or Cedar Rapids in Iowa.