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After ending the 2020-21 season with an 8-4 overall record, ending third in the district and getting knocked out of the fourth round of the playoffs, the Prosper Eagles Varsity football team has all eyes on them. Since fall morning practices started Monday, Aug. 9, the team has been working to improve their weaknesses and strengthen their abilities. As players focus on getting two rounds further in the playoffs than last year, in order to make it to the state championship, the team has set its sight on performing better than the Flower Mound Marcus Marauders in a scrimmage tomorrow, Aug. 20, at 7 p.m. in  Children’s Health Stadium at Prosper Independent School District. While losing key senior players, the team has gained strong underclassmen, and they said they’re ready to face those upcoming opponents.

The Eagles faced off against the Marauders last season in the first round of the playoffs Dec. 12, and were victorious with an ending score of 38-19. The key for the Eagles this season could be this determining factor — the players.

“It’s still too early to tell how this team is going to compare to last year’s team,” head coach Brandon Schmidt said. “We will know a little more about that after the scrimmage on Friday. We’ll be able to see who performs well, what holes we have and what areas we need some improvement.”

When competing in the playoffs last season, now-graduated quarterback Jackson Berry and tight-end Cameron Harpole brought offensive success, and graduated linebackers Aidan Siano, Herman Lee and Mason Jolley served as key defenders.

“How we hope the season is going to turn out, and how we think the season is going to turn out are two completely different things,” wide receiver coach Jeff Pevehouse said. “I hope it ends with us playing on the very last day in the state championship and winning. I think it is going to end the way it is supposed to end.”

Although the Eagles lost multiple leaders to graduation, current players said they are ready to lead the team.  The team’s Twitter account announced leaders throughout last week. The captains are all seniors — guard and center Nash Gagliano, corner Tyler Bailey, defensive back Kaleb Miles and defensive end Aeden Combest.

“The captains could have a wide range of duties,” Schmidt said. “They’re responsible for leading and being the faces of the team, but also holding their teammates accountable. They have to make sure the locker room is clean, make sure people are on time where they are supposed to be, they have to make sure the buses are clean. Being a captain is not a title. It is a responsibility.”

With a partially new team and a full off-season to practice that it missed part of last year due to COVID-19, the team said they feel confident for the scrimmage, as well as the games to follow.

The scrimmage tomorrow will ultimately give an opportunity to look for improvement before their first game against the South Grand Prairie Warriors, which will be played Friday, Aug. 27, at 7 p.m. away at the Gopher-Warrior Bowl. According to MaxPreps, the Eagles are ranked 45, and the Warriors are ranked 92 in Texas. They did not play each other last season.

There are multiple anticipated games against teams the Eagles played last year. After taking two losses against the Denton Guyer Wildcats — one during the regular season and one during playoffs that ended in triple overtime — the Eagles will face the Wildcats away Friday, Oct.1. Another notable game will be against the Southlake Carroll Dragons Friday, Sept. 10, at home. The Dragons went 12-2 and were first in the district, so it could be a tough match. The second-to-last game could be another tough match that will be played Friday, Oct. 29, at home against the Allen Eagles.

“I feel like we have a lot of potential this year with the players and coaching staff we have,” junior offensive lineman Colin Beesley said. “We are a very hard-working group with a set goal in mind, and we have the skill set to achieve that goal of winning state.”