“We don’t want to peak early then fizzle out late,” Coach Thurman “Monty” Sutton said, referring to his 2022 squad that started strong but lost early in the playoffs. “These guys are still like, ‘Am I sure?’ So a game like today put that affirmation to some of these guys to say, ‘I can do it.’ ”

Despite their overall youth, the Eagles have a backbone of seniors to set the tone and ease the pregame jitters, and they are hungry to make up for last year, when the Eagles finished 8-3. The question is whether their younger teammates will be ready when needed.

So far so good, and the Eagles will need all the depth they have.

Senior safety Mekhi Smith intercepted a third-quarter pass, then rejoined the offense, where he plays running back, and scored the final touchdown of the game. Amid the celebration, Smith lay in the end zone before his coaches carried him off the field to work out cramps that kept him out of a scoreless fourth quarter.

With several players who play both sides of the ball, the Eagles know they need to identify newcomers who are ready to provide a spell without sacrificing momentum.

“We got to develop,” Smith said. “We’re young, but we’re physical and fast. We got to catch up to [learning] plays, and we got to sub some guys in just in case we get too tired or guys catch a cramp.”

Players are already making comparisons to the 2021 team that won the Maryland 2A state championship. Like that team, they’re young and scrappy. If they can avoid the overconfidence that caused them to stumble last year, Sutton says, steady improvement and leadership will win the day.

[Last year’s seniors] I feel like they were a little selfish because they weren’t really helping us out,” said linebacker Elijah Walker. “Now we’re helping the sophomores and juniors more than they did last year so that everyone knows what they’re doing.”

After a quick celebration complete with backflips in the end zone, the Eagles huddled up to reflect on the long road ahead of them and the work that needs to be done before they measure up to previous championship teams.

According to Sutton, it all starts with Labor Day practice.

“I don’t care if you’re out of town, hooked up to an IV, or your grandma’s sick,” Sutton said, “If you care about yourself and this team, be here on the holiday.”