LEWISTOWN — Lewistown football barely missed out on an opportunity to defend the Class A state title last fall, losing to eventual champion Dillon in the semifinals.
It did leave a stinging feeling with the team, but that only makes the Eagles that much more motivated to want to start this upcoming season.
"Getting beat down in Dillon by a really good football team kind of stung a little bit," said head coach Derek Lear at Tuesday's practice. "The boys were pretty happy with last year's season, but obviously not satisfied."
Lear and his staff always makes sure the team knows that they need to aim to be a different group each fall.
"Coach (Troy) Hudson, he's our defensive coordinator, he's been here for 20 some years, and he always talks about finding your own identity," Lear said. "I think that's huge. Each team can't go, 'Hey we want to be like the last group.' We want to be this group."
This team will be different from the standpoint of roster turnover. But seniors Peyton Hartford and Dash Ruff are impressed with how new, younger players have been able to adapt.
"Coming in to the off season it took a lot of like team bonding," Hartford said. "Just trying to make them part of the family and keep on growing that bond that we've had with other older guys. So you know just really making sure they feel welcome."
"We lost a lot of guys last year but there's been a lot of kids stepping up, a lot of young guys stepping up," Ruff said. "I'm feeling really confident."
The team takes pride in being a big family.
"I feel more confident in this group than I really have in past years," Hartford said. "We're really a family and that's just kind of what makes us how we are, and the bond that we have and the chemistry we have is just awesome."
The team feels ready for Friday's home opener against East Helena.
"I'm so excited, there's not a better feeling in the world than running out of that tunnel with the whole crowd screaming and music playing," Hartford said.
"They're locked in and they're ready to go, and they understand East Helena is a good opponent," Lear said.
East Helena at Lewistown kicks off at 7 p.m. Friday night.
