Excitement levels are sky high, and the energy is rushing as the Lafayette Lancers football team prepares for their first game of the year against the Eureka Wildcats this Friday, Aug. 21. Lafayette looks to improve from last year’s 6-6, when they lost their first three games of the year, by starting strong by winning their first game of the year against Eureka.

“It is going to be a close game,” senior Brendan Scales said.

“In a rivalry game, you never know who is going to win,” Scales said. This could not be more true as the Lancers have battled with the Wildcats going 5-5 in the past five seasons.

Both teams have a slew of talented players. When asked who to watch out for, senior Laffarel Gillespie had nothing but praise for Lafayette’s offense as he listed, “Chase Behrndt, Ron Beasley, Brendan Scales, and Dan Wagganer” as Lancers to watch. Gillespie went on to talk about some Wildcats who could possibly punish Lafayette stating, “Derrick Clemons, and Cam Nisbet.”

Some of the predicted scores by Lafayette players were very optimistic, with scores of 35-21, 38-20 and 20-15. All scores, of course, being in favor of Lafayette.

The hopes are high for Lancer football this year, as there is a strong set of seniors equipped to lead the team to victory. Both the players and the fans are ready for the Lancers to begin a challenging, yet surmountable, season tonight at Eureka at 7 p.m.

This will also mark the debut of the new EHS turf field which was completed this summer.