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Eagle High School
School Info
Conference: 5A Southern Idaho Conference - West Division Pod B
Classification: 5A
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Head Coach: Paul Peterson
Years as Head Coach: 11th Season
Record Last Year: 9-2
State Titles: 2001, 2009
Assistant Coaches:
Rob Rathbun
Steve Diffy
Nathan White
Eric Fillmore
Taylor Hutchins
John Hartz
Kevin Sapien
Derrell Acrey
Returning Players with Honors:
Bucky Schrader, RB, First Team, All-Conference
Justin Walker, TE, First Team, All-Conference
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“Key Players” lost from last year:
Hunter Floyd
Josh Labrador
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Team Preview:
Written by: Chris Langrill
Eagle High football coach Paul Peterson has become accustomed to success. The team won a state title in 2009 and has had a winning record in each season since, including a 12-2 campaign in 2011 and a 9-2 season last year.
So coaches around the 5A ranks aren't going to be too sympathetic to the fact that Peterson lost a lot of talent in the offseason when graduation time rolled around.
Gone is Hunter Floyd, a first-team, all-conference quarterback who committed to play at Idaho State.
Also gone is Josh Labrador, who excelled as both a defensive back and running back. He committed to play for Snow College in Utah.
The list goes on – the Mustangs had a number of other players who found themselves on postseason awards lists.
But if history tells us anything, Eagle will find a way to rebuild again this year.
Bucky Schrader should be in the mix a lot this season on the offensive side of the ball. Schrader returns for his senior year after finishing as a first-team, all-conference running back as a junior.
Another offensive weapon the Mustangs can turn to is Justin Walker, who was named first-team, all-conference as a tight end last season. Walker has shown that he can carry the ball out of the backfield, has good hands and can flatten opponents when he's in the blocking mode.
Look for Peterson to utilize Schrader and Walker, but also to try to find other ways to keep the chains moving.
He said balance is one of his offense's strengths.
As for areas he'd like to improve upon last season?
“We need to dominate the line of scrimmage,” Peterson said.
Maxim Moore, a standout junior offensive lineman, should help Eagle do just that.
On the defensive side of the ball, Peterson likes his overall team speed, but he said if there was an area he'd like to see the Mustangs improve over last year it would be closing out games with a purpose.
Eleven years into his coaching stint at Eagle, Peterson still gets enjoys the prospect of starting a new season.
“I get excited about the challenge of molding them into a team,” he said.
And he said part of that process is instilling in his players the importance of making good decisions – on and off the field.
The process this season begins with a road game against Idaho Falls.
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