The countdown is over- Friday night lights are underway as the Lake Forest Scouts open their season with an away game against Deerfield. 

The Varsity Football Team is kicking off the ‘25 season with a fresh new look, as only three defensive starters are returning from last year’s line up. Senior captains Jimmy Scheidler, Aedan Cassidy, and James Elliot bring the most experience to the field and are expected to anchor the defense, leading and coordinating efforts to prevent Deerfield from advancing.

On the offensive side, seniors Luke Pasquesi, Christian Ragsdale, Dylan Knutson and junior Jack Burger are the reappearing players. 

“These players are strong returners who have experience on varsity already and will be able to lead the team for the season,” senior captain Sufyan Hussain said. 

Alongside Hussain, senior captain Braden Hoskins will rotate every two drives throughout the game, keeping both the fans and players on their feet. 

With the anticipation building all summer for the first game, the Scouts plan on dominating the Warriors in a few different ways.

“We noticed that they have a weak secondary and play soft, so a lot of our breaking routes and short routes will most likely work against them,” Hussain said. “The most important thing to do against Deerfield is to play fast and move the ball as quickly as we can so they have less time to adjust.”

Not only is the offense dynamic, but the defense promises to keep the fans just as engaged.

“We are facing a triple option … but Spags has us prepared,” Scheidler said. “Deerfield has a new head coach, so they are not yet used to their scheme, and I believe we have a pretty good defense going into this.”

A triple option is uncommon due to its high risk and high reward; however, the Scouts plan to beat the system.

“We have a lot of good coverage and fronts. Coach Spags prepared us well. We all have our own keys, and as long as we play them, it’ll be good,” Scheidler said.  

The Scouts hope to see everyone in attendance for their season opener as they look to claim victory over the Warriors.

“This team is different from last year. Our seniors will determine the uniqueness of this team. Stay tuned,” Head Coach Spagnoli said.