From 2013 to 2017, the Ironwood Eagles football team often resided in the cellar of its conference, posting a 14-36 combined record over those five seasons.

In 2018, the Eagles took their first leap, improving from 2-8 in the previous season to 6-4 in their first winning campaign in six years.

In 2019, led by star quarterback Will Haskell, they took an even larger step forward, reaching the playoffs for the first time since 2011.

On the heels of that momentous season, expectations are high for the Eagles as they return a strong group of seniors who have been pivotal in the program’s recent success, with Haskell at the center of it.

“I think the senior class as a whole is uniquely prepared to propel this team to the next level,” Ironwood head coach Chris Rizzo said.

Haskell, a senior three-star recruit and San Diego State commit, amassed 1401 passing yards and 965 rushing yards last season, contributing to 34 of the Eagles' 41 touchdowns through the ground and air.

Rizzo compared Haskell to a basketball star in his ability to singularly control the tempo and flow of the game, describing him as a “rare talent.”

“When you snap him the ball, you're guaranteeing a possession to a player who on any given play can be the best player on the field and can make the most explosive things on the field happen, whether it's a deep throw or taking off for 70 yards,” Rizzo said.

Alongside Haskell, Rizzo said the Eagles’ skill position talent is one of their great strengths, as they return three of the team’s top four receivers from last season, including senior Elijah Sanders, who led the team with 504 receiving yards and eight touchdowns.

Rizzo said Sanders doesn’t just stand out at receiver, where he can play in the slot or on the outside, but that he is a weapon at a number of positions on both sides of the ball, including running back, outside linebacker, free safety, cornerback, and, in emergency situations, backup quarterback.

“I don't believe that you're going to find a better all-around football player,” Rizzo said.

Other senior standouts for the Eagles include cornerback and wide receiver Sebastian Fiery-Hardimon, tight end and linebacker Mekhi “Bubba” Mannino-Faison, and running back Junior Shima, each of whom were among the team’s top seven in all-purpose yards in 2019.

Although last year’s success and the obvious talent on the roster have built up expectations, Rizzo said that the Eagles are not taking a results-oriented approach as they prepare for their Oct. 2 kickoff versus Paradise Valley.

Far more important than any win total the team may aspire to, Rizzo said, is that it instills effort and discipline in practice that will inevitably translate to success on the field.

Rizzo said that dedication is perpetuated by the seniors, notably Haskell and Sanders, who have grown as leaders, and that the team’s collective focus and passion have been bolstered by the fact that they were without sports for so long due to COVID-19.

“You're going to see a re-lighting of the fire of what it truly means to be able to participate in sports,” Rizzo said.