When your football team is coming off a 1-7 season, you have a new coach, your roster numbers only 33 players, and you’re one of the smallest schools – enrollment-wise – in a conference featuring some of the largest schools in the state, optimism might be hard to come by.

You wouldn’t know that after talking with rookie head coach Wes Littlefield, however, who thinks his Messalonskee Eagles of Oakland have some of the essentials needed to make a playoff run this season.

“This is a very tenacious group of kids and they’re hungry to win,” Littlefield said. “Darkhorses can come through this league, and I think we can make a run if we stay healthy, stay hungry, and gain confidence; we can be one of those teams.”

Littlefield may seem overly optimistic, but consider the strengths he points out:

. The Eagles have eight starters back on offense and seven on defense.

. Littlefield has been an assistant on the team the last three seasons so he knows the players and they know him.

. The last two seasons have seen a No. 4 playoff seed come within a quarter of winning the Pine Tree Conference (2001), three of the top four seeds lose in the quarterfinals (2002), and the No. 5 seed winning the PTC title (2002).

. Both the offensive and defensive lines return almost fully intact with key positions manned by seniors and juniors.

. The Eagles may lack depth, but they aren’t without talented players.

“We don’t have a lot of kids out this year, but the ones we do have are motivated, experienced, and athletic,” Littlefield said. “That should allow us to do a lot of different things, especially with our offense.”

Messalonskee utilizes a split veer offense which resembles a wishbone formation and allows the Eagles to run a lot of play-action and fakes. On defense, they use a split-four defense with four linebackers, two tackles, and two ends who constantly shift alignments to confuse offenses.

“I like to mix it up,” Littlefield said with a chuckle.

Offensively, he kind of has to since his offensive line averages 195 pounds but is athletic and quick.

The Eagles’ offensive success rests largely with the play of quarterback Luke Collier; halfbacks Chris Duffy, Zac Tondreau, and Mike Savage; and ends Justin Mattos and Isaac Hutchinson.

Defensively, the key starters are Collier and Luke Fekette at end, Duffy and Hutchinson at the corners, Tondreau and Savage at inside linebacker, Brian Prelgovish at linebacker, and Mattos at free safety.

When it comes to weaknesses or concerns, depth is at the top of the list. Littlefield would feel a little better about it if all players had taken part in the team’s offseason conditioning program. Still, with 22 to 25 kids participating, the team’s two-way starters should be able to handle their duties ably.

MESSALONSKEE EAGLES

2002 results: 1-7, 10th in Pine Tree Conference

Head coach: Wes Littlefield, 1st year

Key players: Luke Collier, QB-DE, Jr.; Chris Duffy, HB-CB, Jr.; Zac Tondreau, HB-ILB, Sr.; Danny Merrill, SE-LB, Jr.; Mike Savage, HB-LB, Sr.; Brian Prelgovish, HB-LB, Jr.; Justin Mattos, TE-FS, Jr.; Isaac Hutchinson, SE-CB, Sr.; Ray Toye, OT-DT, Sr.; Luke Fekette, OT-DE, Jr.; Nate Pullen, OG-DT, Jr.; Colin Clifford, OG-DT, JR.

Outlook: The Eagles will rely heavily on a nucleus of 13 juniors whose ability to mature quickly and adjust to the rigors of two-way starting will go a long way toward determining how successful this season, the third in Class A, will be for the former Class B power.