A.J. GABRIEL With a year of experience under their belts, what was a young Fairfield high school Eagles football team in 2008 takes the field this week to campaign for a District 20-AAA championship.

The Eagles posted a 3-7 overall record last year with just one district win. But the varsity squad was heavily laden with sophomore players.

Those sophomores now convert to 15 junior students, teaming with a like number of seniors.

Fairfield is picked to finish last in the district this season by early prognosticators, but head coach Darrell Piske believes his team will perform much better than that.

Piske is in his second year at the helm and is assisted in his efforts by John Bachtel, Kevin Chase, Kevin Childers, Bill Crawford, Wilbert Hunter, Dan Roberson, Joey Worley, Jody Walker, Lynn Caffey and Michael Posey.

Fairfield kicks off the 2009 season at 7:30 p.m. Friday at Eagle Field against the China Spring Cougars.

There are 32 gridders listed on the FHS varsity squad.

Moving up to varsity for his senior year is offensive and defensive tackle Kalop Allen.

COLBY GREEN The 17-year-old is the son of Jan and Tony Allen.

He enjoys "chilling" with friends.

Junior student Cory Black joins the varsity this year as defensive tackle and offensive guard.

The 16-year-old competes in powerlifting and qualified for the region meet as a sophomore.

Outside school he enjoys hunting and watching television.

Black is the son of Steve and Melinda Black.

Playing tight end and defensive end for the Eagles this season is senior LaDarius Brackens.

The 18-year-old also is a member of the varsity basketball team.

Outside sports he enjoys hanging out with friends and listening to music.

He is the son of Cleo Brackens and Mattie Faye McElroy.

Running back and strong safety Chris Burns returns to the squad after earning a varsity letter as a sophomore.

He was named All- District honorable mention at running back last season.

Burns, 16, is a junior student who also has earned letters in basketball and track.

TEVIN GREEN The athlete enjoys sports and hanging out with friends.

He is the son of Denise Cooks.

Senior student Mikael Busby transfers to Fairfield this year as a wide receiver and cornerback.

Busby, 17, also plays basketball and baseball.

In his spare time he enjoys hunting and fishing.

His guardian is Nolen Fox.

Junior student Jacob Cain returns to the varsity squad this season as quarterback and linebacker.

Last year he was the Eagles backup quarterback and was an All-District honorable mention at linebacker.

The 17-year-old also plays basketball and runs track.

Outside school he enjoys playing guitar.

Cain is the son of Carroll and Lesley Cain.

Soccer player Rudi Castillo is playing football for the first time this year, winning a spot on the varsity team as kicker.

Castillo, 17, is a junior student at FHS.

He has played soccer through the years and also runs track.

The kicker is the son of Galdino and Norma Castillo.

GARRETT HENSON Moving up to the varsity this season at cornerback is senior student Josh Dodds.

The 17-year-old enjoys working on cars and football in his spare time.

He is the son of Vickie Smith and Michael Dodds.

Returning to the varsity as running back and linebacker is junior student Robert Durham.

The 17-year-old earned a letter as a sophomore and also runs track and competes in powerlifting.

Outside interests include talking on the telephone and "chilling" with friends.

He is the son of Annie and Bobby Durham.

A 3-year letterman, senior Brock Eggleston suits up again this year at offensive tackle and defensive tackle.

The 17-year-old enjoys music when not competing.

He is the son of Eddie Eggleston and Connie Eggleston.

Senior student Vernard Evans moves up to the varsity this season as a wide receiver and cornerback.

The 17-year-old also plays basketball and runs track.

He lists interest of eating, being funny and "chilling."

Evans is the son of Vernita and Darren Huckaby.

BUBBA JACKSON Senior student Alex Ezell joins the Eagles varsity squad this season as a defensive end and offensive tackle.

The 17-year-old lists interests of playing music on guitar and tuba.

He is the son of Elaine and Terry Ezell.

The only sophomore on the varsity squad is linebacker Aubrey Gabriel.

The 15-year-old also plays basketball.

He lists interest of football and basketball.

Gabriel is the son of Jackie Gabriel and Aubrey Gabriel.

Returning letterman Colby Green, a senior student, and was a second team All-District selection at cornerback last year.

Green, 17, lines up this season at wide receiver and safety.

He also plays baseball, making honorable mention in the outfield, and is on the Academic All-District team.

Outside school he enjoys sports, fishing and "chilling."

Green is the son of Johnny and Leslie Green.

All-District wide receiver Tevin Green returns for his senior season.

The 17-year-old earned a second team All-District nod for his 2008 play.

AARON JONES He also is a varsity basketball player, making first team All-District, and runs track.

The senior is the son of James Green and Valorie Hallman.

Junior student Garrett Henson moves up to the varsity squad this season as a linebacker and tight end.

The 17-year-old also competes in powerlifting and runs track.

He is the son of David and Becca Henson.

Moving up to the varsity this year is junior student Bubba Jackson.

The 16-year-old lines up at left guard and defensive tackle.

Outside football he enjoys roping.

He is the son of Robert Jackson.

Senior student Aaron Jones joins the varsity team as a tight end and defensive end.

The 17-year-old also plays baseball for the Eagles.

He is the son of Mark and Donna Jones.

Junior student Adam Jones joins the varsity as center and defensive tackle.

The 17-year-old also runs track and competes in powerlifting for the Eagles.

He lists other interests of fishing, riding horses and swimming.

RUDI CASTILLO Jones is the son of Cynthia Green and James Green.

A 3-sport athlete, Michael Mooneyham, suits up this season on the offensive line and at defensive end.

The 16-year-old junior student also competes in powerlifting and earned a letter in baseball last year.

He is the son of Mike and Kim Mooneyham.

Senior student Andrew Myers joins the varsity team in a cornerback position this season.

The 17-year-old also plays baseball and runs track for the Eagles.

He lists interests of hunting, fishing and riding 4- wheelers.

Myers is the son of Charles and Susan Myers.

Returning letterman Lamar O'Brien, a senior student, takes the field this season at fullback and linebacker.

He was an All-District honorable mention linebacker last year.

Outside football, he enjoys playing guitar, going to concerts and hanging out with friends.

The 18-year-old is the son of Thomas O'Brien.

First team All-District offensive lineman Dominique Owens returns to the Eagles for a second season.

JOSH DODDS The 16-year-old junior student also plays defensive tackle.

He enjoys playing sports and "chilling."

Owens is the son of Lendell Owens.

Senior lineman Eli Pratt makes the varsity team for a fourth year.

The 18-year-old plays right tackle and defensive tackle, and has been an All- District pick the past two seasons.

Pratt also is a region qualifier in track and powerlifting, and plays baseball.

He lists interests of fishing, hunting and having fun.

The gridder is the son of Mike and Michelle Pratt.

Returning to the varsity after a successful sophomore start is Darian Scott, now a junior student.

Scott, 16, earned second team All-District honors at running back and was an honorable mention free safety last season.

He suits up in those spots again this year.

The 16-year-old also plays basketball.

Scott enjoys "chilling" and sleeping.

He lives with his aunt, Yvonne Gillespie.

Suiting up on the varsity for the third year, senior Eric Simpson will play fullback and linebacker.

ROBERT DURHAM He was picked for All- District honorable mention last year on defense.

As a sophomore student he was named All-District Newcomer of the Year in baseball and was a first team infielder as a junior.

The 17-year-old lists interests of firefighting, swimming and fishing.

He is the son of Eric and Sandra Simpson.

Junior student Matt Szymanski joins the varsity this season at right guard.

The 16-year-old also plays golf for FHS.

Outside sports he enjoys playing drums.

Szymanski is the son of Mack Szymanski.

Senior student Willie Tatum returns to the football team this year after sitting out his junior season with a broken wrist.

The 17-year-old athlete lettered in football as a sophomore, making first team All-District, and plays wide receiver and cornerback.

Tatum was named All- District Newcomer of the Year as a member of the Eagles varsity basketball team.

He enjoys playing sports, eating and watching television.

BROCK EGGLESTON The senior student is the son of Willie Tatum and Amelia Tatum.

Moving up to the varsity squad as quarterback and defensive end is junior student Justin Terry.

The 16-year-old was named All-District Newcomer of the Year in baskeball and is a first team All-District pitcher.

He lists interests of rodeo, sports, friends and family.

Terry is the son of Doyle and Kim Terry.

Junior student Brodrick White returns to the varsity after a sophomore season in which he was named All- District Defensive Newcomer of the Year as a linebacker.

The 17-year-old lines up at fullback when the offensive unit is on the field.

White also plays baskeball, runs track and competes in powerlifting.

He enjoys "chilling" with friends and getting to know people.

He is the son of Daphne and Adam White.

Moving up to the varsity squad as a defensive end and left guard is junior student Ryan Wilkinson.

The 15-year-old also competes in powerlifting.

He lists interests of lifting weights and riding dirt bikes.

VERNARD EVANS Wilkinson is the son of David Wilkinson and Tina Wilkinson.

Senior student Jeff Wood will play receiver for the Eagles this season.

The 17-year-old also plays baseball.

Outside school he enjoys hunting and riding 4-wheelers.

He is the son of Steven and Sharon Wood.

ALEX EZELL KALOP ALLEN CORY BLACK LaDARIUS BRACKENS CHRIS BURNS MIKAEL BUSBY JACOB CAIN ADAM JONES MICHAEL MOONEYHAM ANDREW MYERS LAMAR O'BRIEN DOMINIQUE OWENS ELI PRATT EVAN SIMPSON MATT SZYMANSKI DARIAN SCOTT WILLIE TATUM JUSTIN TERRY BRODRICK WHITE RYAN WILKINSON JEFF WOOD