After going to the regional quarterfinals last season, the furthest baseball playoff appearance in school history, the Eagles are playing for another record season in 2014.

Senior Ryan Hoogerwerf said the team has the ability to be better than last year’s squad.

“Last year three rounds deep was pretty impressive with the guys we had,” Hoogerwerf said. “No one thought we could be as good as we were, but we really came together, and this year I feel if we start clicking on all cylinders, we could go a lot deeper than the third round.”

With a new 6A district comes new opponents, but old baseball rivalries still linger.

“The teams we play in district are tough,” Hoogerwerf said. “Plano’s always good. [Plano] West is always good. McKinney Boyd will be good this year, so [the hardest aspect of the season will be] definitely going through district and consistently playing to a level that no one else can beat.”

After the way the seniors reacted to the team’s success in 2013, Hoogerwerf said the 2014 seniors need to lead in the same way to help the younger players.

“This year being a senior I just feel it’s our responsibility to take the pressure,” Hoogerwerf said. “The juniors and the underclassmen should feel the pressure to help us, but I definitely feel like it’s just go out there and play the game you love.”

Hoogerwerf said that the team as a whole is helped by the chemistry of the players and their experience together.

“It’s been great. We’ve known most of these guys for a couple years now, and it’s just a brotherhood,” Hoogerwerf said. “I’m really blessed to have these coaches, have these guys playing with me. I’m really happy this is my senior year, and I get to do it with these guys.”