A single obstacle lies before the Fort Dale Academy Eagles and their 16th playoff appearance in 17 years, and there are more questions than answers.

The Eagles square off with the Lakeside Chiefs in their regular season finale on the road Friday. 

The Chiefs, of the AISA’s Class AA Region 1, are 4-4 on the year and have posted wildly varying performances throughout the 2016 regular season.

Lakeside has averaged nearly 36 points per game, but the Chiefs’ defense has simultaneously given up 34 points.

The team lit up the scoreboard against the Kingwood Christian Lions to the tune of 70 points—just two points shy of a 42-year-old record.

But the Chiefs also coughed up 75 points courtesy of Crenshaw Christian Academy at the top of the year, which is the most points allowed by a Lakeside defense in the school’s history.

And though the Chiefs sit squarely at the .500 mark on the overall season, they sit comfortably in second place of their region at 4-1, trailing only the undefeated Cornerstone Christian Academy Chargers.

But perhaps more worrisome is the prospect of injury management in this phase of the regular season.

The Eagles suffered losses just a short week ago in losing Dakota Berry and Sawyer Hennis, as well as Clay Mansmann, who suffered a concussion.

But Fort Dale Academy head football coach James Sampley said that many teams around the region and beyond are dealing with similar issues.

“Everybody’s beat up and banged up this time of year,” Sampley said.

“If they aren’t, they haven’t been playing very hard.”

The Eagles travel to Eufaula to face the Chiefs Friday night.  Kickoff is slated for 7 p.m.