The Goshen Eagles routed the New Brockton Gamecocks 49-20 Thursday to claim the Alabama Class 2A Area 5 championship and earn home court advantage in next week’s sub regional tournament.

“I am speechless right now,” said Lady Eagles head coach Fred Lowery. “I am so proud of these girls. We had some adversity this season and they have just been battling and never gave up. This was a goal of theirs, and we did it.”

The Goshen Eagles relied on their up-tempo offense and trap defense taking advantage of missed shot by the Gamecocks and turning them into easy points.

“It was extremely important for us tonight,” Lowery said. “We did not shoot the ball well, and we really haven’t shot it well all year. We have to rely on our speed and quickness. We try to turn up the intensity and try to get some easy layups.”

After being down 4-2 in the opening quarter, the Eagles embarked on an 11-0 run to take a 13-6 lead.

Sisters Shamiya and Bre Griffin have been the backbone of the Eagles all season long and that carried into the championship game. The Gamecocks only manage to score a single point in the second quarter while Bre and Shamiya combined to score nine.

Shamiya Griffin ended the opening half with eight points while her younger sister finished with nine and the Eagles went into halftime with a commanding 24-7 lead.

“That is extremely important for us to have any measure of success,” Lowery said. “If we want it to be a game on Monday night both of them have to be productive for us.”

The Eagles carried momentum into the third quarter and outscored the Gamecocks 15-9. The Lady Eagles held the Gamecocks to just two points in the final quarter and rode to the easy 29 point win.

Lowery hopes the toughness in Region 5 will help prepare the team for what is sure to be a competitive sub-regional tournament.

“I think playing teams like Elba, New Brockton, and Zion Chapel will help prepare us for what we are going to see,” Lowery said. “It’s do or die. If we win we stay; if we lose we go home. That is what time it is right now.”

The Eagles will start the next phase of their season when the get set to tip off the sub regional tournament Monday night at 7 p.m.