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The Goshen Eagles will open the 2023 football season this Friday, Aug. 25, on the road at Class 3A’s Daleville Warhawks.

Goshen and Daleville opened the 2022 season with the Eagles coming away with a 38-19 win last season. That was the first time the two schools had met in nearly 20 years, however. Before last season’s game, the Eagles had never defeated the Warhawks, losing the past five straight contests dating back to 1971. Daleville holds the all-time edge over Goshen 6-1-3 with the first time the two schools met being a 13-13 tie in 1967.

Daleville, much like Goshen, saw improvement in 2022 after falling on hard times. The Warhawks were once one of the top programs in the Wiregrass region, winning a state championship in the 1990s and making the playoffs six straight years from 2014 through 2019. The Warhawks, though, went just 1-19 in 2020 and 2021 combined. Last season, Daleville improved to 3-7. Goshen coach Don Moore expects to see even more improvement from the Warhawks this season.

“They’re a good football team,” Moore flatly said. “They’re big up front, they have a big offensive and defensive line. They have a really good quarterback that’s really elusive and fast. We’ll have to do a good job containing him.

“They also have a good running back that played last year and they’ve added some depth at receiver and are spreading the ball around a little more. They’re a lot better team than they were the past few years and Coach (Will) Garner does a great job over there. I expect a really well disciplined team.”

With a veteran team returning from last year’s 6-4 Eagle squad, Moore wants to see his team show mental toughness when things get tough.

“I want to see them compete, that’s really the biggest thing and being physical,” Moore said. “Not just physically tough but mentally tough, that’s what we want to see. When things get tough don’t hang your head, you have to battle.

“Just because bad things happen doesn’t mean it’s the end. You have to go for four quarters and you can’t let up. Those are the things we’ve been coaching and preaching this whole fall camp. That’s what I’m hoping to see Friday night.”