Goshen outlasts feisty Straughn in regular season finale

Published 10:05 pm Friday, November 1, 2024

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The Goshen Eagles (7-2) held on for a 33-21 win over the Straughn Tigers (5-5) in the regular season finale on Friday night on the road.

Goshen scored on the first play from scrimmage and led 23-0 before Straughn finally got on the scoreboard. The Tigers, though, did manage to claw their way back into the game and come within five points with under two minutes remaining only for Goshen to seal the deal with a long touchdown run in the final seconds.

Goshen came out swinging in the contest as Szemerick Andrews scored on an 80-yard touchdown run on the first play from scrimmage. The PAT gave the Eagles a 7-0 lead with 11:44 left in the opening period. Goshen added a 24-yard touchdown run from Jayden McNabb with 5:00 left in the first quarter to extend the lead to 14-0. Also, late in the first quarter, Straughn gave up a safety to give the Eagles a 16-0 lead.

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In the second quarter, Goshen extended the lead to 23-0 on an 80-yard run from McNabb with 5:08 left in the half. As time expired in the half, Straughn finally scored on a 1-yard run from Charlie Jordan cutting the Goshen lead to 23-7 at halftime.

Neither team managed to get on the scoreboard in the third quarter but Goshen added its lead on a 34-yard field goal from Zion Picatoste with 7:14 left in the fourth. Straughn then began to rally.

The Tigers cut the lead to 26-14 on a 17-yard pass from Tate Watson to Eli Grissett with 5:08 remaining. After Straughn recovered an onside kick, Watson added a 1-yard touchdown run to cut the Goshen lead to 26-21 with 1:55 left.

Straughn attempted another onside kick but the Eagles recovered this one. As the Tigers were attempting to make a stop to try and get the ball back, McNabb bounced a third down carry to the outside and scored on a 46-yard run with just 58 seconds remaining to seal the 33-21 win.

Goshen piled up 443 yards of offense with 417 yards on the ground, while holding Straughn to 352 yards. Straughn was penalized 10 times, while Goshen was flagged 14 times. Both teams turned the ball over once.

McNabb led the Goshen rushing attack with 251 yards and three touchdowns on 19 carries, while completing 2-of-7 passes for 26 yards and an interception. Andrews rushed for 86 yards and a score on seven carries. Joshua Terry rushed for 50 yards on three carries.

Landon Chandler led the Goshen defense with 19 tackles and 2.5 tackles-for-loss, while Jacoby Brunson earned four tackles and two tackles-for-loss. Tyler McLendon earned eight tackles and five pass breakups, while Jerbauri Williams earned an interception.

Goshen is back at home next Friday, Nov. 8, for the first round of the Class 2A State Playoffs against Washington County.