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The Goshen Eagles (7-2) will host a first round playoff game for the first time since 2019 this Friday, Nov. 8, against the Washington County Bulldogs (6-4) in round one of the Class 2A Sate Playoffs.

Goshen comes into the playoffs on a four-game winning streak, as the No. 2 seed in Region 3 and fresh off a 33-21 win over Class 4A Straughn last Friday.

“I think we played extremely well at times,” GHS Coach Don Moore said of the win over Straughn. “We had to battle through some things, some injuries, and some other guys had to play that we weren’t expecting to use. That’s part of it and they were ready to play and it was good for them to get that experience in a game like that and an atmosphere like that. They played pretty well and I think we handled the adversity pretty well for the environment we were in.”

Through the regular season, Goshen quarterback Jayden McNabb has thrown for 517 yards, eight touchdowns and just one interception along with 1,335 yards and 17 touchdowns rushing. Running back Szemerick Andrews has piled up 884 yards and 12 touchdowns on just 73 carries. He’s also scored two touchdowns receiving and returned an interception for a touchdown. Receiver Tyler McLendon has caught 17 passes for 381 yards and six touchdowns with 10 total touchdowns on the season, including two kickoff returns for scores.

On the defensive side, McNabb, Andrews and McLendon have been stalwarts there, as well along with linebacker Landon Chandler and defensive end Jacoby Brunson. Last week, Chandler tallied 20 tackles and two tackles-for-loss against Straughn, while Brunson amassed 11 tackles, three tackles-for-loss and a safety.

Goshen’s opponent for the first round of the playoffs is Washington County, coming off a 47-13 win over Fruitdale on Oct. 31. Washington County finished as the No. 3 seed in Region 1 and holds wins over Cottage Hill Christian Academy, St. Lukes, Chickasaw, Central Hayneville, Bayshore Christian and Fruitdale.

“They’re pretty big up front, they have an offensive tackle with four or five Division I offers; he’s a big kid,” Moore said of Washington County. “They want to establish the run and have some weapons on the outside that they can throw it to. We have to be disciplined and match their physicality up front, for sure. We also have to be able to be disciplined on the edges and not bite on their play-action (passes).”

Moore said Washington County’s defense also brings plenty of physicality.

“On defense they run a traditional 4-3 scheme and a lot of those same guys that play on the offensive line play on the defensive line,” he said. “They’re physical on both sides of the ball and we’ll have to be able to match what they bring there.”

Washington County was a perennial power in both 2A and 3A from 2000 until 2016, earning two state runner-up finishes and two more semifinal appearances during that span.

From 2017 through 2022, the Bulldogs didn’t make a single playoff appearance but former head coach Johnny Carpenter helped turned things around in recent years, much like Moore has done in Goshen. Washington County made its first playoff appearance since 2016 last season and is back in the playoffs again with its best record since 2016, as well.

Goshen and Washington County’s similarities are also reflected in the records. In Carpenter’s first year at the helm, Washington County went 1-9 and then improved to 4-7 in 2023 and 6-4 this season. Meanwhile at Goshen, the Eagles went 1-9 in Moore’s first season and then improved to 6-4 the following year, 9-3 last season and are sitting at 7-2 this season. At the end of October, though, Carpenter suddenly resigned as head coach at Washington County.

Washington County and Goshen have met just once in the past, a 39-0 Bulldog win in the first round of the 2015 2A Playoffs.

“This week, I want to see the same thing I want to see out of our guys every week; be physical and compete for four full quarters,” Moore said. “That’s the main thing for us, and playing together. We’ve been doing really well the last few weeks and I just want to see that trend continue.”

Goshen hosts Washington County at Eagle Stadium at 7 p.m. on Friday night.