After two straight losses, the Goshen Eagles will look to get back to their winning ways Friday night when they take on the R.C. Hatch Bobcats.

With Homecoming, however, comes a variety of distractions that head coach Bart Snyder said his team will have to overcome.

“I am kind of nervous about the distractions,” Snyder said. “But, I feel like they’ve done a real good job of avoiding the distractions.”

Snyder said the coaching staff has tried to express to the team how important it is to remain focused on the task at hand.

“The extra activities that come with Homecoming are nice, but a win would be even better,” Snyder said. “We’ve just tried to stress to them that the distractions could take a toll if we get too caught up in them, and keep us from playing how we need to play.”

The Eagles (2-3, 2-1) should be able to keep their minds on the Bobcats (2-3, 2-1), as R.C. Hatch will undoubtedly provide a huge test.

The Bobcat defense will look to stack the box defensively in an attempt to stuff the Eagle ground game.

“They run a 4-4 defensively, but they will switch to a 5-2 on occasion,” Snyder said. “They’re going to look to stop the run, that’s for sure.”

While the Bobcats will look to stuff the middle on defense, they will attempt to spread out the Eagle defense when they have the ball.

“They run the pistol on offense,” Snyder said. “They have some good athletes, and they’ll look to spread it out and get the ball to their playmakers in space.”

With the Eagle defense spread out and the athleticism of the Bobcats, Snyder said remaining in position on defense will be a key.

“We just have to make sure we do what we’re taught,” Snyder said, “We have to get our players to keep their assignments. We’re going to be spread out on defense, so we just have to make tackles when we have the opportunity.”

While the offensive and defensive schemes of the Bobcats concern Snyder, he said the timing of the game as it relates to Goshen’s schedule is also a concern.

“I told the guys at the beginning of the season that if I had to circle a game that I was worried about, this would be the one,” Snyder said. “This game concerns me because we’ve had the challenge of getting up for four big games in a row now, and now we have to prepare for a team that is so athletic. With a team as young as this, getting up for all four games before this one, and now having to come back and get ready for this is a lot to ask.”

Goshen will take on R.C. Hatch in Goshen Friday at 7 p.m.