Sports Writer

The Goshen Eagles are on a four-game winning streak heading into their season finale with Pleasant Home which they defeated 35-6 last year at Eagle Stadium.

Coach Joe Thornton is looking for an entirely different ball game this year though, as PHHS, 7-2, is an improved and more experienced team.

"They didn’t have any seniors on their team last year," Thornton said. "They have the biggest offensive line that we’ve seen all year. I think that the smallest guy on their line weighs 260 pounds."

Thornton said that the only other offensive line that Goshen has faced that compares to Pleasant Home’s is Red Level’s line. Thornton noted that Pleasant Home defeated Red Level 15-8, while Goshen lost to the Tigers 35-17.

Although the Eagles aren’t playing the role of the underdog when they face Pleasant Home, they aren’t exactly the favorites either. One reason is because of a couple of key injuries.

"One of our starting linebackers, Tyrone Crawford, won’t play Friday night," Thornton said.

Crawford, who is also a threat on offense, is trying to get healthy as the Eagles prepare to make a run in the state playoffs. Starting defensive back Damien Pelton is also questionable for Friday’s game.

Last week the Eagles won a defensive battle over Highland Home in a 14-13 victory to boost their record to 6-3 on the year.

"They snapped an extra point high and we recovered it," Thornton said of the one point difference of the final score. "It was a good game, real close and even one in stats. The difference ended up being the three interceptions that they threw."

With a smile on his face Thornton said, "We knew that we would have to play a perfect game and our kids did. We played a perfect game."

When asked if he thought, at the beginning of the season, that his team would be where they are right now Thornton said he didn’t.

"Our kids worked hard. They don’t like losing. These kids give you every ounce that they’ve got and that’s what has made the difference."

The class 1A Pleasant Home Eagles are coming off of a 22-13 win over the Brantley Bulldogs and are sitting in second place in their region with a 5-1 regional record.

Thornton said that in order to win the Eagles will have to find a way to stop tailback Levi Cotton and Pleasant Home’s running game when they travel to Andalusia Friday night.