Eagles show talons against Rebels

By Greg Rossino (Contact) | Troy Messenger

Published Saturday, September 5, 2009

In the Region 3 class 2A clash between the Goshen Eagles and the Zion Chapel Rebels, both teams came into the rivalry game looking for a win and a step up in the region.

When it was all said and done however, the Eagles were able to take that step and many more as Goshen won its first game of the season 22-6.

At the half, the score was 7-6 with both teams having nearly identical stats as the Rebels produced 79 yards to the Eagles 127.

The second half was a different story all together, thanks in large part to Goshen’s two talented running backs, junior Marcus Jackson and sophomore Reginald Foster.

Both running backs came alive in the second half rushing for a combined 246 yards, which was more than the entire Rebels’ offense could muster all night, finishing with 204.

With the win, Goshen improves its record to 1-1.

“We started the game off slow,” Jackson said.

“We knew that we would have to find a way to get something going, and when we did good things happened.”

Late in the fourth quarter, Jackson took off for an 80-yard touchdown run that all but sealed the victory for the Eagles.

“This was a must win game for us,” Foster said. “And it feels pretty good.”

Like his teammate, Foster had a long touchdown run in the fourth quarter, taking it 74-yards to the back of the end zone.

“I think we were slacking a bit in the first half, but we turned it on after halftime.”

The win was the first for Eagle’s first year head coach Bart Snyder.

“This was a heck of a win for us,” Snyder said.

“We faced a lot of obstacles tonight and the team responded to each one of them – we never quit once [on Friday].”

For the second straight week, Zion Chapel kept it close for the first two quarters before falling in the end.

“This was the one that got away,” Rebels head coach Mike Waters told his team after the game.

“Its disappointing to lose a game that I think was pretty winnable.

“We gave up the big play twice tonight, and that was something I was worried about all week long,” the coached added.

The loss drops Zion Chapel to 0-2 on the season.

In those two games, the Rebel’s defense has given up 64 points while its offense has only scored six.

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