Sports Editor

Class 2A No. 7 Goshen will make the long trek to Gulf Shores this Saturday in hopes of bringing a 4-0 record back with them going into next week’s regional contest against Red Level.

Kickoff is at 7 p.m.

The Dolphins are a Class 3A team in their first year of varsity football. Gulf Shores is winless in three games this season and although they dress out almost 70 total players, almost all

are freshmen and sophomores.

"Gulf Shores has got a lot of speed," Eagles Head Coach Joe Thornton said. "We’ll have to bring our A game to beat them."

Right now Thornton has several question marks to answer on his own team before the game on Saturday night as well as next week’s visit by the Tigers.

Thought to be a weakness in the spring, the Goshen offensive line has gelled together as a unit and have basically had their way with the the defenses they’ve faced. Through three games the Eagles offense is averaging almost 306 yards on the ground,

But last weekend against Barbour County junior lineman Nathan Jones suffered a broken arm and will likely miss the rest of the season. Thornton was also hit with another blow to his starting unit this week, with junior Cedric Bean having to have knee surgery. Bean, who is one of the Eagles largest lineman, will be out two to three weeks according to Thornton.

"Nathan was really coming along and starting to be able to get in there and help us," Thornton said. "Losing both him and Cedric in one week is tough."

Thornton said freshmen Damoreo Green, who has seen action at tight end this season, will likely be moved inside, but as of Tuesday night Thornton really didn’t have any answers to the problem.

"Damoreo is a baller," Thorton said. "Physically he’s ready to get out there and play, but mentally he’s not. A lot that goes on out there on a football field in a game is mental. You just have to be mentally prepared."

The emergence of sophomores Jonathan Folmar and Damien Pelton at wide receiver, along with veteran Kendaris Pelton, have allowed Thornton to utilize Jamar Tucker (6-4, 205) more at tight end when the Eagles go into an I-formation.