The Goshen Eagles faced off against regional foe Elba at home on Friday. The Eagles (3-1, 2-1) came up just short against the Tigers (3-1, 2-0), losing 20-14.

Goshen entered the game nearly unstoppable on offense. After stopping Elba’s opening-game drive on three plays, Goshen drove down the field and inside the Tiger five yard line. The Eagles, faced with a fourth down at the one yard line, elected to go for it but were stopped short.

The Tigers took over and picked up a couple of first downs before punting. Goshen started its second drive of the game from its own 49 yard line. On the first play, quarterback Brock Snyder found wide receiver Iyan Hinkle who took it 51 yards for the game’s first touchdown.

Goshen kept its momentum rolling by forcing Elba into another three and out. Once the Eagles took over, they embarked on another long drive that saw the end of the first quarter. After stalling at the 20 yard line, the Eagles attempted a field goal but Dawson Hamlin’s 37 yard try was no good.

Elba took over but had to punt once again after a pair of first downs. On Goshen’s first play of its next drive, running back Damion Passmore fumbled inside the Eagles own 15 yard line. Two plays later, Elba’s Byron Johnson scored on a four yard touchdown run to the outside. Following the successful two point conversion, the Tigers led 8-7.

Neither team could get a drive going for the rest of the half. Elba moved the football down field late in the quarter but had a Xavier Florent pass picked off by Passmore. Goshen couldn’t capitalize on the turnover and the half ended with the Eagles down a point.

On the opening kickoff of the second half, Goshen dropped the kick and the Tigers recovered at the Eagles 29 yard line. Elba, however, turned the ball over on downs before it could pick up a first down.

The Eagles took over but was quickly forced to punt. On the ensuing Elba possession, quarterback Richmon Singletary kept the ball himself and scored on a 49 yard touchdown run. After failing to convert on the two point conversion, Elba led 14-7.

Quarterback Bryan Galloway checked in for Goshen and sparked a long drive with a 21 yard pass to running back Daquan Foster. The drive ended up yielding zero points as Hamlin missed a 33 yard field goal. The Tigers took and, on the third play, scored on a 72 yard touchdown run by Singletary. Elba could not convert the two point conversion but led 20-7 as the third quarter ended.

Goshen took over and was able to move down the field thanks to a 20 yard pass to Foster. However, the drive ended in Tiger territory after Goshen turned the ball over on downs.

New life was breathed into Goshen when Makel Avery intercepted a Johnson pass on the next possession. Goshen promptly marched down the field behind the running of Snyder and Passmore. The former punched it into the end zone and brought the Eagles to within one score, 20-14, with 4:43 left in the game.

Passmore ended the game with a team-high 95 rushing yards on 16 carries. Snyder had 34 rushing yards with 31 coming in the second half.

Elba took over and took two minutes off the clock before punting the ball back to Goshen. The Eagles couldn’t move the football, though, and threw an interception on third down.

The Tigers could not pick up a first down, though, and punted the ball with 55 seconds left. Three incompletions and an interception dashed the Goshen comeback bid, though.

Snyder completed six of 22 passes for 92 yards and one touchdown against two interceptions.

“I’m very proud of our guys and the effort in which they gave. They fought for the world out there,” Goshen head coach Bart Snyder said after the game. “We had some opportunities but it was the little things. If anybody didn’t come here to see this game they missed a heck of a show.

“I’m real proud of our guys, now we got to get ready for Houston Academy next week and we will be ready.”

Goshen will hit the road next week and take on Houston Academy at 7:00 pm in Dothan.