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The Goshen Eagles (2-2, 0-2) are back at home this week for a Class 2A, Region 3 game against the LaFayette Bulldogs (1-3, 1-1).

The Eagles are coming off a frustrating 43-18 loss to Reeltown last week. Despite getting down by double digits multiple times, Goshen was able to cut the score to single digits twice before Reeltown pulled away.

“I think at times we played well and at other times we didn’t play well. We got down early, gave up a big play on third-and-long and we threw an interception and they went down and scored again on us,” GHS Coach Don Moore said. “We settled down and played well and came back and scored to get it 13-6 with four minutes left in the second quarter but then we gave two quick scores again and an interception.

“We came back down and scored really fast on one play from scrimmage to get it down to 27-13 at halftime. We stopped them three-and-out to open the third quarter and drove down and scored again to get within eight points. Then, we gave up another touchdown in three plays and we never really recovered from that. They’re a really good football team and we faltered there at the end. That’s one of those things we’re working to fix.”

LaFayette comes into the game after winning its first game of the season, 30-0, against Barbour County last week. Before that, LaFayette lost to Locahapoka, Bullock County and Reeltown to open the season.

“They’re going to be fast and they’re big up front,” Moore said of LaFayette. “They run ‘spread’ but they’ll also get into ‘double tights’ and the ‘I-Formation’ and they don’t mind running it at you. They’ll definitely throw it deep on you, too. It’s going to be a challenge for us but if we play like we should we’ll be okay.”

Last season, Goshen defeated LaFayette 60-28, which was the first time the two schools have ever played. Moore’s message to his team this week – and every week moving forward – is a simple one.

“I want us to compete for four quarters,” he flatly said. “That’s going to be the goal every week until we do it, compete for four full quarters.”

Goshen hosts LaFayette at 7 p.m. this Friday at Eagle Stadium in Goshen.