By Gary Thomas

Highland Home School (HHS) used a cat-quick defense and big plays to earn their fifth win of the season over Region 3 2A power, eighth-ranked Goshen Eagles, 53-21, at Clay-Jordan stadium this past Friday night.

This was a game of two different halves as the Eagles won the first half 21-19, and the Fly Boys took the second 34-0. Goshen wasted very little time in putting points on the scoreboard as they drove 63 yards in four plays, taking only 1:28 as quarterback Jayden McNabb outraced the Squadron defense 32 yards for the touchdown.

Goshen’s PAT was successful as they went up 7-0.

It took HHS only 33 seconds in two plays to go 49 yards to answer the Eagles’ score. Tyler Chaney raced around the right end to cover the final 46 yards. Place kicker Austin Norman’s PAT kick was good as the score stood 7-7 at the end of the first quarter.

With 8:21 left in the first half, Goshen regained the lead when McNabb scored his second touchdown of the half on a two-yard blast into the end zone to cap off a 38-yard drive. Once again, the PATkick was true and the Eagles were up 14-7.

The Fly Boys again answered the score with a 55-yard drive in ten plays with Squadron senior quarterback T.J. Washington went in from 11 yards. But this time, the dependable foot of Norman failed as his kick went wide right on the attempt.

Leading by one point, 14-13, the Fly Boy defense came up with a big play to stop the Eagles when double back Chaney picked off a McNabb pass and returned it 58 yards to the Eagle 14-yard line. From there it took only one play as Washington raced 14 yards to tally his second touchdown of the game. Norman’s kick missed the mark, but HHS led 19-14.

With 1:29 left in the half, the Eagles took control of the scoreboard as running back Corey Andrews’ rushed 54 yards for the touchdown and the second-ranked Squadron was down for the first time this season, 21-19, at half time.

In the third quarter, the Squadron retook the lead on a five-play, 59-yard drive as Wastington hit Austin Crittenden on a 24-yard scoring strike. Leading 27-21, HHS hit the Eagle end zone as they drove 80 yards in five plays.

Crittenden got his second touchdown from the Eagle 35-yard line. Norman’s PAT kick was good as the scoreboard showed HHS 34, Goshen 21. Crittenden scored again when he went 14 yards from 21 yards out to end a six-play, 70-yard drive to put HHS up 40-21 with 10:47 to go in the game. He was not done though, as he scored from two yards to cap off a three-play, 84-yard scoring march. The short drive was et up on an 80-yard run by Chaney and with 6:31 left in the game, HHS was up 46-21.

Crittenden closed the game scoring when he rambled 90 yards for his fifth and final touchdown. The final score showed the Squadron had rolled over Goshen, 53-21.
The Fly Boy offense racked up 429 yards on the ground on 30 carries from their wing-T formation. The defense gave up three touchdowns in the game, but held off the Eagles in the second half.

The Squadron will fly into Brantley to face county rival Bulldogs at David Lowery Field. Kickoff is set at 7 p.m. Thursday night.