By John Raffel
Correspondent
GOBLES — In the first round of the MHSAA football playoffs, the Gobles Tigers (7-3) put up a fierce fight in a 72–62 loss against Climax-Scotts, showcasing a dominant rushing attack and balanced offense.
Steven Juarez led the ground game with 345 yards and four touchdowns, while Nathan Ray added 147 yards and three scores and Aiden Beam contributed 70 yards and a touchdown. The Tigers totaled 768 yards of offense and converted all seven two-point attempts, but Climax-Scotts’ offense proved equally potent. Defensively, Ray led the team with 18 tackles and an interception, supported by strong efforts from Salinas and Timms.
“Despite the loss, Gobles displayed toughness, explosive offense, and resilience throughout the high-scoring affair,” coach Greg Eichler said. “The performance capped off a thrilling contest that showcased the Tigers’ trademark toughness, explosive offense, and never-quit mentality — characteristics that have defined the program throughout the season.
“As the season concludes, the Gobles Football program would like to acknowledge the hard work and accomplishments of our team. We especially recognize our 11 seniors who have put our program on a new level over the last 4 years and beyond: Nathan Ray, Aiden Beam, Brett Ivester, Steven Juarez, AJ Salinas, Tucker Greffe, Devin Doorlag, Aiden Dukes, Conner Morris, Tuomas Reunanen, Manuel Moraleja Canon.
“We look forward to hearing about some of the postseason recognitions that our kids earned both on the field and in the classroom. It’s a Great Day to be a Gobles Tiger.”
