By JOE DODD
Legend has it that Friday the 13th is an unlucky date, full of strange happenings. Both held true Friday night at Buckeye Stadium, as the Gilmer Buckeyes jumped out to a 28-0 first quarter lead, then coasted to a 49-7 win over the Sabine Cardinals to open District 15-3A play. The victory was Gilmer’s 25th straight win against district foes, and the 18th straight win at Buckeye Stadium.
Despite the 42-point win, Buckeyes’ head coach Jeff Traylor and his players fielded postgame questions with answers normally reserved for the losing team. “We didn’t play near as bad as it seems like we did,” said Traylor; who continued by saying, “It’s kind of like being on an airplane where you have a rough landing; but you got down, and you walked off the airplane. Well as long as you walk away; it’s good. And that’s kind of how this game was. It was a rough landing, but we walked away.” Offensive tackle David Snow echoed his coach’s thoughts, “We just wanted to be physical, and we just faded away it seems.”
Sabine suffered from most of the bad luck, as two of the Cardinals’ three turnovers were converted into Buckeyes’ touchdowns just one play later. Those two one-play touchdown drives weren’t the only strange happenings on the night. Gilmer actually totaled three one-play touchdown drives; while the Cardinals failed to score on a field goal attempted after time had expired in the first-half, and on an almost 12-minute drive that saw Sabine at the Gilmer 1-yard line with a 1st and goal.
“It still feels good, but it wasn’t like we wanted it to be,” said Buckeyes’ receiver Lamar Harris, who scored Gilmer’s first two touchdowns on passes from G.J. Kinne. The first touchdown came on a 20-yard pass with 8:41 to play in the 1st quarter. The second score was on a 10-yard pass with 4:20 remaining in the 1st quarter. Matt Burgin added the first two of his seven extra-points of the game.
On the ensuing kickoff, the Buckeyes’ Donte Harris recovered a Cardinals’ fumble at the Sabine 6-yard line. Justin Johnson carried the football into the end zone on the next play, making the score 21-0 just 11 seconds after Harris’ second touchdown.
After two straight three-and-out series by Sabine to start the game, Gilmer’s Black Flag defense forced another quick series, stopping the Cardinals’ fake punt attempt on fourth down, giving the ball to the Buckeyes’ offense at the 50-yard line. After a 5-yard false start penalty that moved the ball back to Gilmer’s 45-yard line, Kinne flicked a quick pass out to Jamell Kennedy who darted up the far sideline, out-running defenders, and eluding another with a 360-degree spin at the 10-yard line, finishing the spectacular 55-yard touchdown with 1:32 left in the 1st quarter.
The Cardinals and Buckeyes exchanged punts on the next three series before Gilmer’s got back on the board when sophomore running back Josh Thompson scored from 1-yard out with 3:21 to go in the half, making the score 35-0.
The bad luck shifted on the next series, as Sabine was forced to punt after another three-and-out stand by the Buckeyes’ defense; but Gilmer’s Dustin Jones fumbled the punt to a Cardinal defender at the Buckeyes’ 31-yard line. After a 5-yard penalty on Sabine, and a 1-yard run; the Cardinals’ Josh Herod lofted a pass to Desmond Perry, who caught the ball over a falling Buckeyes’ defender, for a 35-yard touchdown with only 43 seconds to play in the half.
Gilmer’s bad luck continued on the next series, with five Kinne passes in a row falling incomplete, including Kinne’s final throw on fourth down under heavy pressure from Sabine defenders as time ran out on the clock. Officials called Kinne for intentional grounding on the play, awarding the ball to Sabine at the Gilmer 17-yard line for one play, despite there being no time remaining on the clock. The Cardinals lined up for a 34-yard field goal attempt, but Taylor Grey’s kick sailed wide left, leaving the score at 35-7 as both teams retreated to the locker room for half-time.
“We fumbled the punt return and gave them a cheap 7. Now it’s 35-7, instead of 42-0 at halftime,” Traylor said. “People remember the 40 seconds we had right before halftime. That series stuck in everybody’s mind because of the way it unfolded. That left a bad taste in our mouths.”
“I wanted a shutout, and we didn’t get the job done,” stated Gilmer linebacker Dominique Buchanan, who finished with 10 tackles for the Buckeyes. Traylor was still impressed with his defense. “Our defense got after it. They were flying around and hitting people. They played really well except for a bust in coverage on that one play.”
Traylor was also quick to praise his defensive standouts. “Our defensive linemen; Kodey Wear had seven tackles, C.J. Kyle had six tackles. Arsenial Richardson had 15 tackles. Dominique Buchanan had a couple of big hits in the ball game. Stump Godfrey had six tackles and an interception. Dustin Jones played hard at cornerback; so our defense really got after it.”
The Buckeyes tried to get rid of that bad taste on the opening possession of the second half, as Kinne finished a 5-play, 69-yard drive, with a 21-yard touchdown pass to Dustin Jones with only 2:03 off the clock.
Sabine’s first possession of the second-half saw the Cardinals gain five yards on seven plays, before Gilmer’s Stump Godfrey intercepted a Herod pass at the Buckeyes’ 10-yard line and returned it to the 29-yard line. Two plays later the Buckeyes returned the favor, when Devane Clark fumbled to Sabine’s John Miller at the Cardinals’ 43-yard line. The strange happenings continued three plays later when Gilmer’s Dominique Buchanan tipped a Herod pass and Goodman intercepted the ball and returned it to the Sabine 39-yard line.
Justin Johnson covered those 39 yards on the next play, for his second touchdown of the game, ending the scoring with 2:23 remaining in the third quarter. Johnson finished with 130 yards on only 10 carries, helping the Buckeyes to a season-best 269 rushing yards.
Even though the scoring had ended; the strange happenings did not. Sabine took possession of the football with 2:23 left to go in the third quarter and kept it away from the Buckeyes’ until only 2:48 remained in the game. The Cardinals took the ball down to the Buckeyes’ 1-yard line, converting two fourth down conversions along the way, and taking advantage of two penalties against the Gilmer defense. But with first and goal from the Buckeyes’ 1-yard line, Gilmer’s defense pushed the visitors back to the 10-yard line, before forcing the ball over on downs when Herod’s fourth down pass fell incomplete in the end zone.
Gilmer closed the game out with one final spectacular play, when freshman quarterback Stump Godfrey sprinted up the home sideline for 60 yards, before being tripped up at the 9-yard line. The Buckeyes’ quarterback took a knee on the next play and time ran out, improving Gilmer’s season record to 6-0.
STATISTICS
Sabine Gilmer
11 First downs 22
33-44 Rushes-yds 25-269
10-23-2 Passing 9-16-0
102 Passing yds 159
146 Total yds 428
5-45 Penalties-yds 7-70
1 Fumbles lost 2
33:53 Time of possession 14:07
5-37.8 Punts-avg 1-37
SCORE BY QUARTERS
1 2 3 4 T
Sabine 0 7 0 0 7
Gilmer 28 7 14 0 49
Mirror Photo / Mary Laschinger Kirby
GILMER’S JAMELL KENNEDY (5) screens Sabine’s Josh Herod away from his teammate, Justin Johnson (22), as the Buckeye running back head for an open field during Gilmer’s 49-7 win over the Cardinals.
Mirror Photo / Mary Laschinger Kirby
BUCKEYE LINEBACKER Arsenial Richardson lifts the Cardinal quarterback Josh Herod off his feet as Gilmer’s Wes Wynne closes in on the action. Gilmer defeated Sabine, 49-7.
Mirror Photo
G.J. KINNE receives a commemorative plaque from Dean Haws of Mike Craig Ford at last Friday’s pep rally before the Sabine game at the Gilmer High School gym. At left is Loy DeMoss of Mike Craig Ford and at right is Gilmer Head Coach/Athletic Director Jeff Traylor. The Gilmer QB was recently named the “Built Ford Tough Texas High School Football Player of the Week” for his performance against Daingerfield on Sept. 15. He completed 21 of 27 passes for 384 yards and four touchdowns. He also ran five times for 31 yards and three more scores. Off the field G.J. is an excellent student and a member of the basketball and track teams. He’s also a member of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes.
Legend has it that Friday the 13th is an unlucky date, full of strange happenings. Both held true Friday night at Buckeye Stadium, as the Gilmer Buckeyes jumped out to a 28-0 first quarter lead, then coasted to a 49-7 win over the Sabine Cardinals to open District 15-3A play. The victory was Gilmer’s 25th straight win against district foes, and the 18th straight win at Buckeye Stadium.
Despite the 42-point win, Buckeyes’ head coach Jeff Traylor and his players fielded postgame questions with answers normally reserved for the losing team. “We didn’t play near as bad as it seems like we did,” said Traylor; who continued by saying, “It’s kind of like being on an airplane where you have a rough landing; but you got down, and you walked off the airplane. Well as long as you walk away; it’s good. And that’s kind of how this game was. It was a rough landing, but we walked away.” Offensive tackle David Snow echoed his coach’s thoughts, “We just wanted to be physical, and we just faded away it seems.”
Sabine suffered from most of the bad luck, as two of the Cardinals’ three turnovers were converted into Buckeyes’ touchdowns just one play later. Those two one-play touchdown drives weren’t the only strange happenings on the night. Gilmer actually totaled three one-play touchdown drives; while the Cardinals failed to score on a field goal attempted after time had expired in the first-half, and on an almost 12-minute drive that saw Sabine at the Gilmer 1-yard line with a 1st and goal.
“It still feels good, but it wasn’t like we wanted it to be,” said Buckeyes’ receiver Lamar Harris, who scored Gilmer’s first two touchdowns on passes from G.J. Kinne. The first touchdown came on a 20-yard pass with 8:41 to play in the 1st quarter. The second score was on a 10-yard pass with 4:20 remaining in the 1st quarter. Matt Burgin added the first two of his seven extra-points of the game.
On the ensuing kickoff, the Buckeyes’ Donte Harris recovered a Cardinals’ fumble at the Sabine 6-yard line. Justin Johnson carried the football into the end zone on the next play, making the score 21-0 just 11 seconds after Harris’ second touchdown.
After two straight three-and-out series by Sabine to start the game, Gilmer’s Black Flag defense forced another quick series, stopping the Cardinals’ fake punt attempt on fourth down, giving the ball to the Buckeyes’ offense at the 50-yard line. After a 5-yard false start penalty that moved the ball back to Gilmer’s 45-yard line, Kinne flicked a quick pass out to Jamell Kennedy who darted up the far sideline, out-running defenders, and eluding another with a 360-degree spin at the 10-yard line, finishing the spectacular 55-yard touchdown with 1:32 left in the 1st quarter.
The Cardinals and Buckeyes exchanged punts on the next three series before Gilmer’s got back on the board when sophomore running back Josh Thompson scored from 1-yard out with 3:21 to go in the half, making the score 35-0.
The bad luck shifted on the next series, as Sabine was forced to punt after another three-and-out stand by the Buckeyes’ defense; but Gilmer’s Dustin Jones fumbled the punt to a Cardinal defender at the Buckeyes’ 31-yard line. After a 5-yard penalty on Sabine, and a 1-yard run; the Cardinals’ Josh Herod lofted a pass to Desmond Perry, who caught the ball over a falling Buckeyes’ defender, for a 35-yard touchdown with only 43 seconds to play in the half.
Gilmer’s bad luck continued on the next series, with five Kinne passes in a row falling incomplete, including Kinne’s final throw on fourth down under heavy pressure from Sabine defenders as time ran out on the clock. Officials called Kinne for intentional grounding on the play, awarding the ball to Sabine at the Gilmer 17-yard line for one play, despite there being no time remaining on the clock. The Cardinals lined up for a 34-yard field goal attempt, but Taylor Grey’s kick sailed wide left, leaving the score at 35-7 as both teams retreated to the locker room for half-time.
“We fumbled the punt return and gave them a cheap 7. Now it’s 35-7, instead of 42-0 at halftime,” Traylor said. “People remember the 40 seconds we had right before halftime. That series stuck in everybody’s mind because of the way it unfolded. That left a bad taste in our mouths.”
“I wanted a shutout, and we didn’t get the job done,” stated Gilmer linebacker Dominique Buchanan, who finished with 10 tackles for the Buckeyes. Traylor was still impressed with his defense. “Our defense got after it. They were flying around and hitting people. They played really well except for a bust in coverage on that one play.”
Traylor was also quick to praise his defensive standouts. “Our defensive linemen; Kodey Wear had seven tackles, C.J. Kyle had six tackles. Arsenial Richardson had 15 tackles. Dominique Buchanan had a couple of big hits in the ball game. Stump Godfrey had six tackles and an interception. Dustin Jones played hard at cornerback; so our defense really got after it.”
The Buckeyes tried to get rid of that bad taste on the opening possession of the second half, as Kinne finished a 5-play, 69-yard drive, with a 21-yard touchdown pass to Dustin Jones with only 2:03 off the clock.
Sabine’s first possession of the second-half saw the Cardinals gain five yards on seven plays, before Gilmer’s Stump Godfrey intercepted a Herod pass at the Buckeyes’ 10-yard line and returned it to the 29-yard line. Two plays later the Buckeyes returned the favor, when Devane Clark fumbled to Sabine’s John Miller at the Cardinals’ 43-yard line. The strange happenings continued three plays later when Gilmer’s Dominique Buchanan tipped a Herod pass and Goodman intercepted the ball and returned it to the Sabine 39-yard line.
Justin Johnson covered those 39 yards on the next play, for his second touchdown of the game, ending the scoring with 2:23 remaining in the third quarter. Johnson finished with 130 yards on only 10 carries, helping the Buckeyes to a season-best 269 rushing yards.
Even though the scoring had ended; the strange happenings did not. Sabine took possession of the football with 2:23 left to go in the third quarter and kept it away from the Buckeyes’ until only 2:48 remained in the game. The Cardinals took the ball down to the Buckeyes’ 1-yard line, converting two fourth down conversions along the way, and taking advantage of two penalties against the Gilmer defense. But with first and goal from the Buckeyes’ 1-yard line, Gilmer’s defense pushed the visitors back to the 10-yard line, before forcing the ball over on downs when Herod’s fourth down pass fell incomplete in the end zone.
Gilmer closed the game out with one final spectacular play, when freshman quarterback Stump Godfrey sprinted up the home sideline for 60 yards, before being tripped up at the 9-yard line. The Buckeyes’ quarterback took a knee on the next play and time ran out, improving Gilmer’s season record to 6-0.
STATISTICS
Sabine Gilmer
11 First downs 22
33-44 Rushes-yds 25-269
10-23-2 Passing 9-16-0
102 Passing yds 159
146 Total yds 428
5-45 Penalties-yds 7-70
1 Fumbles lost 2
33:53 Time of possession 14:07
5-37.8 Punts-avg 1-37
SCORE BY QUARTERS
1 2 3 4 T
Sabine 0 7 0 0 7
Gilmer 28 7 14 0 49
Mirror Photo / Mary Laschinger Kirby
GILMER’S JAMELL KENNEDY (5) screens Sabine’s Josh Herod away from his teammate, Justin Johnson (22), as the Buckeye running back head for an open field during Gilmer’s 49-7 win over the Cardinals.
Mirror Photo / Mary Laschinger Kirby
BUCKEYE LINEBACKER Arsenial Richardson lifts the Cardinal quarterback Josh Herod off his feet as Gilmer’s Wes Wynne closes in on the action. Gilmer defeated Sabine, 49-7.
Mirror Photo
G.J. KINNE receives a commemorative plaque from Dean Haws of Mike Craig Ford at last Friday’s pep rally before the Sabine game at the Gilmer High School gym. At left is Loy DeMoss of Mike Craig Ford and at right is Gilmer Head Coach/Athletic Director Jeff Traylor. The Gilmer QB was recently named the “Built Ford Tough Texas High School Football Player of the Week” for his performance against Daingerfield on Sept. 15. He completed 21 of 27 passes for 384 yards and four touchdowns. He also ran five times for 31 yards and three more scores. Off the field G.J. is an excellent student and a member of the basketball and track teams. He’s also a member of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes.
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