By JOE DODD
The Gilmer Buckeyes wasted no time in crushing any hopes the visiting Atlanta Rabbits had in upsetting Class 3A’s fourth ranked team, as the Buckeyes jumped out to a 28-0 first quarter lead on their way to a convincing 42-14 victory.
The win extended Gilmer’s home winning streak to 23 games at Buckeye Stadium, and improved the Buckeyes’ season record to 5-0.
The Buckeyes received the opening kick and promptly established the running game with Justin Johnson’s 38 yards on two carries, before Darian Godfrey hit Houston Tuminello for a 14-yard touchdown with only 2:25 off the game clock. Jake Ashley kicked the first of his six straight extra-points for a 7-0 lead.
Gilmer’s Black Flag Defense came up big on Atlanta’s first possession, when the Buckeyes’ Paul Chesnut recovered a Rabbits’ fumble at Gilmer’s 25-yard line. Behind a 24-yard run from Johnson and a 29-yard reception from Tuminello, the Buckeyes scored 40 seconds later when Godfrey found Zach Jones in the end zone for a 16-yard touchdown, making the score 14-0 with 7:00 left in the first quarter.
Atlanta’s second possession wasn’t much better than the first as the Buckeyes forced a three-and-out punt after the Rabbits lost four yards. The Buckeyes’ offense took over at the Atlanta 45-yard line and traveled the entire distance on the ground, with Godfrey running for 14 yards on one carry and Jeremy Jackson running for 31 yards on three carries, including a 19-yard touchdown run with 3:49 to play in the first quarter, making the score 21-0.
Three plays later, Gilmer’s Brennan Thompson jumped on another Rabbit fumble giving the Buckeyes the ball back at the Rabbits’ 31-yard line. Johnson picked up all 31 yards on two carries, including the final 12 yards on a touchdown run with 2:01 remaining in the opening quarter, giving the Buckeyes a 28-0 advantage.
Johnson, who finished with 200 total yards and three touchdowns for the game, said that the first quarter scoring barrage was big for the Buckeyes. “It was real important,” stated Johnson. “We wanted to finish them off. We did a great job of doing that.”
Johnson finished the first quarter with 95 rushing yards on only six carries, helping the Buckeyes’ offense rack up an impressive 211 yards in only 19 plays in the first quarter.
The Buckeyes’ offensive engine sputtered in the second quarter, with uncharacteristic fumbles by normally sure-handed receivers Lamar Harris and Tuminello stopping Gilmer drives.
Atlanta took advantage of the first Gilmer turnover, recovering Harris’ fumble at the Buckeyes’ 39-yard line. Seven plays later, with the Rabbits facing a 4th-and-9, DeMarcus Jones executed a perfectly blocked reverse for a 27-yard touchdown run with 8:02 remaining in the half to cut the Buckeyes lead to 28-7.
Following the Buckeyes’ only punt of the game on Gilmer’s next possession, the Rabbits’ Kevin Horsley-Ivory fumbled the football to the Buckeyes’ Dakota Hagler at Atlanta’s own 29-yard line.
The Buckeyes hammered the nail into the Rabbits’ coffin on the very next play when Godfrey zipped a lateral back to Tuminello, who pulled up and fired a pass to a streaking Johnson who made a nice catch in the back of the end zone for a 35-7 Buckeyes’ lead at halftime.
Gilmer’s defense set the tone for the second half, holding the Rabbits to consecutive three-and-out series to start the half, while the Buckeyes scored on their first possession of the half when Godfrey hit Johnson on a middle-screen for a 33-yard touchdown with 7:08 remaining in the third quarter.
The Buckeyes’ next drive ended with Gilmer’s third turnover of the game, when the Rabbits’ Casey Wilson picked off a Godfrey pass with 2:39 left in the third quarter. Atlanta would again accept the gift and celebrate with a touchdown, this time on a 8-yard run by Demond Haire-Oliver with 7:40 to play in the game.
Buckeyes’ head coach Jeff Traylor was not happy with the mistakes. “The disappointing thing was the three turnovers obviously, but look who they were; Lamar Harris does not turn the ball over; he’s a guy that’s fundamentally sound; Tuminello is not a kid who turns it over; and Stump’s interception, that kid just made a good play,” continued Traylor. “That’s three kids I’ll hang my hat on, but you can’t keep winning with three turnovers.”
After asking for the game clock to run for most of the second half, the Rabbits took advantage of the Buckeyes’ generosity after a failed Gilmer 4th down run came up short with 3:48 left in the game, giving Atlanta the football at the Buckeyes’ 24-yard line.
Atlanta used all three of their timeouts over the final few minutes only to have their 4th down pass attempt dropped in the end zone to end the game.
Traylor credited the win to his defense. “Defensively I thought we were pretty good. I thought we got after them. We were real quick to the ball and played with intensity. I was real excited about that.”
The Black Flag Defense held Atlanta to only 176 total yards despite not having a single Buckeyes’ defender record double-digit tackles. “We just play pretty good team defense,” explained Traylor. “There’s never a kid that really stands out over there; they just really play together well as a unit. They do a good job of doing their job. So each week we always have a bunch of kids with a few tackles; we never have one kid with a bunch of tackles.”
Traylor did cite the play of two Buckeyes’ defenders. “David Smith had a great game. He was our special teams’ player of the week. He played really well at defensive tackle as well; he’s really come on. And, Marlin Granville was the bounty hunter of the week; he had some great tackles.”
The Buckeyes’ offense turned in a season low 443 total yards, but Traylor saw some positive signs. “We ran the ball well at times. Our line got after them,” Traylor said, praising one senior lineman in particular. “David Snow played really good. I thought that was his best game and best effort.”
Traylor also praised the play of senior kicker Ashley. “Jake Ashley kicked well. Adan Olivares got hurt in pregame warm ups, so Jake had to do all of the kicking duties and did a really good job.”
After the game, Atlanta head coach Ben Scharnberg predicted good things for the Buckeyes’ future. “My impression of last year was y’all peaked when you played us. I felt like y’all should have won it all. If [Coach Traylor] can keep his kids’ heads screwed on straight and take it one game at a time, then he has an excellent opportunity to win it again.”
Gilmer’s Godfrey assured Scharnberg that he and the rest of the Buckeyes don’t plan on repeating last year’s early playoff exit. “We’re still focused on ourselves and Liberty-Eylau in 42 days,” promised Godfrey.
STATISTICS
Atlanta Gilmer
6 First downs 16
5-14-0-0 Passing (c-a-td-int) 15-23-4-1
46 Passing yds 223
35-130 Rushes-yds 27-220
176 Total yds 443
29:25 Time of possession 18:35
4-20 Penalties-yds. 5-37
3 Fumbles lost 2
SCORE BY QUARTERS
1 2 3 4 T
Atlanta 0 7 0 7 14
Gilmer 28 7 7 0 42
Mirror Photo / Mary Laschinger Kirby
JUSTIN ‘BUS’ JOHNSON stiff-arms an Atlanta defender during Gilmer’s 42-14 win at Buckeye Stadium. The Buckeyes close out their non-district schedule undefeated with a record of 5-0. District 15-3A play begins Friday night in Liberty City against the Sabine Cardinals.
Mirror Photo / Mary Laschinger Kirby
SIX BUCKEYES are within breathing distance of s surrounded Atlanta Rabbit last Friday night during Gilmer’s 42-14 victory.
Mirror Photo / Mary Laschinger Kirby
JUSTIN JOHNSON turned in another stellar performance for the Gilmer Buckeyes last Friday night here against Atlanta. He and one of his favorite offensive linemen, David Snow, were selected to play in the prestigious U.S. Army All-American Bowl postseason all-star game earlier in the day.
The Gilmer Buckeyes wasted no time in crushing any hopes the visiting Atlanta Rabbits had in upsetting Class 3A’s fourth ranked team, as the Buckeyes jumped out to a 28-0 first quarter lead on their way to a convincing 42-14 victory.
The win extended Gilmer’s home winning streak to 23 games at Buckeye Stadium, and improved the Buckeyes’ season record to 5-0.
The Buckeyes received the opening kick and promptly established the running game with Justin Johnson’s 38 yards on two carries, before Darian Godfrey hit Houston Tuminello for a 14-yard touchdown with only 2:25 off the game clock. Jake Ashley kicked the first of his six straight extra-points for a 7-0 lead.
Gilmer’s Black Flag Defense came up big on Atlanta’s first possession, when the Buckeyes’ Paul Chesnut recovered a Rabbits’ fumble at Gilmer’s 25-yard line. Behind a 24-yard run from Johnson and a 29-yard reception from Tuminello, the Buckeyes scored 40 seconds later when Godfrey found Zach Jones in the end zone for a 16-yard touchdown, making the score 14-0 with 7:00 left in the first quarter.
Atlanta’s second possession wasn’t much better than the first as the Buckeyes forced a three-and-out punt after the Rabbits lost four yards. The Buckeyes’ offense took over at the Atlanta 45-yard line and traveled the entire distance on the ground, with Godfrey running for 14 yards on one carry and Jeremy Jackson running for 31 yards on three carries, including a 19-yard touchdown run with 3:49 to play in the first quarter, making the score 21-0.
Three plays later, Gilmer’s Brennan Thompson jumped on another Rabbit fumble giving the Buckeyes the ball back at the Rabbits’ 31-yard line. Johnson picked up all 31 yards on two carries, including the final 12 yards on a touchdown run with 2:01 remaining in the opening quarter, giving the Buckeyes a 28-0 advantage.
Johnson, who finished with 200 total yards and three touchdowns for the game, said that the first quarter scoring barrage was big for the Buckeyes. “It was real important,” stated Johnson. “We wanted to finish them off. We did a great job of doing that.”
Johnson finished the first quarter with 95 rushing yards on only six carries, helping the Buckeyes’ offense rack up an impressive 211 yards in only 19 plays in the first quarter.
The Buckeyes’ offensive engine sputtered in the second quarter, with uncharacteristic fumbles by normally sure-handed receivers Lamar Harris and Tuminello stopping Gilmer drives.
Atlanta took advantage of the first Gilmer turnover, recovering Harris’ fumble at the Buckeyes’ 39-yard line. Seven plays later, with the Rabbits facing a 4th-and-9, DeMarcus Jones executed a perfectly blocked reverse for a 27-yard touchdown run with 8:02 remaining in the half to cut the Buckeyes lead to 28-7.
Following the Buckeyes’ only punt of the game on Gilmer’s next possession, the Rabbits’ Kevin Horsley-Ivory fumbled the football to the Buckeyes’ Dakota Hagler at Atlanta’s own 29-yard line.
The Buckeyes hammered the nail into the Rabbits’ coffin on the very next play when Godfrey zipped a lateral back to Tuminello, who pulled up and fired a pass to a streaking Johnson who made a nice catch in the back of the end zone for a 35-7 Buckeyes’ lead at halftime.
Gilmer’s defense set the tone for the second half, holding the Rabbits to consecutive three-and-out series to start the half, while the Buckeyes scored on their first possession of the half when Godfrey hit Johnson on a middle-screen for a 33-yard touchdown with 7:08 remaining in the third quarter.
The Buckeyes’ next drive ended with Gilmer’s third turnover of the game, when the Rabbits’ Casey Wilson picked off a Godfrey pass with 2:39 left in the third quarter. Atlanta would again accept the gift and celebrate with a touchdown, this time on a 8-yard run by Demond Haire-Oliver with 7:40 to play in the game.
Buckeyes’ head coach Jeff Traylor was not happy with the mistakes. “The disappointing thing was the three turnovers obviously, but look who they were; Lamar Harris does not turn the ball over; he’s a guy that’s fundamentally sound; Tuminello is not a kid who turns it over; and Stump’s interception, that kid just made a good play,” continued Traylor. “That’s three kids I’ll hang my hat on, but you can’t keep winning with three turnovers.”
After asking for the game clock to run for most of the second half, the Rabbits took advantage of the Buckeyes’ generosity after a failed Gilmer 4th down run came up short with 3:48 left in the game, giving Atlanta the football at the Buckeyes’ 24-yard line.
Atlanta used all three of their timeouts over the final few minutes only to have their 4th down pass attempt dropped in the end zone to end the game.
Traylor credited the win to his defense. “Defensively I thought we were pretty good. I thought we got after them. We were real quick to the ball and played with intensity. I was real excited about that.”
The Black Flag Defense held Atlanta to only 176 total yards despite not having a single Buckeyes’ defender record double-digit tackles. “We just play pretty good team defense,” explained Traylor. “There’s never a kid that really stands out over there; they just really play together well as a unit. They do a good job of doing their job. So each week we always have a bunch of kids with a few tackles; we never have one kid with a bunch of tackles.”
Traylor did cite the play of two Buckeyes’ defenders. “David Smith had a great game. He was our special teams’ player of the week. He played really well at defensive tackle as well; he’s really come on. And, Marlin Granville was the bounty hunter of the week; he had some great tackles.”
The Buckeyes’ offense turned in a season low 443 total yards, but Traylor saw some positive signs. “We ran the ball well at times. Our line got after them,” Traylor said, praising one senior lineman in particular. “David Snow played really good. I thought that was his best game and best effort.”
Traylor also praised the play of senior kicker Ashley. “Jake Ashley kicked well. Adan Olivares got hurt in pregame warm ups, so Jake had to do all of the kicking duties and did a really good job.”
After the game, Atlanta head coach Ben Scharnberg predicted good things for the Buckeyes’ future. “My impression of last year was y’all peaked when you played us. I felt like y’all should have won it all. If [Coach Traylor] can keep his kids’ heads screwed on straight and take it one game at a time, then he has an excellent opportunity to win it again.”
Gilmer’s Godfrey assured Scharnberg that he and the rest of the Buckeyes don’t plan on repeating last year’s early playoff exit. “We’re still focused on ourselves and Liberty-Eylau in 42 days,” promised Godfrey.
STATISTICS
Atlanta Gilmer
6 First downs 16
5-14-0-0 Passing (c-a-td-int) 15-23-4-1
46 Passing yds 223
35-130 Rushes-yds 27-220
176 Total yds 443
29:25 Time of possession 18:35
4-20 Penalties-yds. 5-37
3 Fumbles lost 2
SCORE BY QUARTERS
1 2 3 4 T
Atlanta 0 7 0 7 14
Gilmer 28 7 7 0 42
Mirror Photo / Mary Laschinger Kirby
JUSTIN ‘BUS’ JOHNSON stiff-arms an Atlanta defender during Gilmer’s 42-14 win at Buckeye Stadium. The Buckeyes close out their non-district schedule undefeated with a record of 5-0. District 15-3A play begins Friday night in Liberty City against the Sabine Cardinals.
Mirror Photo / Mary Laschinger Kirby
SIX BUCKEYES are within breathing distance of s surrounded Atlanta Rabbit last Friday night during Gilmer’s 42-14 victory.
Mirror Photo / Mary Laschinger Kirby
JUSTIN JOHNSON turned in another stellar performance for the Gilmer Buckeyes last Friday night here against Atlanta. He and one of his favorite offensive linemen, David Snow, were selected to play in the prestigious U.S. Army All-American Bowl postseason all-star game earlier in the day.
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