By JOE DODD
The Gilmer Buckeyes captured their seventh consecutive district championship in impressive fashion Friday night, destroying the Spring Hill Panthers 65-7 on their home field. The win was the Buckeyes’ 33rd straight in district play and 23rd consecutive regular season victory.
While the end result was impressive, the Buckeyes’ opening act was not, as the Panthers forced Gilmer to punt on their first possession for only the second time this season.
Spring Hill’s first possession resulted in only 27 yards and no points, but did manage to eat up almost six minutes off the clock, before the Panthers punted the football back to the Buckeyes with 4:03 to play in the first quarter.
That’s when the Buckeyes’ quick strike offense erupted on the first of four one-play touchdown drives in the game.
Justin Johnson took the handoff at the Buckeyes’ 10-yard line and raced 90 yards up the middle for the score. Adan Olivares kicked the first of 8 straight extra points, giving Gilmer a 7-0 lead with 3:53 remaining in the first quarter.
Spring Hill only managed 4 yards in their next 3 plays before punting. The Buckeyes returned the favor after gaining just 20 yards on four plays, when Jake Ashley’s second punt of the game rolled into the end zone for a touchback.
After a 5-yard penalty against the Panthers offense, Gilmer safety Braylon Webb intercepted a Chris Lee pass at the 40-yard line and returned it to the Spring Hill 17-yard line with 26 seconds to go in the opening quarter.
Following a 4-yard loss on the Buckeyes’ first play, Darian Godfrey connected with Houston Tuminello for a 21-yard touchdown on the next play, the first of the second quarter, to push the Buckeyes’ lead to 14-0.
The Panthers’ next drive ended quickly again, as the Buckeyes’ defense forced another three-and-out series. Spring Hill’s Lee, whose first two punts had averaged 45 yards, shanked the punt for only 16 yards, allowing the Buckeyes’ offense to take over at the Panthers’ 39-yard line.
Three plays later, the Buckeyes fumbled the snap and Spring Hill’s Mitch Wright recovered the football at the Panthers 33-yard line.
14 plays and 6:59 later, Spring Hill’s Nick Richardson finished the 67-yard drive with a 1-yard touchdown run to cut the Buckeyes’ lead to 14-7 with only 2:58 left in the first half.
Panther fans could smell an upset following the Buckeyes’ next series; a three-and-out drive that lost 12 yards and forced Gilmer’s third punt of the half. That was until Ashley’s punt bounced at the Panthers’ 45-yard line and hit a Spring Hill player on the foot allowing the Buckeyes to pounce on the live football with 1:30 to play in the half. “I thought it was the play of the game,” said Gilmer head coach Jeff Traylor, of the muffed punt. “Our defense kept us in it and allowed us to get another shot.”
The Buckeyes didn’t waste the opportunity, scoring four plays later when Godfrey hit Devane Clark on a 35-yard touchdown pass with 37 seconds to play, giving Gilmer a 14-point lead at halftime for the second straight week.
“They were doing what a lot of people have done in the past; wadding up in a ball and trying to get three yards to keep our offense on the bench,” explained Traylor. “It’s not like we weren’t prepared for it, they just did a good job of executing it.”
Senior receiver Lamar Harris said that the Buckeyes never panicked. “We had to make adjustments at halftime,” Harris said. “We got in there and started talking about it and regrouped.”
Senior linebacker Brennan Thompson said it was Traylor who provided the recipe for the Buckeyes’ second half success. “We’ve got to keep playing hard and have senior leadership; that did it.”
Gilmer came out of the locker room inspired and put 30 points on the score board in the third quarter thanks to great field position provided by the Buckeyes’ Black Flag Defense and Dustin Jones’ booming kickoffs. Spring Hill’s first 5 possessions resulted in four three-and-out series and one turnover, while Jones’ kickoffs netted three touch-backs and one safety.
“We kind of settled down and our defense held in there for us,” Traylor said. “The kickoff team was just amazing, and it gave us field position and allowed us to settle down on offense.”
Gilmer’s first three second-half drives all started inside the Panthers’ 36-yard line, and resulted in three more quick strike touchdowns for the Buckeyes. Godfrey started the scoring barrage with a 3-yard run with 9:29 to go in the third quarter. The next score came only 22 seconds later, thanks to a Ross Stevens fumble recovery, when Godfrey found Paul Chesnut with a pass from 26 yards out. Johnson added another touchdown run five plays later from 36 yards out.
The Buckeyes finished the third quarter touchdown party with their longest possession of the game, a 5-play drive that took 2:33 off the clock, when Godfrey completed a 64-yard bomb to Harris, who dragged a Panther defender the final 15 yards into the end zone.
“I felt him get on my back and I said I’m not going down at the one, I got to get in there. So I got in there,” said Harris, one of four Buckeyes’ receivers with a touchdown catch in the game.
Things only got worse for the shell-shocked Panthers on the ensuing kickoff when Spring Hill’s kick returner caught the football inside the 1-yard line and stepped backwards into the end zone and took a knee, expecting a touchback call from the official. Instead, the referee ruled the play a safety, awarded the Buckeyes two points, and extended Gilmer’s lead to 51-7 at the end of the third quarter.
The Buckeyes added two more touchdowns in the fourth quarter when Jeremy Jackson exploded for touchdown runs of 73 and 62 yards in relief of Johnson. Ironically, Jackson finished as the game’s leading rusher, gaining 157 yards on only four carries, while Johnson finished with 148 yards on 7 carries.
Traylor is pleased with the continued development of the sophomore running back. “He’s a great change-of- pace back,” said Traylor of Jackson. “He’s so small and he’s so fast, and Justin is so big and powerful. He’s just a total contrast to Justin. He’s the fastest kid on our team. When he sees that hole, he makes his mind up and he gets it.”
Jackson and Johnson helped the Buckeyes roll up 330 rushing yards on only 23 carries, a statistic that Traylor credits to the rest of the offense. “Our offensive line just dominated their defensive line, and our wide receivers’ blocking effort was amazing,” Traylor exclaimed.
The Buckeyes made the most of their 36 offensive plays, scoring nine touchdowns; seven of which came on drives of two plays or less.
“That has to do with the kind of defense they play,” explained Traylor. “They’re a very aggressive, in your face, everybody in the box, straight man team. So it was going to be a game of big plays.”
Special Teams Players of the Week: Dustin Jones, D.J. Stanley
Bounty Hunter of the Week: D.J. Stanley
STATISTICS
Gilmer Spring Hill
14 First downs 10
9-15-4-0 Passing (c-a-td-int) 9-16-0-1
200 Passing yds 64
23-330 Rushes-yds 40-113
530 Total yds 177
13:42 Time of possession 34:18
7-65 Penalties-yds. 11-46
1 Fumbles lost 2
SCORE BY QUARTERS
1 2 3 4 T
Gilmer 7 14 30 14 65
SH 0 7 0 0 7
Mirror Photo / Mary Laschinger Kirby
JUSTIN JOHNSON races ahead of everyone as he sprints downfield on his longest run of the season, 90 yards to paydirt, in the first half against Spring Hill. After holding a 21-7 lead at halftime, the Buckeyes erupted for 30 points in the third quarter on the way to a 65-7 win Friday to clinch a district title for the seventh consecutive season.
Mirror Photo / Mary Laschinger Kirby
BUCKEYE QUARTERBACK Darian Godfrey carries three Panthers as he picks up a first down on a third quarter drive. Justin Johnson (22) watches the action in the battle of undefeated teams in District 15-3A play.
Mirror Photo / Mary Laschinger Kirby
FOLLOWING THE BLOCK by Justin Johnson, Devane Clark carries around left end. Clark was one of four Buckeyes to score touchdowns on passes from Darian Godfrey.
The Gilmer Buckeyes captured their seventh consecutive district championship in impressive fashion Friday night, destroying the Spring Hill Panthers 65-7 on their home field. The win was the Buckeyes’ 33rd straight in district play and 23rd consecutive regular season victory.
While the end result was impressive, the Buckeyes’ opening act was not, as the Panthers forced Gilmer to punt on their first possession for only the second time this season.
Spring Hill’s first possession resulted in only 27 yards and no points, but did manage to eat up almost six minutes off the clock, before the Panthers punted the football back to the Buckeyes with 4:03 to play in the first quarter.
That’s when the Buckeyes’ quick strike offense erupted on the first of four one-play touchdown drives in the game.
Justin Johnson took the handoff at the Buckeyes’ 10-yard line and raced 90 yards up the middle for the score. Adan Olivares kicked the first of 8 straight extra points, giving Gilmer a 7-0 lead with 3:53 remaining in the first quarter.
Spring Hill only managed 4 yards in their next 3 plays before punting. The Buckeyes returned the favor after gaining just 20 yards on four plays, when Jake Ashley’s second punt of the game rolled into the end zone for a touchback.
After a 5-yard penalty against the Panthers offense, Gilmer safety Braylon Webb intercepted a Chris Lee pass at the 40-yard line and returned it to the Spring Hill 17-yard line with 26 seconds to go in the opening quarter.
Following a 4-yard loss on the Buckeyes’ first play, Darian Godfrey connected with Houston Tuminello for a 21-yard touchdown on the next play, the first of the second quarter, to push the Buckeyes’ lead to 14-0.
The Panthers’ next drive ended quickly again, as the Buckeyes’ defense forced another three-and-out series. Spring Hill’s Lee, whose first two punts had averaged 45 yards, shanked the punt for only 16 yards, allowing the Buckeyes’ offense to take over at the Panthers’ 39-yard line.
Three plays later, the Buckeyes fumbled the snap and Spring Hill’s Mitch Wright recovered the football at the Panthers 33-yard line.
14 plays and 6:59 later, Spring Hill’s Nick Richardson finished the 67-yard drive with a 1-yard touchdown run to cut the Buckeyes’ lead to 14-7 with only 2:58 left in the first half.
Panther fans could smell an upset following the Buckeyes’ next series; a three-and-out drive that lost 12 yards and forced Gilmer’s third punt of the half. That was until Ashley’s punt bounced at the Panthers’ 45-yard line and hit a Spring Hill player on the foot allowing the Buckeyes to pounce on the live football with 1:30 to play in the half. “I thought it was the play of the game,” said Gilmer head coach Jeff Traylor, of the muffed punt. “Our defense kept us in it and allowed us to get another shot.”
The Buckeyes didn’t waste the opportunity, scoring four plays later when Godfrey hit Devane Clark on a 35-yard touchdown pass with 37 seconds to play, giving Gilmer a 14-point lead at halftime for the second straight week.
“They were doing what a lot of people have done in the past; wadding up in a ball and trying to get three yards to keep our offense on the bench,” explained Traylor. “It’s not like we weren’t prepared for it, they just did a good job of executing it.”
Senior receiver Lamar Harris said that the Buckeyes never panicked. “We had to make adjustments at halftime,” Harris said. “We got in there and started talking about it and regrouped.”
Senior linebacker Brennan Thompson said it was Traylor who provided the recipe for the Buckeyes’ second half success. “We’ve got to keep playing hard and have senior leadership; that did it.”
Gilmer came out of the locker room inspired and put 30 points on the score board in the third quarter thanks to great field position provided by the Buckeyes’ Black Flag Defense and Dustin Jones’ booming kickoffs. Spring Hill’s first 5 possessions resulted in four three-and-out series and one turnover, while Jones’ kickoffs netted three touch-backs and one safety.
“We kind of settled down and our defense held in there for us,” Traylor said. “The kickoff team was just amazing, and it gave us field position and allowed us to settle down on offense.”
Gilmer’s first three second-half drives all started inside the Panthers’ 36-yard line, and resulted in three more quick strike touchdowns for the Buckeyes. Godfrey started the scoring barrage with a 3-yard run with 9:29 to go in the third quarter. The next score came only 22 seconds later, thanks to a Ross Stevens fumble recovery, when Godfrey found Paul Chesnut with a pass from 26 yards out. Johnson added another touchdown run five plays later from 36 yards out.
The Buckeyes finished the third quarter touchdown party with their longest possession of the game, a 5-play drive that took 2:33 off the clock, when Godfrey completed a 64-yard bomb to Harris, who dragged a Panther defender the final 15 yards into the end zone.
“I felt him get on my back and I said I’m not going down at the one, I got to get in there. So I got in there,” said Harris, one of four Buckeyes’ receivers with a touchdown catch in the game.
Things only got worse for the shell-shocked Panthers on the ensuing kickoff when Spring Hill’s kick returner caught the football inside the 1-yard line and stepped backwards into the end zone and took a knee, expecting a touchback call from the official. Instead, the referee ruled the play a safety, awarded the Buckeyes two points, and extended Gilmer’s lead to 51-7 at the end of the third quarter.
The Buckeyes added two more touchdowns in the fourth quarter when Jeremy Jackson exploded for touchdown runs of 73 and 62 yards in relief of Johnson. Ironically, Jackson finished as the game’s leading rusher, gaining 157 yards on only four carries, while Johnson finished with 148 yards on 7 carries.
Traylor is pleased with the continued development of the sophomore running back. “He’s a great change-of- pace back,” said Traylor of Jackson. “He’s so small and he’s so fast, and Justin is so big and powerful. He’s just a total contrast to Justin. He’s the fastest kid on our team. When he sees that hole, he makes his mind up and he gets it.”
Jackson and Johnson helped the Buckeyes roll up 330 rushing yards on only 23 carries, a statistic that Traylor credits to the rest of the offense. “Our offensive line just dominated their defensive line, and our wide receivers’ blocking effort was amazing,” Traylor exclaimed.
The Buckeyes made the most of their 36 offensive plays, scoring nine touchdowns; seven of which came on drives of two plays or less.
“That has to do with the kind of defense they play,” explained Traylor. “They’re a very aggressive, in your face, everybody in the box, straight man team. So it was going to be a game of big plays.”
Special Teams Players of the Week: Dustin Jones, D.J. Stanley
Bounty Hunter of the Week: D.J. Stanley
STATISTICS
Gilmer Spring Hill
14 First downs 10
9-15-4-0 Passing (c-a-td-int) 9-16-0-1
200 Passing yds 64
23-330 Rushes-yds 40-113
530 Total yds 177
13:42 Time of possession 34:18
7-65 Penalties-yds. 11-46
1 Fumbles lost 2
SCORE BY QUARTERS
1 2 3 4 T
Gilmer 7 14 30 14 65
SH 0 7 0 0 7
Mirror Photo / Mary Laschinger Kirby
JUSTIN JOHNSON races ahead of everyone as he sprints downfield on his longest run of the season, 90 yards to paydirt, in the first half against Spring Hill. After holding a 21-7 lead at halftime, the Buckeyes erupted for 30 points in the third quarter on the way to a 65-7 win Friday to clinch a district title for the seventh consecutive season.
Mirror Photo / Mary Laschinger Kirby
BUCKEYE QUARTERBACK Darian Godfrey carries three Panthers as he picks up a first down on a third quarter drive. Justin Johnson (22) watches the action in the battle of undefeated teams in District 15-3A play.
Mirror Photo / Mary Laschinger Kirby
FOLLOWING THE BLOCK by Justin Johnson, Devane Clark carries around left end. Clark was one of four Buckeyes to score touchdowns on passes from Darian Godfrey.
Comments