Listen Live
Saturday, Nov. 29
Backup Stream
When the University Interscholastic League in February realigned the Gilmer Buckeyes as the northernmost high school football team in Class 3A’s Region III, fans knew the playoffs would no doubt bring some unfamiliar opponents to the table.
So far the Buckeyes (11-1) have dispatched the Diboll Lumberjacks, 54-0, and the Mexia Blackcats, 50-36, in Carthage and Tyler respectively.
Today, the road south takes the Army of Buckeyes to Abe Martin Stadium in Lufkin for another lesson in the geography of our vast state.
Coming up from the southeastern corner of Texas to meet the Buckeyes at 2:30 p.m. will be the West Orange-Stark Mustangs (10-0), who are fresh from victories over Coldspring-Oakhurst, 36-8, and Caldwell, 37-7, in their first two games of the playoffs.
Mustangs Head Coach Dan Hooks, after 28 seasons at the reins, has an overall record of 261-64-2. He, his staff and his teams have won two state titles and made four state title game appearances, all in Class 4A. Since moving down to Class 3A in 2004, though, perennially state-ranked West Orange-Stark has not been able to advance beyond the semifinals.
In addition to coaching the football program which has the highest winning percentage (.7943) of any in the state of Texas in all classifications, Hooks is also the oldest active high school football coach in the state of Texas. He turned 70 in August. Coaching appears to be keeping him young.
The stadium where the Mustangs play was named after him two years ago.
On the other side of the ledger, Gilmer since 2004 has made two state title game appearances, winning one. And the Buckeyes have never gone out in this round under Head Coach Jeff Traylor (96-16 overall in nine years at the helm).
Traylor turned 40 in May, so he has plenty of time to catch Hooks in victories and it won’t take 30 years at the rate he’s going.
The Mustangs have played only 10 games because two of their regular season games were cancelled during Hurricane Ike and its aftermath back in September.
Some of West Orange-Stark’s players were displaced by the storm, the third-costliest in U.S. history, which wreaked great havoc and destruction along the coast from Galveston all the way to Orange and beyond, but was all but ignored by the national media.
According to The Orange Leader, Ike left eight WO-S varsity players without homes and two coaches, Hooks and one of his assistants, quarterbacks’ coach Toby Foreman.
Foreman then leased a 3-bedroom apartment and offered to house Ortavious Hypolite, the Mustangs’ senior QB, and linebacker Robert Jiles, also a senior. Both accepted.
Hypolite and running back Quintavious Garrett are the two top offensive threats the Mustangs bring to the party. Receiver Trey Franks is Hypolite’s favorite target through the air.
Even as the Buckeyes are known for their mastery of the “no huddle” spread offense triggered by junior quarterback Darian “Stump” Godfrey, the Mustangs are notorious for an unforgiving, take-no-prisoners defense, nicknamed the “Chain Gang.”
It is known not for its size, but its speed and quickness in pursuing to the football.
Cornel Thompson, longtime WO-S defensive coordinator, is highly respected in coaching circles, according to Coach Traylor:
“Anybody in coaching knows about Cornel Thompson, and the 50 Defense. He’s renowned for it. He’s spoken at a million clinics about it. He’s just known as the 50 guru among coaches.”
Interviewed by KFDM Channel 6 in Beaumont earlier in the week about the upcoming game with Gilmer, Coach Hooks said, “I don’t think they’ve played a defense like ours; at least I hope they haven’t.”
He added, “I think right now we’re playing as good as we have all year.”
Coach Traylor said, “We have not played a defense this good since Atlanta in 2003.”
It has allowed an average of only 5.6 points per game this season, stingiest in the state.
The 2008 Buckeyes, on the other hand, average a state-leading 46.4 points a game. This year’s rushing attack has been even more prolific in yardage than the always-dangerous passing game.
No one should underestimate the “Black Flag” defense of the Buckeyes either. It notched a shutout against explosive Diboll two weeks ago and has been consistently good throughout the season, drawing favorable comparisons to the 2004 edition which won state.
And now it has something to prove after the 29-point comeback Mexia mounted in the second half at TMF Rose Stadium on Nov. 21.
It will also be engaging a familiar-looking offense across the line of scrimmage as the Mustangs usually spread the field as well. They also light up the scoreboard to the tune of 44 points per game on average.
The Mustangs are the home team today. Their school colors are silver and blue. The most recent high school enrollment figure they provided to the UIL totaled 691 students, slightly smaller than Gilmer’s 701.
West Orange-Stark High School was created in 1977 through the merger of West Orange High and Lutcher Stark High.
Gilmer Buckeye Athletic Booster President Bridget Fowler is asking the Army of Buckeyes that will be in attendance today to wear black and “black out that stadium.”
The winner of today’s game will play Carthage. If Gilmer wins, the game will be at Homer Bryce Stadium in Nacogdoches next Saturday night, according to Carthage Coach Scott Surratt. His Bulldogs defeated the Rockdale Tigers, 55-28, last night in Corsicana.
In Division II, it takes six victories to win state, so the teams remaining after today will still need three more to bring home the championship trophy.
Mirror Photo / Mary Laschinger Kirby
MARLON GRANVILLE, one of a plethora of offensive weapons which can be unleashed by the 2008 Gilmer Buckeyes, motors 27 yards for the final touchdown against Mexia on Nov. 21 in Tyler. Ty Barr rises to watch his teammate score to put the game out of reach with 1:50 to go. This afternoon, the Buckeyes travel to Lufkin’s Abe Martin Stadium to play the West Orange-Stark Mustangs in a Class 3A Division II Region III marquee matchup. Kickoff is set for 2:30 p.m. Tickets at the gate are $7 each.
Saturday, Nov. 29
Backup Stream
When the University Interscholastic League in February realigned the Gilmer Buckeyes as the northernmost high school football team in Class 3A’s Region III, fans knew the playoffs would no doubt bring some unfamiliar opponents to the table.
So far the Buckeyes (11-1) have dispatched the Diboll Lumberjacks, 54-0, and the Mexia Blackcats, 50-36, in Carthage and Tyler respectively.
Today, the road south takes the Army of Buckeyes to Abe Martin Stadium in Lufkin for another lesson in the geography of our vast state.
Coming up from the southeastern corner of Texas to meet the Buckeyes at 2:30 p.m. will be the West Orange-Stark Mustangs (10-0), who are fresh from victories over Coldspring-Oakhurst, 36-8, and Caldwell, 37-7, in their first two games of the playoffs.
Mustangs Head Coach Dan Hooks, after 28 seasons at the reins, has an overall record of 261-64-2. He, his staff and his teams have won two state titles and made four state title game appearances, all in Class 4A. Since moving down to Class 3A in 2004, though, perennially state-ranked West Orange-Stark has not been able to advance beyond the semifinals.
In addition to coaching the football program which has the highest winning percentage (.7943) of any in the state of Texas in all classifications, Hooks is also the oldest active high school football coach in the state of Texas. He turned 70 in August. Coaching appears to be keeping him young.
The stadium where the Mustangs play was named after him two years ago.
On the other side of the ledger, Gilmer since 2004 has made two state title game appearances, winning one. And the Buckeyes have never gone out in this round under Head Coach Jeff Traylor (96-16 overall in nine years at the helm).
Traylor turned 40 in May, so he has plenty of time to catch Hooks in victories and it won’t take 30 years at the rate he’s going.
The Mustangs have played only 10 games because two of their regular season games were cancelled during Hurricane Ike and its aftermath back in September.
Some of West Orange-Stark’s players were displaced by the storm, the third-costliest in U.S. history, which wreaked great havoc and destruction along the coast from Galveston all the way to Orange and beyond, but was all but ignored by the national media.
According to The Orange Leader, Ike left eight WO-S varsity players without homes and two coaches, Hooks and one of his assistants, quarterbacks’ coach Toby Foreman.
Foreman then leased a 3-bedroom apartment and offered to house Ortavious Hypolite, the Mustangs’ senior QB, and linebacker Robert Jiles, also a senior. Both accepted.
Hypolite and running back Quintavious Garrett are the two top offensive threats the Mustangs bring to the party. Receiver Trey Franks is Hypolite’s favorite target through the air.
Even as the Buckeyes are known for their mastery of the “no huddle” spread offense triggered by junior quarterback Darian “Stump” Godfrey, the Mustangs are notorious for an unforgiving, take-no-prisoners defense, nicknamed the “Chain Gang.”
It is known not for its size, but its speed and quickness in pursuing to the football.
Cornel Thompson, longtime WO-S defensive coordinator, is highly respected in coaching circles, according to Coach Traylor:
“Anybody in coaching knows about Cornel Thompson, and the 50 Defense. He’s renowned for it. He’s spoken at a million clinics about it. He’s just known as the 50 guru among coaches.”
Interviewed by KFDM Channel 6 in Beaumont earlier in the week about the upcoming game with Gilmer, Coach Hooks said, “I don’t think they’ve played a defense like ours; at least I hope they haven’t.”
He added, “I think right now we’re playing as good as we have all year.”
Coach Traylor said, “We have not played a defense this good since Atlanta in 2003.”
It has allowed an average of only 5.6 points per game this season, stingiest in the state.
The 2008 Buckeyes, on the other hand, average a state-leading 46.4 points a game. This year’s rushing attack has been even more prolific in yardage than the always-dangerous passing game.
No one should underestimate the “Black Flag” defense of the Buckeyes either. It notched a shutout against explosive Diboll two weeks ago and has been consistently good throughout the season, drawing favorable comparisons to the 2004 edition which won state.
And now it has something to prove after the 29-point comeback Mexia mounted in the second half at TMF Rose Stadium on Nov. 21.
It will also be engaging a familiar-looking offense across the line of scrimmage as the Mustangs usually spread the field as well. They also light up the scoreboard to the tune of 44 points per game on average.
The Mustangs are the home team today. Their school colors are silver and blue. The most recent high school enrollment figure they provided to the UIL totaled 691 students, slightly smaller than Gilmer’s 701.
West Orange-Stark High School was created in 1977 through the merger of West Orange High and Lutcher Stark High.
Gilmer Buckeye Athletic Booster President Bridget Fowler is asking the Army of Buckeyes that will be in attendance today to wear black and “black out that stadium.”
The winner of today’s game will play Carthage. If Gilmer wins, the game will be at Homer Bryce Stadium in Nacogdoches next Saturday night, according to Carthage Coach Scott Surratt. His Bulldogs defeated the Rockdale Tigers, 55-28, last night in Corsicana.
In Division II, it takes six victories to win state, so the teams remaining after today will still need three more to bring home the championship trophy.
Mirror Photo / Mary Laschinger Kirby
MARLON GRANVILLE, one of a plethora of offensive weapons which can be unleashed by the 2008 Gilmer Buckeyes, motors 27 yards for the final touchdown against Mexia on Nov. 21 in Tyler. Ty Barr rises to watch his teammate score to put the game out of reach with 1:50 to go. This afternoon, the Buckeyes travel to Lufkin’s Abe Martin Stadium to play the West Orange-Stark Mustangs in a Class 3A Division II Region III marquee matchup. Kickoff is set for 2:30 p.m. Tickets at the gate are $7 each.
Comments