Gilmer 42, Navasota 35

From the Longview News-Journal:

Buckeyes finish strong, subdue Navasota, 42-35


From the Tyler Morning Telegraph:

Godfrey, Gilmer Hold Off Navasota, 42-35



From The Eagle (Bryan-College Station):

Navasota knocked out by Gilmer

From the Victoria Advocate:

Gilmer takes down Navasota, sets up matchup with Cuero in Huntsville

From KLTV (2:40 in):



From ArkLaTex Hompage.com:

Gilmer Moves Onto Semi's

From KBTX:

Gilmer Outscores Navasota



Class 3A
Game of the week
Gilmer 42, Navasota 35
3a gotw

The Buckeyes (13-0) survived their toughest test to date, getting a key fourth-down stop by Ben Griffith with 6:40 left to set up a clinching 70-yard touchdown drive. The Rattlers (9-3) had battled Gilmer to a 28-28 halftime tie, but lost RB/LB standout Antoine Burrell to a third-quarter injury. Next up for Gilmer: Cuero, at 6 p.m. Saturday in a state semifinal at Bowers Stadium in Huntsville.

Watch Ben Griffith's stop

From The Gilmer Mirror:

Buckeyes survive scare from Navasota

By JOE DODD

On the way to the Class 3A Division I Region III Final, one of the top-ranked Gilmer Buckeyes’ chartered buses had a flat tire. With a halftime score of 28-28, some Buckeyes’ fans wondered if the Gilmer defense had made it to the game.
The Buckeyes’ Black Flag Defense made their presence known in the second half, shutting out the Navasota Rattlers until the final minute, and leading Gilmer to a 42-35 win and a berth into the state semifinals.
“I tried to use it as a teaching moment,” said Gilmer head coach Jeff Traylor when asked about the flat tire. “I told them that in this game there was going to be some broken-down buses, and it’s how we handle this broken-down bus that’s going to matter.”
The Buckeyes won the coin toss and elected to receive the kick. Characteristically, Gilmer scored on their first possession. Uncharacteristically, it took the Buckeyes 4:05 and 10 plays to score. Stump Godfrey connected with Luke Turner on a 13-yard touchdown pass and Adan Olivares’ kicked the first of 6 successful extra points for a 7-0 Gilmer lead with 7:55 to play in the first quarter.
Navasota responded with a Gilmer-like scoring drive, covering 77 yards in six plays and using only 2:15 off the clock. Rattlers’ quarterback Kye Hildreth capped off the drive with a 27-yard touchdown run up the middle of the Buckeyes’ defense to tie the score 7-7 with 5:40 left in the opening quarter.
Gilmer responded with another long drive, taking 4:45 off the clock and covering 80 yards in 14 plays, including converting three third downs and one fourth down to keep the drive alive. Godfrey capped the drive with a perfect 16-yard touchdown pass to Daniel McLaren to take a 14-7 lead with only 55 seconds to go in the first quarter. The scoring drive proved costly for the Buckeyes, as receiver Tristan Holt suffered an ankle injury and did not return to the game.
“We felt a little pressure because they could score quickly,” admitted McLaren, who finished the game with two receptions for 26 yards.
The Rattlers continued to answer with lightning quick precision, covering 73 yards in five plays and using only 1:57 off the clock to tie the game with Hildreth’s 23-yard touchdown pass to Aaron Collins with 10:58 to go in the second quarter.
The Buckeyes did not answer Navasota’s score on their next series, giving the football back to the rattlers at the Gilmer 30-yard line thanks to a Godfrey sack on fourth down.
Navasota took advantage of the Buckeyes’ gift six plays later when Hildreth ran for a 7-yard touchdown and a 21-14 lead with 8:09 left in the second quarter.
Gilmer responded with a more characteristic 60-yard, 7-play scoring drive that took only 2:38 off the clock. The drive ended with another Godfrey to Turner touchdown pass, this time from 18 yards out, to tie the score 21-21 with 5:31 to play in the second quarter.
The Buckeyes tried to surprise the Rattlers with an onside kick on the following kickoff, but Olivares’ bouncing kick eluded Kedon Franklin’s grasp and went out of bounds at the Navasota 46-yard line. After a 5-yard penalty for the out-of-bounds kick, the Rattlers took over at the Gilmer 49-yard line.
Navasota’s Antoin Burrell gave the Rattlers a 28-21 lead with his 5-yard touchdown run just seven plays later.
The Buckeyes could not respond, as the Rattlers’ defense forced a three-and-out punt. Luke Turner’s punt was a 52-yard boomer that pinned Navasota back at their 14-yard line.
After Hildreth ran for a 6-yard gain on the first play, Gilmer called a timeout with 1:56 to play in the first half. Despite allowing 234 yards and four touchdowns on Navasota’s first four possessions, Traylor gambled that his defense would stop the Rattlers and wanted more time for his offense to try to tie the score before halftime.
“I knew they were going to get the ball first in the second half and I didn’t want them to go up 14 points on us,” reasoned Traylor.
The Buckeyes’ defense rewarded Traylor’s confidence, forcing Navasota’s first punt of the game three plays later. “You’ve got to believe in those kids,” said Traylor. “Our defense has been great all year. I believed in my coaches and in my kids, and they got it done for me.”
Gilmer’s Paul Chesnut’s 17-yard return gave the Gilmer offense great field position at the Rattlers’ 49-yard line. “Paul’s punt return to give us field position was huge,” praised Traylor. Six plays later, Godfrey hit Marlon Granville with a 6-yard touchdown pass to tie the score at 28-28 with only 37 seconds left until halftime.
“We knew that if we scored and tied it up before half we would have a ball game,” said Godfrey.
Gilmer defensive tackle Luis Castro, who finished the game with 12 tackles, admitted that the Buckeyes’ defense was stunned at Navasota’s offensive success. “It was scary,” said Castro. “We’ve never had that feeling the whole year. It was scary.”
Traylor was quick to credit the Rattlers for their first half performance. “Offensively, they were just in another league,” said Traylor. “Their offensive line was so big. Two good running backs, two good receivers, a good quarterback, a great offensive line, and a great coach, that’s hard to stop.”
But the Buckeyes’ defense did just that for almost the entire second half, holding the Rattlers scoreless on their first four possessions. “We knew sooner or later that the defense was going to step up, and they stepped up in the second half,” said Godfrey.
“Our defensive staff did an amazing job, and our kids just kept making play after play,” said Traylor, who saw his career record go to 110-17 with the victory.
“Gilmer did a tremendous job in the second half getting off blocks a lot better,” said Navasota head coach Lee Fedora. “At the beginning of the game we were able to get our hands on them and stay on them and open creases.”
Despite a three-and-out series on their first possession of the second half, the Buckeyes’ Luke Turner’s punts continued to hurt the Rattlers. Turner’s second punt of the game traveled 52 yards, and pinned Navasota back at their 20-yard line.
The Buckeyes defense dominated the Rattlers’ second possession of the half, with Chris Miller sacking Hildreth for a 7-yard loss on third down, forcing a third straight Navasota punt, this time from inside the end zone.
Chesnut fielded the punt at the Rattlers’ 48-yard line and returned it to the 30-yard line, giving Gilmer their best field position of the game. The Buckeyes scored four plays later when Godfrey rolled to his right looking to pass, then abruptly cut back to his left and scooted seven yards untouched for a touchdown and a 35-28 lead with 4:42 to play in the third quarter.
“That was his third option. He was looking for receivers first and second and run was his third choice,” explained Traylor about Godfrey’s touchdown run. “He went to his third option probably 12 times in the game. He played unbelievable. Best I’ve ever seen him play.”
Godfrey finished the game with 175 yards and four touchdowns passing to go along with his touchdown and 83 yards rushing.
Navasota’s next series took 4:30 off the clock, but advanced only 29 yards on eight plays before the Rattlers were forced to punt for the 4th consecutive possession. Hildreth’s punt rolled out at the 1-yard line, pinning the Buckeyes against their own goal line.
Despite picking up nine yards on the first three plays, the Buckeyes decided to play it safe on fourth and one, allowing Turner to punt for the third time. Once again Turner’s punt was a beauty, this time traveling 58 yards to the Navasota 32-yard line.
The Rattlers took it to the Buckeyes’ 34-yard line where they faced a crucial fourth down with 5 yards to go. Hildreth hit Thomas Sweed in the right flat, where it appeared Sweed would easily pick up the first down. But at the last possible second, Gilmer’s Ben Griffith collided with Sweed and dropped him immediately with a ferocious hit.
Unable to determine if the play was enough for a Rattlers’ first down, game officials called a time out to measure. “I didn’t know that it was that close until I looked up and saw the first down marker on the ground,” said Griffith, who celebrated wildly with his teammates when officials signaled a Gilmer first down at the Buckeyes’ 30-yard line.
“The kid from Gilmer did an outstanding job getting the tackle and making us a half-yard short. That’s how games are; a game of inches,” said Navasota’s Fedora.
Traylor agreed with Fedora. “Ben’s hit on fourth down might have been the play of the year,” Traylor stated.
Fueled by the defensive stop, the Buckeyes’ offense proceeded on a 70-yard, 9-play drive that ate 4:56 off the clock. Granville did most of the damage, gaining 59 yards on 7 carries, and scoring on a 1-yard run with 1:44 to play in the game, giving Gilmer a 42-28 lead.
Granville was pressed into service as the feature back because of injuries to Gus Osborne and Vance Green that forced Osborne to miss the game, and Green to only eight carries. “They were hurt and I was the healthiest, so I went out and did what I could,” said Granville, who finished with 89 rushing yards and a touchdown on 14 carries to along with his touchdown reception.
“We just keep having different kids step up,” marveled Traylor. “It’s unbelievable the number of different receivers and running backs we’ve had step up.”
The Rattlers tried to make it interesting the final 1:44, finally getting back on the scoreboard with a 75-yard scoring drive helped in large part by 30 yards in penalties against the Buckeyes’ defense, including a bogus interference penalty against Gilmer on a fourth down that kept the drive alive. On the next play, Hildreth hit Sweed on a 26-yard touchdown with only 36 seconds left on the clock to make the score 42-35.
The Rattlers’ recovered the ensuing onside kick, but were flagged for being offside on the kick, and forced to re-kick. This time, the Buckeyes recovered the football and ran out the remaining time on the clock to seal the win.
“It was two great football teams playing and giving it everything that they’ve got,” said a disappointed Fedora.
“There was so much adversity and the kids battled through it,” said Traylor. “It was a huge win.”

STATISTICS
Navasota Gilmer
19 First downs 22
33-128 Rushes-yds 41-215
15-26-2-0 Passing 21-28-4-0
234 Passing yds 175
362 Total yds 390
0 Fumbles lost 0
23:35 Time of possession 24:25
7-67 Penalties-yds 8-88
SCORE BY QUARTERS
1 2 3 4 T
Navasota 7 21 0 7 35
Gilmer 14 14 7 7 42


XAVIER EASLEY of the Buckeyes is all over Thomas Sweed of the Rattlers during Gilmer’s 42-35 quarterfinal victory over Navasota last Saturday in Lufkin. The Buckeyes now move on to the semifinal round against the Cuero Gobblers. That game will kick off at 6 p.m. on Saturday in Huntsville.

Mirror Photos / Mary Laschinger Kirby
BEN GRIFFITH (19) of the Gilmer Buckeyes makes a “rattling” hit on Thomas Sweed (3) of the Navasota Rattlers, preventing him from making a first down on 4th-and-5 from the Gilmer 34. Other Buckeyes pictured are JT Beecham (21) and Chris Miller (16). Navasota was driving toward a touchdown, which would have tied the game at 35-35 had the drive not been stopped. Instead, the Buckeyes took over and drove to a clinching touchdown in last Saturday’s 42-35 quarterfinal win in Lufkin.


Gilmer Buckeyes vs Navasota Rattlers Videos

These come up in reverse chronological order. Scroll down to get to the beginning.

Navasota next up for Buckeyes

Listen Live
Backup Stream
LIVE BLOG OF GILMER/NAVASOTA GAME SATURDAY
Directions to Abe Martin Stadium

By JOE DODD

The undefeated and top-ranked Gilmer Buckeyes face their biggest test of the season Saturday when they meet the Navasota Rattlers at Abe Martin Stadium in Lufkin. Kickoff is scheduled for 2 p.m.

Not only are the Rattlers (9-2) “The best team we’ve faced this year,” according to Gilmer head coach Jeff Traylor, but Navasota features an offensive line that averages over 293 pounds per man.

“Their offensive line is huge,” said Traylor about the Rattlers’ line that is led by left tackle Aeon Calhoun at 6-6, 340 pounds and right guard Jarvis Harrison at 6-4, 311 pounds. Both Calhoun and Harrison are being recruited by Division One programs.

Navasota’s front five is not only huge, but experienced; starting together for the past three seasons. Not surprisingly, this is the Rattlers’ third straight quarterfinals appearance. “Anytime you get to this round, you know you’re going to play some of the best,” said Navasota head coach Lee Fedora. “In 2007, we played the number-one team in the state in Liberty Hill, and then last year in the quarterfinals we played La Vega and got beat in overtime.”

This is also the third straight trip to the quarterfinals for Gilmer. In 2007 the Buckeyes beat Dallas Roosevelt in the third round, before losing to Liberty Hill in the finals. Last year, Gilmer lost in the quarterfinals to eventual state champion Carthage.

“We’ve never played a bad team this deep in the playoffs,” said Traylor, who has the Buckeyes playing on Thanksgiving weekend for the fifth time in the past seven seasons. “That’s a goal of every football program in the state of Texas; to make it to Thanksgiving, because there are so few teams left,” Traylor said. “It’s a fun time; football, family, and food.”

If Traylor and the Buckeyes hope to advance to the semifinals, they will have to find a way to get around Navasota’s huge offensive line and stop Rattlers’ quarterback Kye Hildreth.

“It all starts with their quarterback; he’s the real deal,” said Traylor about Hildreth, who passed for 221 yards and four touchdowns and rushed for 106 yards and another touchdown in his debut at quarterback in the Rattlers’ season opener.

Fedora admits that the senior quarterback drives his team. “Kye lined up and kicked a 45-yard field goal in practice. One of my kids turned around and asked me if there was anything that Kye can’t do, and I said no. I think he’s getting his CDL license this week and he may drive the bus to the game.”

Unless Hildreth misses an exit on the trip to Lufkin, the Buckeyes will have to figure out a way to stop the dual-threat quarterback, who comes into the game against the Buckeyes with 1,521 yards and 16 touchdowns passing and 1,154 yards and 18 touchdowns rushing in the Rattlers’ spread offense.

But Traylor warns that even if Gilmer’s Black Flag Defense can contain Hildreth, the Rattlers have an abundance of playmakers on an offense that averages 30 points and 384 yards per game.

“Aaron Collins, Antoin Burrell, Kesnick Jones and Tevin Creeks can all score in one play. That’s scary,” said Traylor. Burrell and Jones have combined for 1,387 yards rushing and 10 touchdowns, while Creeks and Collins have teamed up for 971 yards and 11 touchdowns on 51 receptions.

“They really have some great players on offense,” said Traylor, who expects the Rattlers to stick with their spread offense. “They’re good at it, and they’ve been good at it for the last two years, so I would be surprised if we see much change,” Traylor said.
Fedora confirmed the Rattlers’ plan. “If you’re changing everything, I think you’re telling your kids that what we’ve been doing the last 12 weeks isn’t good enough to win it all,” said Fedora. “We believe if you execute your game plan you’ll have a chance to win the ball game. We’re not changing our stuff up. Sure we’ll add a few wrinkles, but it’s not like we’re going to come out with a whole new offense and a whole new defense. We believe in what we do.”

“I think a lot of teams go into a game against Gilmer just trying to find a way not to lose too badly,” Fedora continued. “We’re approaching it as another ball game. We believe in what we do, and we believe that we’re a good football team also. That’s why you play, because anything can happen.”

Despite the impressive offensive numbers for Navasota, Gilmer’s offensive production dwarfs that of the Rattlers. The Buckeyes come into the game averaging over 470 yards and a state-best 54.6 points per game behind the play of quarterback Stump Godfrey.

“What’s impressed me about Godfrey is you can tell that he’s a leader,” said the Rattlers’ Fedora. “He just wants to win ball games, and whatever it takes to win a game, he’s going to be a part of that.”

Godfrey has thrown for 2,940 yards and 35 touchdowns this season and rushed for 440 yards and 14 touchdowns in leading the Buckeyes to the third most points in school history.

With all of the talk about offense, the fact that both Gilmer and Navasota have two of the best defenses in the state goes unnoticed. “Both defenses are outstanding,” said Fedora. “When people talk about how two high-powered offenses are going to explode, I think a lot of times it takes away from how good the defenses are. When you look at the scores that Gilmer’s had; yes they put up a lot of points, but their defense has been phenomenal.”

Gilmer’s defense has allowed an average of 74 yards passing, 128 yards rushing, and 15 points per game. Navasota’s defensive numbers are amazingly similar. The Rattlers allow an average of 86 yards passing, 159 yards passing, and 13.6 points per game.

Navasota’s Fedora said that he would be okay with a defensive battle. “I don’t care if we have 10 yards of total offense, if we have one point more on the scoreboard than the other team; in the playoffs that’s all that matters,” said Fedora.

One point more is all that the Rattlers managed in last week’s 35-34 win against Silsbee. “I was real proud of our kids; they overcame adversity,” said Fedora. “We had a chance to put them away and go up by two touchdowns, but we turned the ball over and the next thing you know, their quarterback breaks one for 76 yards. But then we had a great surge and forced their kicker to miss the extra point. Then we were able to run 6 minutes off the clock to end the game.”

Fedora credits the Rattlers’ first round bye as a key factor in the win. “This year it really worked out well for us,” admitted Fedora. “Our last regular season game against Madisonville we had five starters out due to injury and that week really helped us get our guys back. Now we’re back to about one hundred percent healthy.”

Traylor knows how important an off week can be late in the season. During the Buckeyes state championship run in 2004, Gilmer enjoyed a week off between their final regular season game and round one of the playoffs. “It gives them an advantage because their healthier,” said Traylor. “I’d give anything to have had a week off before the playoffs; we’d be a totally different team if we had had a bye.”

Despite being bruised and battered, the Buckeyes know that another state championship could be around the corner. “We’re getting close. There are just eight of us left,” said Traylor.

Fedora was quick to point out that the Rattlers expectations are the same as the Buckeyes. “I feel very confident in our kids and our program and what we do,” Fedora said. “Hopefully what we do is going to be good enough. That’s why we’re excited to play this game.”


Mirror Photo / Mary Laschinger Kirby
COACH JEFF TRAYLOR holds up the gold ball signifying the Buckeyes have made it to the quarterfinal round again after their 44-16 win over Waco La Vega last Saturday afternoon in Mesquite. The Buckeyes play Navasota at 2 p.m. on Saturday in Lufkin for the Region III title in UIL Class 3A Division I.



From the Longview News-Journal:

Buckeyes at a glance

From The Eagle (Bryan-College Station):

Caldwell, Navasota get tests this week

Listen Live

Backup Stream



Navasota Rattlers 2009 Season Results

Date Opponent Result

08/27/09 Henderson @ Lufkin won: 47-0
09/04/09 @ Palestine won: 28-20
09/11/09 @ Hearne won: 27-0
09/18/09 @ Bellville won: 24-14
09/25/09 Bryan Rudder* won: 41-14
10/09/09 @ Caldwell* lost: 0-14
10/16/09 Rockdale* won: 41-13
10/23/09 @ Taylor* won: 44-0
10/30/09 Cameron Yoe* lost: 22-24
11/06/09 @ Madisonville* won: 21-16
11/13/09 BYE
11/20/09 Silsbee @ The Woodlands won: 35-34

Overall Record: 9-2

Total Points For: 330 Average Points For Per Game: 30
Total Points Against: 149
Average Points Against Per Game: 13.5

Historical Stats, Records, and Program Information

Navasota
YEAR W-L-T COACH

2000 1-9-0 Robert Perkins
2001 0-10-0 Robert Perkins
2002 5-6-0 Dan Burk
2003 8-3-0 Dan Burk
2004 9-2-0 Dan Burk
2005 3-7-0 Lee Fedora
2006 3-7-0 Lee Fedora
2007 9-4-0 Lee Fedora
2008 10-1-0 Lee Fedora
2009 9-2-0 Lee Fedora

BY DECADES W-L-T
1909-19 12-12-1 1920-29 14-35-5
1930-39 64-39-4
1940-49 60-37-3
1950-59 40-60-3
1960-69 31-68-1
1970-79 55-48-0
1980-89 88-34-1
1990-99 63-46-2
2000-09 57-51-0
TOTAL: 484-430-20

Overall Record: 484-430-20 Undefeated Seasons: 0 Winless Seasons: 2 (1957, 2001) Last District Championship: 2008 Last Playoff Appearance: 2008 All-Time Playoff Appearances: 27 All-Time Playoff Record: 27-26-0


STREAKS

Gilmer has a 12 game winning streak (last loss: 31-28 Carthage, 2008)

Gilmer has a 105 consecutive games scoring streak (last shutout: 10-0 @ Longview to Pleasant Grove, 2001)

NOTES

Jeff Traylor is 109-17 at Gilmer

Gilmer’s Jeff Traylor’s 86% winning percentage is the 3rd best among all active coaches in Texas

Gilmer is 19-7 under Jeff Traylor in playoff games

Gilmer is 1 of 4 teams in class 3A that remain undefeated this season

Gilmer has won more games than any other 3A team in the state since 2000

Gilmer’s 655 points scored is the 3rd best in school history 701 2007 15 games

665 2004 16 games

655 2009 12 games

Gilmer has scored 70 or more points in 3 games this season. The school record is 4 games by the 1929 and 1930 Buckeyes

Gilmer needs 47 points to break the school record of 701 points scored in 2007

Gilmer has scored 47 or more points in the first half 4 times this season

Gilmer’s 655 points is the most points scored in all classifications.

Gilmer’s 54.6 ppg average is the best in all classifications

Gilmer’s 39.6 average margin of victory is best in class 3A and 3rd best in all classifications

Gilmer has allowed an average of 15 points per game which is the 15th best in class 3A.

Navasota has allowed an average of 13.55 points per game which is the 10th best in class 3A.

Gilmer's 607 offensive plays consist of 291 passing attempts (47.9%) and 316 rushing attempts (52.1%)

Gilmer averages 254.6 yards per game passing (54.1%) and 215.6 yards per game rushing (45.9%) for a total of 470.2 yards per game

Gilmer has receiving touchdowns by 11 different players

Gilmer has rushing touchdowns by 11 different players

Gilmer is 38-3 with Stump Godfrey as starting quarterback

Gilmer’s Stump Godfrey needs 60 passing yards to give him 3,000 for the season

Gilmer quarterback Stump Godfrey has 10,839 total yards for his career

Gilmer's Stump Godfrey’s 109 career touchdown passes ranks as 2nd best all time in Class 3A and is the 6th best in all classifications. (source: Joe Lee Smith)

TOUCHDOWN PASSES – CAREER --- Class 3A

132 – G.J. KINNE, Canton, 2003-05; Gilmer 2006
109 - DARIAN GODFREY, Gilmer, 2007-Current

TOUCHDOWN PASSES – CAREER --ll Classes

167 – GRAHAM HARRELL, Ennis, 2000-03 (4A)
137 – GARRETT GILBERT, Lake Travis, 2006-08
132 – G.J. KINNE, Canton, 2003-05; Gilmer 2006
116 – COLT McCOY, Jim Ned, 2002-04 (2A)
114 – DREW TATE, Baytown Lee, 1999-02 (5A) 109- DARIAN GODFREY, Gilmer, 2007-Current

Gilmer's Stump Godfrey’s 8,751 career passing yards ranks as 4th best all time in Class 3A and 13th best all time in all classifications (source: Joe Lee Smith)

CAREER PASSING YARDS --- ALL-TIME

12,534 – GARRETT GILBERT, Lake Travis, 2006-08
12,532 – GRAHAM HARRELL, Ennis, 2000-03
12,183 -- DREW TATE, Baytown Lee, 1999-02
11,762 -- G.J. KINNE, Canton, 2003-05; Gilmer, 2006
10,136 -- PHILLIP DAUGHERTY, Bridgeport, 2000-02
10,046 -- CHANDLER DANE, Decatur, 2002-04
9,469 – TYRIK ROLLISON, Sulphur Springs, 2006-08
9,344 -- COLT McCOY, Jim Ned, 2002-04
9,042 – JACOB VILLANUEVA, Roscoe, 2005-08
9,009 -- KELLEN HAYNES, FW Brewer, 2000-01; Crosby, ‘02-03
8,958 -- MATTHEW STAFFORD, Highland Park, 2003-05
8,859 – JERRY LOPEZ, Laredo Alexander, 2006-08

8,751- DARIAN GODFREY, Gilmer, 2007-Current

Gilmer quarterback Stump Godfrey needs 249 passing yards to give him 9,000 for his career

Gilmer’s Stump Godfrey’s 47 career rushing touchdowns is the most in school history

Gilmer’s Tristan Holt has scored 20 touchdowns this season including 11 receiving, 3 rushing, 5 on punt returns, and 1 kickoff return for 1,507 all-purpose yards. Holt has 58 all-purpose touches on the season

Gilmer’s Tristan Holt needs 96 receiving yards to give him 1,000 for his career

2009 Gilmer Buckeyes Offense

Statistical Leaders-Thru 12 Games


PASSING

Darian Godfrey 199 of 272 for 2,940 yards, 35 TD’S, 5 INT’S

Luke Turner 4 of 12 for 47 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT

Jordan Traylor 3 of 5 for 45 yards, 2 TD’S

TEAM TOTALS 207 of 291 for 3,055 yards, 39 TD’S, 6 INT’S
RECEIVING

Luke Turner 33 rec, 369 yards, 6 TD’S

Tristan Holt 29 rec, 721 yards, 11 TD’S

Tevin Godfrey 26 rec, 492 yards, 4 TD’S

Braylon Webb 24 rec, 269 yards, 4 TD’S

Ben Griffith 15 rec, 249 yards, 2 TD’S

TEAM TOTALS 207 rec, 3,055 yards, 39 TD’S
RUSHING

Darian Godfrey 93 carries, 440 yards, 14 TD’S

Vance Green 53 carries, 693 yards, 6 TD’S

Jeremy Jackson 43 carries, 318 yards, 1 TD

Marlon Granville 42 carries, 317 yards, 3 TD'S

Gus Osborne 37 carries, 381 yards, 9 TD’S

TEAM TOTALS 316 carries, 2,587 yards, 42 TD’S
SUMMARY

First Downs 231

Passing 3,055 yards

Rushing 2,587 yards

TOTAL OFFENSE 5,642 YARDS


Gilmer Buckeyes Black Flag Defense Season Statistics

Rushing Allowed: 1,536 yards

Passing Allowed: 885 yards

Total Allowed: 2,421 yards

Rushing Per Game: 128.0 yards

Passing Per Game: 73.8 yards

Total Per Game: 201.8 yards

Points Allowed: 173

Points Per Game: 14.4

Recovered Fumbles: 12

Interceptions: 12

Forced Turnovers: 24

Team Leaders

Tackles

Mikey Wilson 135

Luis Castro 94

Chris Miller 93

Braylon Webb 91

Paul Chesnut 64

Forced Fumbles

Braylon Webb 3

Eric Miller 2

Recovered Fumbles

Eric Miller 3

Luis Castro 2

Interceptions

Paul Chesnut 2

Ben Griffith 2

Harvey Horton 2

Sacks

Chris Miller 5

Luis Castro 4

Ty Barr 4

J.T. Beecham 2

Eric Miller 2

Buckeyes, Rattlers to play Saturday in Lufkin

The Gilmer Buckeyes (12-0) will take on the Navasota Rattlers (9-2) on Saturday at 2 p.m. at Abe Martin Stadium in Lufkin.

This is a quarterfinal round game in UIL Class 3A Division I. It will determine the Region III champion.

The winner will play the winner of the Region IV title game being played in San Antonio Friday night between Cuero and Ingleside.

Tickets at the gate are $7. Advance ticket sales concluded on Tuesday because of the holiday-shortened week.

Gilmer is the home team and will be wearing black.

Joe Dodd’s preview of this game with comments from the coaches will be published in Saturday's Mirror.



Gilmer fans asked to 'black out'
Abe Martin Stadium

Bridget Fowler, Gilmer Athletic Booster Club president, asks that every Buckeye fan wear black to the Saturday, Nov. 28 game.

The Buckeyes will play Navasota at 2 p.m. at Abe Martin Stadium in Lufkin.

“Gilmer will be the home team. Let’s Black Out Navasota,” she said.


Listen Live at www.GilmerBuckeyes.com

November 28- Navasota @ Abe Martin Stadium, Lufkin

Mascot: Rattlers

Colors: Blue & White

District: 24-3A

Enrollment: 805

Record: 9-2, 4-2 District

Last meeting: This will be the first meeting between the two teams

Head Coach: Lee Fedora (34-21 in 5th season at Navasota; 92-46-1 overall)

Returning Starters: 6 Offense/8 Defense

Did you know? Rattlers’ coach Lee Fedora is the brother of Southern Miss head coach Larry Fedora.

Navasota Rattlers 2009 Season Results

Aug. 27 Henderson @ Lufkin, won: 47-0

The Rattlers started the 2009 season with a trip into East Texas and came away with an impressive victory over Class 4A Henderson. Senior Kye Hildreth made an explosive debut at quarterback for Navasota, passing for 221 yards and 4 touchdowns and running for 106 yards and another touchdown.

Sep. 4 @ Palestine, won 28-20

A second straight foray into East Texas proved to be more difficult for Navasota, as the Rattlers had to overcome a fourth quarter deficit in a win over Palestine. Rattlers’ quarterback Kye Hildreth was held to 90 total offensive yards, so Hildreth compensated by returning a kick 73 yards for a touchdown that triggered the come-back win.

Sep. 11 @ Hearne, won 27-0

The Rattlers’ Kye Hildreth ran 79 yards for a touchdown on the second play from scrimmage, as Navasota won in a pouring rain. The Rattlers racked up 324 total yards on offense while holding Hearne to only 86 yards in their first loss of the season.

Sep. 18 @ Bellville, won 24-14

Navasota’s fourth straight road game to open the season resulted in the Rattlers’ fourth straight win. Quarterback Kye Hildreth directed the Rattlers’ offense to 415 total yards, while the defense picked off Bellville quarterback Kevin Muller 3 times. Navasota’s Antoine Burrell led the Rattlers with 123 yards rushing on only 9 carries.

Sep. 25 Bryan Rudder, won 41-14

Navasota’s first home game of the season was a true homecoming as the Rattlers improved their record to 5-0 in the district opener. Quarterback Kye Hildreth had his best rushing performance of the season, gaining 263 yards and 3 touchdowns on 23 carries. Antoine Burrell added 138 yards and 2 touchdowns on only 14 carries.

Oct. 9 @ Caldwell, lost 14-0

The Rattlers’ 15-game regular season winning streak came to an end on the road against Caldwell. Navasota quarterback Kye Hildreth was sacked 8 times, holding him to 7 yards on 22 carries, as the Rattlers were limited to just 114 total yards.

Oct. 16 Rockdale, won 41-13

The Rattlers wasted no time in getting back on a winning track, dominating previously unbeaten Rockdale. Quarterback Kye Hildreth got back on track as well, picking up 194 rushing yards and 3 touchdowns on only 16 carries to go with 163 passing yards and a touchdown.

Oct. 23 @ Taylor, won 44-0

The Rattlers’ defense picked up 8 sacks and held Taylor to 43 yards rushing and 31 yards passing in recording their third shutout of the season. Navasota’s offense rolled up 421 total yards behind Kye Hildreth’s 12 of 16 passing for 216 yards and 3 touchdowns and 60 rushing yards and a touchdown on 10 carries.

Oct. 30 Cameron Yoe, lost 24-22

The Rattlers’ final home game of the season started out bad when K.J. Nelms fumbled the opening kickoff and Cameron Yoe returned it for a touchdown and 8-0 lead just 10 seconds into the game. That would be the first of 5 turnovers for the Rattlers, who lost on a 36-yard field goal in the fourth quarter.

Nov. 6 @ Madisonville, won 21-16

Needing a win to make the playoffs for the third straight year, the Rattlers overcame 277 rushing yards by Madisonville to finish the regular season 8-2. Navasota quarterback Kye Hildreth passed for 116 yards and rushed for 102 yards to give him 1,417 passing yards and 1,015 rushing yards on the season.

Nov. 20 Silsbee @ Conroe, won 35-34

Silsbee was knocked out of the playoffs for the second year in a row by the Rattlers, thanks to 2 missed extra points. Navasota piled up 321 rushing yards and 105 passing yards to counter Silsbee quarterback Jeremy Johnson’s 154 yards rushing and 119 yards passing. Johnson scored 3 times on the ground including a 72 yard run with 6:22 left in the game that cut the Rattlers lead to 35-34, but Silsbee’s Caleb Henry missed his second extra point of the game and the Rattlers held the football to run the clock out and secure the win.


THERE ARE now eight teams left in Class 3A Division I. This weekend’s quarterfinal games will determine the winners of of the state’s four regions. The Region III winner of the Gilmer-Navasota game in Lufkin Saturday afternoon will move on to play the Region IV winner of the Cuero-Ingleside game being played Friday night in San Antonio.

There's a link on this site for anyone wanting to listen to the Cuero-Ingleside game:

GobblerSports.com

Final: Cuero 47, Ingleside 28

Gilmer 44, La Vega 16

From the Longview News-Journal:
Buckeyes leap over La Vega

From the Tyler Morning Telegraph:
Gilmer Captures Win Over La Vega, 44-16



From the Waco Tribune-Herald:
Gilmer 44, La Vega 16

From The Gilmer Mirror:

Buckeyes too much for La Vega

By JOE DODD

The La Vega Pirates gave the Gilmer Buckeyes all they could handle on the opening drive of the Class 3A Division I second round playoff game Saturday at Mesquite’s Memorial Stadium. After that, it was all Gilmer, as the Buckeyes rolled to an impressive 44-16 win over last season’s state finalists.

The Pirates took the opening kickoff and played keep-away from the Buckeyes for 7:15 of the first quarter, driving 53 yards in 13 plays before settling for a 22-yard field goal by Eddy Gonzales to take a 3-0 lead against the top-ranked Gilmer Buckeyes.

The Pirates tried to keep Gilmer’s offense off the field even longer, attempting an onside kick on the ensuing kickoff but the football didn’t travel the required 10 yards, so the Buckeyes started from the La Vega 45-yard line.

The Buckeyes had to settle for a 25-yard field goal after a glaring no-call on a defensive interference penalty in the end zone left Gilmer with a 4th-and-goal from the 8-yard line. Adan Olivares nailed the kick to tie the score 3-3 with only 57 seconds to play in the first quarter.

“I don’t like it, because I like to score touchdowns,” said Gilmer quarterback Stump Godfrey about settling for a field goal on the Buckeyes opening drive. “But we had to score somehow, and Adan does a great job kicking field goals. That was a great job by him.”

Concerned about La Vega’s first time-consuming drive, the Buckeyes’ Black Flag Defense made adjustments before the Pirates’ next series. “We knew they were going to come out and try to run it at us, because that’s what every team does,” said Gilmer cornerback Tristan Holt.

The adjustments worked, as the Buckeyes held the Pirates to 14 total yards on their next eight possessions.

“The coaches came up with a new scheme and it kept working, so we kept running it,” explained Gilmer safety Braylon Webb.

“Our kids believe in our coaching staff, and our coaching staff does a good job making adjustments, and our kids do it,” said Buckeyes’ head coach Jeff Traylor, who praised the defense for their performance. “They were totally out-manned and out-sized. They just played good technique and sacrificed their bodies for each other. We just out-gutted them.”

La Vega head coach Willie Williams was also quick to praise the Buckeyes’ defense. “They have no weaknesses. We knew they were strong defensively. We figured if we spread them out we couldn’t block them because they’re so quick, so our only chance was to get them in tight and try to power them,” said Williams. “They put the big boys in there and kind of shut down our running lanes. They did a great job and had a great scheme. They proved to be the better team.”

With the Pirates’ offense bottled up, the Buckeyes’ offense enjoyed great field position provided by the defense, starting their next three series in Pirates’ territory.

Gilmer took a 10-3 lead on their second series; a 4-play, 42-yard drive highlighted by a 27-yard completion from Stump Godfrey to his cousin Tevin Godfrey that set up Gus Osborne’s 3-yard touchdown run with 10:50 left in the second quarter.

Two plays later, the Buckeyes’ defense forced their only turnover of the game when Braylon Webb stripped the football from Devonte Jones at the La Vega 28-yard line.

Gilmer returned the favor three plays later when Vance Green coughed up the football after a crushing hit from Pirates’ linebacker Lamar Williams at the La Vega 17-yard line.

The Buckeyes’ defense made quick work of the Pirates again, forcing a 3-and-out punt. Holt caught the punt at the Buckeyes’ 47-yard line and dazzled the crowd with an amazing 53-yard return for a touchdown. But the touchdown was called back on a penalty against Gilmer.

The Buckeyes and Pirates traded punts on the next two series before Gilmer’s offense got back on track their final possession of the first half with a 9-play, 67-yard scoring drive kept alive by a Godfrey to Luke Turner catch and run of six yards on 4th-and-5. “I thought Luke Turner made a great effort to make that first down. That was a big play in the game,” said Traylor.

Godfrey completed the drive with a 13-yard touchdown run to give the Buckeyes a 17-3 lead with just 21 seconds remaining until halftime.

“Scoring right before the half, that was huge,” said Traylor. “If we hadn’t of scored there, the game might have been a little different.”

La Vega’s Williams agreed that the difference in the game was Gilmer made plays when the Pirates’ did not. “We had to play a perfect game because they are such a great ball club. We should have punched it in down there on our first drive and we didn’t. Right before half they score,” lamented Williams.

The Pirates made one last attempt to regain the momentum, starting the second half with an onside kick recovery at the Gilmer 33-yard line. But an offside penalty against the Pirates negated the recovery and forced a re-kick. La Vega tried another onside kick, but this time the Buckeyes’ Tevin Godfrey recovered the football at the Pirates’ 45-yard line.

It took the Buckeyes just four plays to score, as Osborne did the honors from 10 yards out just 69 seconds into the third quarter. Gilmer’s 2-point conversion attempt was stopped short of the goal line, leaving the score 23-3.

La Vega’s first series of the second half went nowhere fast as the Pirates faced a 4th-and-6 from their 39-yard line. The Buckeyes’ defense stopped the Pirates’ conversion attempt and gave the football back to the offense at the La Vega 41-yard line.

An impressive 20-yard run by Stump Godfrey and a 20-yard pass completion from Godfrey to Daniel McLaren, highlighted the Buckeyes’ next drive that ended with Braylon Webb’s 3-yard touchdown run. Olivares’ extra point kick made the score 30-3 with 7:03 to play in the third quarter.

After trading punts on the next two series, Holt got another chance to return a punt when the Pirates punted for the fifth time in the game. Jose Fajardo’s punt sailed over Holt, who sprinted back towards his own goal, and caught the football off a bounce at the 26-yard line. Holt turned around and proceeded to glide up the field like an ice skater surrounded by a force field for a 76-yard touchdown, giving Gilmer a 37-3 lead with 10:52 left in the fourth quarter.

“I try to go in thinking that I’m going to score,” said Holt, who now has five punt returns for touchdowns on the season. “They overpursued one way, so I just ran back the other way.”

Thanks in large part to major substitutions by the Buckeyes on defense, the Pirates finally got across the goal line on their next series when Lorenzo Davis broke loose for a 52-yard touchdown run, making the score 37-10 with 8:07 to play in the game.

The Buckeyes answered back with their longest drive of the game, going 80 yards in nine plays and using 5:20 off the clock. Backup quarterback Jordan Traylor completed the Gilmer scoring with a screen pass to J.T. Beecham, who followed a wall of blockers 15 yards for the touchdown, and a 44-10 lead with only 2:47 left in the game.

La Vega took advantage of the Buckeyes’ backups once more, this time with a 34-yard touchdown pass from Tony Montoya to Caleb Hobbs with 2:06 to play, making the final score 44-16 after a failed 2-point conversion attempt.

“We’re happy with the win, but we could have played a little better. We had some penalties and turned the ball over, so that’s always bad,” said Holt after the game.

Despite not throwing a touchdown pass for only the second time in his 41 games as a starter, Stump Godfrey was pleased with the Buckeyes’ play. “It just shows that we’ve got a great team,” said Godfrey. “We’ve got great running backs and a great line and receivers.”

“He’s much more concerned with what his record is,” said Traylor concerning Godfrey’s no touchdown passes in the game. “They played a lot of coverage. That’s just what they dictated, so we just adjusted.”

Osborne, who finished with 2 rushing touchdowns, said the Buckeyes can play better. “To tell the truth, we played so-so. Offense wasn’t as crisp as usual,” said Osborne. “But I will say the defense; that was some good ball playing. We held them all game to three points until the end. I was impressed.”

Traylor was quick to remind his team that their goal was still in reach. “That’s the name of the game; to advance. I know from doing this for a long time that you don’t ever complain about winning a playoff game; you’re just glad to still be in it.”

Scoring Summary
1st 2nd 3rd 4th Total
Gilmer 3 14 13 14 44
La Vega 3 0 0 13 16

Statistics

Gilmer La Vega
First Downs 18 12
Passing-Comp/Att/TD/Int 13-17-1-0 3-4-1-0
Passing-Yards 183 43
Rushes-Yards 35-201 45-151
Total Yards 384 194
Time of Possession 21:32 26:28
Fumbles Lost 1 1
Penalties-Yards 10-62 9-60


Mirror Photo / Mary Laschinger Kirby
GILMER’S BLACK FLAG DEFENSE wraps up La Vega QB Tony Montoya last Saturday afternoon at Memorial Stadium in Mesquite during the Buckeyes’ 44-16 win over the Pirates in the second round of the UIL Class 3A Division I playoffs. Making the stop are Ty Barr (26) and Eric Miller (45) with Luis Castro (5) closing in. Other Buckeyes from left are Ben Griffith (19), Harvey Horton (24), Marlon Granville (20), Mikey Wilson (34) and Xavier Easley (12). Gilmer (12-0) moves on to play the Navasota Rattlers (9-2) Saturday at 2 p.m. at Lufkin’s Abe Martin Stadium.

Mirror Photo / Mary Laschinger Kirby
GUS OSBORNE takes advantage of some good blocking by the Gilmer offensive line to score one of his touchdowns against La Vega.

Mirror Photos / Mary Laschinger Kirby
STUMP GODFREY didn’t throw for any TD passes, but he ran for one and expertly guided the Gilmer offense to another win. Other Buckeyes pictured in the photos above and below are linemen Jacob Jenkins (71), Beau Blair (70) and Caleb Denton (52).


Mirror Photos / Mary Laschinger Kirby
TRISTAN HOLT leaps over a La Vega defender, above, while J.T. Beecham below scores from 15 yards out. Other Buckeyes pictured are Daniel McLaren (4) and Dustin Hardin (55).


Mirror Photo / Mary Laschinger Kirby
VANCE GREEN runs for good yardage for the Buckeyes last Saturday in Mesquite. He and his teammates will be giving thanks that they’re still in the playoffs on Thanksgiving weekend, but they’ll not be spending much time relaxing as they must prepare for Saturday’s quarterfinal game against the Navasota Rattlers in Lufkin.



From KLTV:

High School Playoffs (2:05 in)



From KYTX CBS 19 (2:40 in):

SATURDAY'S ROUND TWO HIGHLIGHTS

From KETKnbc (2:25 in):

TRIPLE-THREAT: Lee, Longview, Gilmer Advance




LA VEGA won the coin toss, elected to receive and drove downfield to draw first blood on a field goal, but as the scoreboard indicates, it was all Gilmer the rest of the way until the starters took their rest in the fourth quarter. After the game, Gilmer Coach Jeff Traylor congratulates La Vega's leading rusher, Lorenzo Davis, on a game well played.

Gilmer Buckeyes vs La Vega Pirates Videos

These come up in reverse chronological order. Scroll down to get to the beginning.

Buckeyes face La Vega in second round of playoffs

Buckeyes Remain Perfect

Directions to Mesquite Memorial Stadium

Kickoff is at 2 p.m.
Listen Live at GilmerBuckeyes.com

By JOE DODD

With only 16 teams left in the Class 3A Division I playoffs, the Gilmer Buckeyes are just one of many teams with impressive résumés.

“They’re all good this time of the year,” stated Gilmer head coach Jeff Traylor, who has led his alma mater to a 108-17 record and one state championship in his 10 years at the helm of the Buckeyes.

Take La Vega, the Buckeyes’ opponent Saturday at Memorial Stadium in Mesquite. The Pirates have gone at least three rounds deep in the playoffs every year since 2006, sporting an impressive 10-3 playoff record in that span.

“We do have some experience and tradition,” admitted La Vega head coach Willie Williams, who has a 135-84-2 record in his 20th season as Pirates’ head coach.

Like Traylor, Williams is coaching in his hometown. “This is the only place I’ve known. I graduated from here and I’ve coached here for 27 years. I’ve never coached at any other place. I bleed blue and gold. This is my home and it’s been a dream come true for me,” said Williams.

Williams’ tenure has been a dream come true for Pirates’ fans as well. From 1931 to 1989, La Vega made 13 appearances in the playoffs. Since Williams was named head coach in 1990, the Pirates have 11 post season appearances, including a trip to the state title game last season.

“They’ve got a history of being good. They were in the state championship game last year. They’ve been deep in the playoffs many times recently,” said Traylor, who added that his players are looking forward to facing another storied program. “They’re excited. They’ve heard a lot about La Vega.”

“It kind of reminds me of when we played West Orange Stark. They’ve got a good history; they win a lot of games,” said Gilmer running back Gus Osborne, who is coming off a career best 3 touchdown rushing performance in the Buckeyes’ 57-21 win over Jasper last Saturday.

“It’s always fun to play teams you’ve never played before,” added Gilmer linebacker Mikey Wilson, who leads the Buckeyes with 122 tackles.

“That makes it exciting. It’s always good to have a challenge,” said Gilmer safety Paul Chesnut, who helped the Buckeyes’ Black Flag Defense hold opponents to an average of only 14 points per game this season.

Wilson and Chesnut are 2 of the 13 seniors who played major roles on the Buckeyes’ 2007 state finalist team, and have a chance to make history as the most successful senior class to pass through Gilmer High School. In their four years, the Buckeyes are 47-4 and lost in the playoffs to the eventual state champion all three years.

La Vega’s senior class is 42-11 during the same time span, but according to Williams, isn’t as strong as the Buckeyes’ seniors. “We’ve got kids that have gone to the state finals, but they were standing on the sidelines watching as opposed to playing, and Gilmer’s got kids that actually played in that game.” Williams said.

Traylor is quick to point out that the Pirates do return 3 starters from last season’s state finalist team; Lamar Williams, C.J. Williams, and Joe Stevens. “All three of those kids started at linebacker in the state championship game, so you know they’re pretty good,” said Traylor.

“They match up well because they are so athletic,” said Traylor, about the Pirates’ defense that is led by Williams (6-1, 210, 4.6). “He’s probably the best player we’ve played against all year on defense,” Traylor praised. “He kind of looks like DeMarcus Ware of the Dallas Cowboys.”

According to Williams, it might take Ware and the Cowboys’ defense to stop the Buckeyes’ high powered offense. “I don’t think anybody matches up well against Gilmer. They’ll make a good defense look bad,” said Williams.

The Buckeyes’ offense averages 478 yards per game and leads the state in scoring with 55.5 points per game. Gilmer senior quarterback Stump Godfrey has thrown for 109 touchdowns in his career, 6th best in Texas high school football history.

“We’re going to try to contain them and keep them off the field,” said Williams. “I don’t think we’ll be intimidated. We’re going to play hard and see what happens.”

Williams’ confidence comes from the Pirates’ schedule this season. La Vega’s four losses came against perennial state powers Abilene Wylie and Brownwood in non-district play, and district rivals Mexia and Lorena. All four teams are still in the playoffs.

“They’ve played a very tough schedule. They’re battle-tested,” said Traylor, who is concerned with the Pirates’ size advantage. “They are by far the biggest team we’ve played,” marveled Traylor. “Their offensive line is massive all the way across.”

The Pirates’ line is versatile as well. “They’re a power football team at times; they run the ball right at you. And they’re also a spread team at times, so they do a little bit of both,” explained Traylor.

“They’re a good power running team. On defense, they’re very physical. Those are the two things they do the best,” summed up Traylor, who added that the Buckeyes are beat up after their game against Jasper.

“We’ve had some injuries, so we’ve had to move some kids around,” said Traylor. “We’re really working on our depth right now. We’re working hard on our backups just because you know you’re going to need them in these physical games. That’s really our focus.”

Williams said that La Vega’s focus is also internal. “We can’t worry about what Gilmer has,” Williams said. “We’ve got to worry about what we’ve got, and try to take care of our business on our end and try to execute on our end.”

The Pirates’ execution was in question last week as La Vega had to come from behind to beat Athens 21-20 to advance to face the Buckeyes. The game started out well for La Vega, who scored on their first play of the game, a 10-yard run by Lorenzo Davis, to take a 7-0 lead.

But it was all Athens for the next three quarters, as the Pirates fell behind 20-7 going into the fourth quarter. Davis scored his second touchdown of the game with 6:42 remaining, to cut Athens lead to 20-14. La Vega completed the come-back when quarterback Tony Montoya hit tight end Tim Garner on a 65-yard touchdown to take the lead with only 3:19 left in the game.

Traylor said the Pirates won the way most playoff games are decided. “This time of the year it’s always turnovers and big plays. If you win those two categories, you’re going to win the game,” said Traylor. “You’ve got to avoid the big plays on defense and you’ve got to create turnovers on defense. You’ve got to make big plays on offense and take care of the ball.”

Not many teams make more big plays or turn the ball over less than the Buckeyes, stated Williams, who said that the Pirates are excited to face Gilmer. “It’s going to be a great opportunity to go out and try to play with the best.”

From the Longview News-Journal:

Buckeyes at a glance

2009 Gilmer Buckeyes Offense
Statistical Leaders-Thru 11 Games
PASSING
Darian Godfrey                        187 of 256 for 2,772 yards, 35 TD’S, 5 INT’S
Luke Turner                            4 of 12 for 47 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT
Jordan Traylor                         2 of 4 for 30 yards, 1 TD
TEAM TOTALS                        194 of 274 for 2,872 yards, 38 TD’S, 6 INT’S
 
RECEIVING              
Luke Turner                            31 rec, 361 yards, 6 TD’S
Tristan Holt 27 rec, 672 yards, 11 TD’S
Tevin Godfrey                        25 rec, 465 yards, 4 TD’S
Braylon Webb                           23 rec, 268 yards, 4 TD’S
Kedon Franklin                        15 rec, 184 yards, 2 TD’S
TEAM TOTALS                       194 rec, 2,872 yards, 38 TD’S
 
RUSHING
Darian Godfrey                        81 carries, 382 yards, 13 TD’S
Vance Green                            51 carries, 682 yards, 6 TD’S
Jeremy Jackson                         41 carries, 316 yards, 1 TD
Marlon Granville                        38 carries, 288 yards, 3 TD’S
Gus Osborne                           25 carries, 301 yards, 7 TD’S
TEAM TOTALS                       281 carries, 2,386 yards, 38 TD’S
 
SUMMARY
First Downs                              213
Passing                                     2,872 yards
Rushing                                    2,386 yards
TOTAL OFFENSE                   5,258 YARDS

Gilmer Buckeyes Black Flag Defense Season Statistics
Rushing Allowed: 1,385 yards
Passing Allowed: 842 yards
Total Allowed: 2,227 yards
Rushing Per Game: 125.9 yards
Passing Per Game: 76.5 yards
Total Per Game: 202.4 yards
Points Allowed: 164
Points Per Game: 14.9
Recovered Fumbles: 11
Interceptions: 11
Forced Turnovers: 22
Team Leaders
Tackles
Mikey Wilson 122
Luis Castro 86
Braylon Webb 83
Chris Miller 80
Paul Chesnut 61
Forced Fumbles
Braylon Webb 2
Eric Miller 2
Recovered Fumbles
Eric Miller 3
Luis Castro 2
Interceptions
Paul Chesnut 2
Ben Griffith 2
Sacks
Chris Miller 5
Luis Castro 4
Ty Barr 3
J.T. Beecham 2
Eric Miller 2






November 21- La Vega @ Memorial Stadium, Mesquite
Mascot: Pirates
Colors: Blue & Gold
District: 19-3A
Enrollment: 650
Record: 7-4, 3-2 District
Last meeting: This will be the first meeting between the two teams
Head Coach: Willie Williams (135-84-2 in 20th season at La Vega & Overall)
Returning Starters: 2 Offense/4 Defense
Did you know? The Pirates lost 17-10 to Prosper in last year’s Class 3A Division I Final.
La Vega Pirates 2009 Season Results
Date Opponent Result
08/28/09@ Marlin won: 47-0 09/04/09 Brownwood lost: 7-24
09/11/09
@ Dallas Roosevelt won: 28-0
09/18/09 Abilene Wylie lost: 29-46
09/25/09
@ Crockett won: 42-0 10/09/09
@ Mexia*lost: 28-46 10/16/09
Waco Connally*won: 28-21
10/23/09
@ Robinson*won: 54-46
10/30/09
Groesbeck* won: 31-6 11/06/09
@ Lorena*lost: 7-21 11/14/09 Athens @ Mesquite Hanby won: 21-20
Overall Record: 7-4 *District Record: 3-2
Total Points For: 322 Average Points For Per Game: 29.3 Total Points Against: 230 Average Points Against Per Game: 20.9
Historical Stats, Records, and Program Information
La Vega
YEAR W-L-T COACH
2000 5-5-0 Willie Williams
2001 4-6-0 Willie Williams
2002 5-5-0 Willie Williams
2003 7-4-0 Willie Williams
2004 0-10-0 Willie Williams
2005 3-6-0 Willie Williams
2006 10-3-0 Willie Williams
2007 13-1-0 Willie Williams
2008 12-3-0 Willie Williams 2009 7-4-0 Willie Williams
BY DECADES W- L-T 1931-39 38-27-4
1940-49 54-34-7
1950-59 77-30-5
1960-69 35-63-2
1970-79 46-49-3
1980-89 56-48-5
1990-99 69-37-2
2000-09 66-47-0
TOTAL: 441-335-28
Overall Record: 441-335-28
Undefeated Seasons: 1 (1941)
Winless Seasons: 3 (1962, 1985, 2004)
Last District Championship: 2008
Last Playoff Appearance: 2008
All-Time Playoff Appearances: 24
All-Time Playoff Record: 30-22-0
STREAKS
Gilmer has an 11 game winning streak (last loss: 31-28 Carthage, 2008)
Gilmer has a 104 consecutive games scoring streak (last shutout: 10-0 @ Longview to Pleasant Grove, 2001)
NOTES
Jeff Traylor is 108-17 at Gilmer
Gilmer’s Jeff Traylor’s 86% winning percentage is the 3rd best among all active coaches in Texas
Gilmer has won more games than any other 3A team in the state since 2000
Gilmer is 18-7 under Jeff Traylor in playoff games
La Vega is 13-10 under Willie Williams in playoff games (10-3 since 2006)
Gilmer’s 611 points scored is the 5th best in school history 701 2007 15 games
665 2004 16 games
633 1930 13 games
620 2008 14 games
611 2009 11 games
Gilmer has scored 70 or more points in 3 games this season. The school record is 4 games by the 1929 and 1930 Buckeyes
Gilmer needs 91 points to break the school record of 701 points scored in 2007
Gilmer has scored 47 or more points in the first half 4 times this season
Gilmer’s 611 points is the most points scored in all classifications.
Gilmer’s 55.5 ppg average is the best in all classifications
Gilmer’s 41.1 average margin of victory is best in class 3A and 5th best in all classificationsGilmer’s 555 offensive plays consist of 274 passing attempts (49.4%) and 281 rushing attempts (50.6%)
Gilmer averages 261.1 yards per game passing (54.6%) and 216.9 yards per game rushing (45.4%) for a total of 478 yards per game
Gilmer has receiving touchdowns by 11 different players
Gilmer has rushing touchdowns by 10 different players
Gilmer is 37-3 with Stump Godfrey as starting quarterback
Gilmer quarterback Stump Godfrey has 10,613 total yards for his career
Gilmer’s Stump Godfrey’s 109 career touchdown passes ranks as 2nd best all time in Class 3A and is the 6th best in all classifications. (source: Joe Lee Smith)
TOUCHDOWN PASSES – CAREER --- Class 3A
132 – G.J. KINNE, Canton, 2003-05; Gilmer 2006
109 - DARIAN GODFREY, Gilmer, 2007-Current
TOUCHDOWN PASSES – CAREER ---All Classes
167 – GRAHAM HARRELL, Ennis, 2000-03 (4A)
137 – GARRETT GILBERT, Lake Travis, 2006-08
132 – G.J. KINNE, Canton, 2003-05; Gilmer 2006
116 – COLT McCOY, Jim Ned, 2002-04 (2A)
114 – DREW TATE, Baytown Lee, 1999-02 (5A) 109- DARIAN GODFREY, Gilmer, 2007-Current
Gilmer’s Stump Godfrey’s 8,583 career passing yards ranks as 4th best all time in Class 3A. He needs 1,464 passing yards to pass Chandler Dane of Decatur for 3rd place (source: Joe Lee Smith)
Gilmer quarterback Stump Godfrey needs 417 passing yards to give him 9,000 for his career
Gilmer’s Stump Godfrey’s 46 career rushing touchdowns is the most in school history
Gilmer’s Tristan Holt has scored 19 touchdowns this season including 11 receiving, 3 rushing, 4 on punt returns, and 1 kickoff return for 1,377 all-purpose yards. Holt has 54 all-purpose touches on the season
Gilmer is a 34-point favorite over La Vega according to Jerry Forrest of TexasFootballRatings.com

Buckeyes, Pirates to play in Mesquite Saturday

Mirror Photo / Mary Laschinger Kirby
THE BLACK FLAG defense hauls down Jasper’s Ben Armstrong. Pictured are Buckeyes J.T. Beecham (21), Exavian Johnson (26), Dakota Cannon (33), Chris Miller (16), Mikey Wilson (34) and Luis Castro (5).

The Gilmer Buckeyes (11-0) will take on the Waco La Vega Pirates (7-4) on Saturday at 2 p.m. at Mesquite Memorial Stadium in Mesquite.

This is a second round matchup in UIL Class 3A Division I Region III.

Directions to the stadium can be found at www.gilmermirror.com.

Gates open at 1 p.m. Tickets at the gate are $7.

Advance tickets ($6 for adults; $4 for students) are on sale from 9 a.m. to noon on Thursday at the Gilmer ISD Central Administration Building on Trinity St.

Gilmer is the visiting team and will be wearing white.

Joe Dodd’s preview of this game with comments from the coaches will be published in Saturday’s Mirror.

November 21- La Vega @ Memorial Stadium, Mesquite
Mascot: Pirates
Colors: Blue & Gold
District: 19-3A
Enrollment: 650
Record: 7-4, 3-2 District
Last meeting: This will be the first meeting between the two teams
Head Coach: Willie Williams (135-84-2 in 20th season at La Vega & Overall)
Returning Starters: 2 Offense/4 Defense
Did you know? The Pirates lost 17-10 to Prosper in last year’s Class 3A Division I Final.
La Vega Pirates 2009 Season Results
Aug. 28 @ Marlin, won: 47-0
The Pirates started the 2009 season with a bang, scoring twice on special teams in a 47-0 romp over 2A Marlin. Senior tailback Arron Brandon led the La Vega rushing attack with 104 yards, while the Pirates’ defense limited Marlin to 72 yards rushing in the game.
Sep. 4 Brownwood, lost 24-7
The Pirates couldn’t stop the aerial attack of Brownwood, giving up 228 yards through the air. La Vega led 7-3 after one quarter, but Brownwood scored 21 unanswered points to drop La Vega to 1-1, despite 114 yards rushing from Kenneth Coleman.
Sep. 11 @ Dallas Roosevelt, won 28-0
The Pirates’ trip to the Metroplex was a good one, even if it was a wet one. La Vega rolled up 171 rushing yards and a 28-0 lead in the first half before massive rainfall forced coaches to agree to call the game at halftime.
Sep. 18 Abilene Wylie, lost 46-29
La Vega continued their inconsistent play, falling behind 39-0 to Abilene Wylie at the half before losing 46-29. The Pirates were behind 22-0 before picking up their initial first down, and finished the first half with only 43 yards and 3 first downs before Wylie pulled their starting defense. La Vega’s Arron Brandon finished with 171 yards rushing and Tevin Thompson added 127 rushing yards as the Pirates fell to 2-2 on the season.
Sep. 25 @ Crockett, won 42-0
The Pirates created three first-half turnovers, including defensive end Jose Fajardo’s interception return for a touchdown for a 28-0 first-half lead in La Vega’s final tune-up before starting district play.
Oct. 9 @ Mexia, lost 46-28
La Vega opened district 19-3A play on the road and Mexia proved rude hosts, recovering 3 onside kicks and sending the Pirates home 46-28. Mexia quarterback Trae Davis and running back Doug Gentry combined for 373 yards rushing and 6 touchdowns to counter La Vega’s Arron Brandon’s 104 rushing yards and 2 touchdowns.
Oct. 16 Waco Connally, won 28-21
La Vega continued their win one, lose one season with their first home win of the year. Connally took a 7-0 lead 53 seconds into the game and led 14-7 at the half, but the Pirates outscored Connally 21-7 in the second half. La Vega running back Arron Brandon set the pace with over 100 yards rushing in the second half.
Oct. 23 @ Waco Robinson, won 54-46
The Pirates won their first back-to-back game of the season, but it took 4 overtimes to do it. After trailing 21-7 at the half, La Vega roared back and took the lead with a field goal with 1:05 left to play. Robinson forced overtime with their own field goal as time expired. Arron Brandon proved to be the difference maker, running for 119 yards and 2 touchdowns, including the game winner in the fourth overtime after the Pirates’ Melvin Allen intercepted a Robinson pass to start the final overtime period.
Oct. 30 Groesbeck, won 31-6
La Vega won their third game in a row behind Tevin Thompson’s 189 rushing yards and two touchdowns. Thompson scored the game’s first touchdown on a 20-yard run in the first quarter. The Pirates put the game out of reach with Thompson’s 6-yard touchdown run and a Devin McGowan 55-yard interception return for a touchdown in the fourth quarter.
Nov. 6 @ Lorena, lost 21-7
Lorena never trailed on their way to claiming the District 19-3A championship. La Vega suffered from poor field position the whole game, starting inside their own 15-yard line 6 times. Any hopes of a La Vega come-back ended when Pirates’ quarterback Tony Montoya fumbled in the end zone and Lorena’s Brent Berryhill recovered it for a touchdown.
Nov. 14 Athens @ Hanby Stadium, Mesquite, won 21-20
La Vega scored 14 points over the final 6:42 to deny Athens their first playoff victory since 1990. The Pirates held Athens to -4 yards in the second half as they overcame a 20-7 deficit to start the fourth quarter. La Vega took a 7-0 lead on Lorenzo Davis’ 10-yard run. Athens countered with 20 straight points before the Pirates scored on a Davis 7-yard run and a 65-yard pass from Tony Montoya to Tim Garner with 3:19 remaining to improve La Vega’s playoff record to 10-3 since 2006.


THERE ARE only 16 teams left in Class 3A Division I. The winner of the Gilmer-La Vega game will play the winner of the Silsbee-Navasota game being played Friday night at Woodforest Bank Stadium in Conroe/The Woodlands area. Another game Friday night involving Division I teams will be an easy drive from Gilmer — the game in Hallsville between Liberty-Eylau (fortunate enough to have been in one of the four districts receiving first round byes) and Lucas Lovejoy.

BUCKEYE TICKET LINE:
841-7777
LUNCH WITH THE COACH:
Noon Wednesdays, Buckeyes Booster Club meets at Gilmer Country Club
LIVE WEBCAST:
GilmerBuckeyes.com

Bounty Hunter of the Week: Eric Miller
Special Teams Player of the Week: Paul Chesnut
Scout Team Players of the Week:
Cody Manshack, Offense; Brandon Barnes, Defense


From the Waco Tribune-Herald:

Central Texas football teams face King Kong-like opponents this week

Gilmer 57, Jasper 21

From the Longview News-Journal:

Top-ranked Buckeyes dominate Jasper



From the Tyler Morning Telegraph:

Quick-Strike Offense Propels Gilmer



From The Gilmer Mirror:

Buckeyes dominate Jasper in first round of playoffs

By JOE DODD

Gilmer Buckeyes jumped out to a 21-0 first quarter lead, then handed the ball to running back Gus Osborne for a season-high 152 yards rushing and three touchdowns to seal a 57-21 win over the Jasper Bulldogs in the first round of the Class 3A Division I playoffs Saturday at Trinity Mother Frances Rose Stadium in Tyler.

Gilmer, which entered the season ranked number one, lay to rest any comparisons with the 2006 Buckeyes’ team which lost in the first round after spending the season as the top-ranked team in the state.

“I played on that team and it was just a horrible feeling,” recalled Gilmer quarterback Stump Godfrey, who started at safety in that loss his freshman season. “Now we can put it behind us and we won’t be compared with them anymore.”

“I got tired of hearing about the 2006 team,” confessed Buckeyes’ receiver Tristan Holt.

“It’s a big pressure lifted off of our shoulders,” said Gilmer defensive back Ben Griffith.

Gilmer head coach Jeff Traylor, who saw his playoff record improve to 18-7, said the win should be a catalyst for the remaining season. “I think it was huge for the seniors,” said Traylor. “They’ve heard it forever. As soon as we got ranked number one, we knew that we would be compared to that team. Now all of those questions will go away and we can start playing football and maybe relax a little bit and have a little bit more fun.”

The Buckeyes were all business to start the game, even winning the coin flip. “The referee didn’t even ask if we wanted the ball; they knew we wanted the ball,” said Godfrey, who gladly accepted the official’s decision.

Holt set the pace with a nice 34-yard return before Godfrey and the offense took the field. five plays later, the Buckeyes faced a 4th down-and-6 at the Jasper 33-yard line. After a Gilmer time-out, Godfrey calmly lofted a screen pass to Osborne, who broke a couple of tackles and followed his blockers for a 10-yard gain.

On the next play, Godfrey handed the ball off to Braylon Webb on a receiver sweep. Webb pulled up and fired a strike to Tevin Godfrey from 23 yards out for the first touchdown of the game. Adan Olivares kicked the first of his seven extra points for a 7-0 lead with 9:17 to play in the first quarter.

“I thought the opening drive was big,” Traylor said. “That 4th down-and-6 was a big pick-up. Then what a great throw Braylon made to Tevin.”

Gilmer’s kickoff team pinned Jasper at their 13-yard line on the ensuing kickoff, then the Black Flag Defense kept the Bulldogs in check, allowing only 26 yards in eight plays and forcing a punt from the Jasper 39-yard line.

The Buckeyes’ offense took over at their 35-yard line and covered the 65 yards in seven plays, with Godfrey hitting Luke Turner with a 14-yard touchdown pass for a 14-0 lead with 4:29 left in the opening quarter.

Jasper started their second possession with the ball at their 13-yard line again, thanks to great coverage by the kickoff team. The Gilmer defense did their part again, holding the Bulldogs to only a yard on three plays, forcing another punt, which rolled dead at the Jasper 48-yard line.

Godfrey took over on this drive, gaining 28 yards on the ground and connecting with his cousin, Tevin Godfrey, on a 17-yard pass, before diving into the end zone for a 21-0 lead with only 1:29 to go in the first quarter. The touchdown was Godfrey’s 46th rushing touchdown of his career, passing Justin Johnson’s previous school record of 45.

“When we got up three possessions, that was really a big turning point in the game,” said Traylor, who didn’t want a repeat performance of Gilmer’s 8-7 halftime lead in the season opener against these same Bulldogs.

Jasper head coach Mike Bickham admitted that the Bulldogs wanted to control the football and keep the Buckeyes’ potent offense off the field. “Like Mike Tyson said,” quipped Bickham. “Everybody’s got a plan until they get hit in the mouth.”

To their credit, the Bulldogs fought back on their next possession, putting together a 13-play, 65-yard drive that ended with a 3-yard touchdown run by Jarrodd Adams with 7:28 remaining in the second quarter. Juan Mijares’ extra point made the score 21-7.

Another nice kickoff return by Holt, this time for 29 yards, gave Gilmer the football at the 40-yard line. On the next play, Osborne took a hand-off and turned the corner around the right side and rambled down the Gilmer sideline 60 yards for the touchdown and a 28-7 lead with 7:07 to play in the second quarter.

The Bulldogs and Buckeyes traded punts on the next three possessions, before Gilmer scored another knock-out blow with only 32 seconds to play in the first half. Godfrey hit Holt on a wide receiver screen that Holt took 67 yards for a touchdown. Chris Miller’s 2-point conversion run was good, giving Gilmer a daunting 36-7 halftime advantage.

Jasper made one last valiant effort to get back in the game, scoring on the opening drive of the second half, when Bulldogs’ quarterback Sam Alvis ran it in from five yards out to make the score 36-14 with 8:07 to go in the third quarter.

Once again, the Buckeyes responded with a knock-out punch as Osborne went 66 yards on the next play to push the lead to 43-14 just 20 seconds after the Bulldogs’ score.

Gilmer’s quick strike stunned the Bulldogs into a catch-up game plan that they weren’t prepared for. On Jasper’s first play of their next possession, Gilmer’s Harvey Horton intercepted an Alvis pass and returned it to the Bulldogs’ 15-yard line.

“They kind of got into a little panic mode and they started throwing the ball a lot more so it gave us the opportunities to make plays, and we did,” said senior safety Paul Chesnut.

The Buckeyes wasted no time in capitalizing on the Jasper mistake, as Osborne picked up his third touchdown of the game on the next play to give Gilmer a 50-14 lead with 7:25 left in the third quarter.

“It was Gus’ time to shine this week. It’s been a different back all year long,” praised Traylor about the Buckeyes’ stable of running backs.

Osborne was quick to credit his teammates. “Hats off to my offensive line and receivers,” said Osborne. “I told the offensive line before the game that if they would give me a seam I could go.”

Traylor was thrilled with the offense’s performance. “Our blocking was so incredible. Jacob Jenkins and Beau Blair played as good as they’ve played all year. Our receivers just dominated the point of attack,” Traylor said.

Jasper’s Bickham agreed with Traylor. “They block better downfield than anybody I’ve ever seen,” praised Bickham.

“It’s about being selfless and wanting everybody else to do well. We take pride in the little things like blocking,” explained Holt, who added. “It makes it easier because you know that if you block long enough, our backs can go.”

Jasper’s next drive ended at the Buckeyes’ 31-yard line after Gilmer’s defense stopped the Bulldogs on 4th down. Vance Green picked up 43 yards on 2 carries and Marlon Granville added 6 yards on the next 2 rushes to take the football to the Jasper 20-yard line. On the next play, Godfrey fired a bullet under heavy pressure to Daniel McLaren who scored with 5 seconds remaining in the third quarter to push the Buckeyes’ lead to 57-14.

The Bulldogs ate up most of the clock in the fourth quarter with a 14-play, 75-yard drive punctuated by a 4-yard touchdown run by Ben Armstrong to end the scoring at 57-21.

“When you’re out-manned; you’re out-manned,” said Bickham, who saw his Bulldogs lose for only the third time this season. All three losses came against top-ranked Gilmer or 2nd-ranked Carthage.

“They’re a good team. We just played real well,” said Traylor, who credited the thousands of Buckeyes’ fans who filled the stadium more than an hour before the game. “The crowd was amazing! Wow! I think the crowd had as much to do with the win as anything.”

As happy as Traylor was with the crowd, he was more excited about his team’s improvement. “I think we got better this game,” said Traylor. “That’s what I’m excited about. I think we’ll keep getting better as we keep winning and playing good teams.”

Senior linebacker Mikey Wilson promised Buckeyes’ fans that this team is not satisfied by burying the ghosts of the 2006 team. “We have a bigger focus than that,” said Wilson. “We’re not just a team that wants to advance past one round in the playoffs. Our goal is to win state this year.”

STATISTICS

Jasper Gilmer

16 First downs 19

48-142 Rushes-yds 27-299

12-23-0-1 Passing 13-18-4-0

101 Passing yds 229

243 Total yds 528

0 Fumbles lost 0

32:37 Time of possession 15:23

4-30 Penalties-yds 5-36

SCORE BY QUARTERS

1 2 3 4 T

Jasper 0 7 7 7 21

Gilmer 21 15 21 0 57


Mirror Photo / Mary Laschinger Kirby
BUCKEYES Ben Griffith (19) and Mikey Wilson (34) wrap up Jasper’s Jarrodd Adams (8) as Tristan Holt (3) looks on.






Mirror Photos / Mary Laschinger Kirby
GILMER QB STUMP GODFREY goes airborne to score the Buckeyes’ third touchdown of the first quarter during their 57-21 bi-district win over the Jasper Bulldogs at Trinity Mother Frances Rose Stadium in Tyler last Saturday. In photo above that, Gus Osborne scores his third touchdown of the game on a 15-yard run in third-quarter action, aided by a block from Tristan Holt. In photo above that, the Gilmer crowd on the home side of the stadium has much to cheer about on the picture-perfect autumn afternoon. The Buckeyes (11-0) advance to play Waco La Vega (7-4) at Mesquite Memorial Stadium in Mesquite. Kickoff is set for 2 p.m. Saturday.




From KJAS:

No.1 State ranked Gilmer defeats Jasper 57 to 21



From the Jasper Newsboy:

Gilmer ends Jasper's season Buckeyes jump out early, cruise to victory 57-21

From the Beaumont Enterprise:

Gilmer too much for Jasper again

From the Houston Chronicle:

Box Score











From KETKnbc:

Gilmer Continues Perfect Season (1:50 in)

From KLTV (2:00 in):



From KYTX CBS 19 (1:00 in):