By JOE DODD
On the surface, Friday’s game between the Gilmer Buckeyes (7-0, 2-0) and the Mineola Yellow Jackets (2-5, 1-1) wouldn’t seem to be more important than any other district game. You certainly wouldn’t think that the Buckeyes, with the state’s top-scoring offense, would be especially motivated to play a Yellow Jackets’ team that hasn’t beaten the Buckeyes since 1962. If you thought that way, you would be wrong.
“For real football programs, the football season doesn’t even begin until week eight,” said Gilmer head coach Jeff Traylor. “You can do whatever you want to the first seven weeks; you win your last three ballgames, you had a good year. We’ve had a good seven, but it really doesn’t matter; we have talked about these three weeks all season. We have focused on the last three games of the year. This is the beginning of the season right now. This is really when football begins.”
Traylor, who sports an impressive 68-13 record as the Buckeyes’ head coach explained his theory. “Most programs right now are tired; and they’re ready to shut it down and go do something else. The good programs, somehow get better right now, because their kids start sensing an end. They’re giving away the trophy on Dec. 16 to somebody; that’s going to happen. It might as well be us; so we have to start thinking on those terms.”
The Buckeyes have been thinking on those terms ever since Dave Campbell’s Texas Football magazine named them the state’s number one team in Class 3A before the season started. Gilmer has lived up to the hype so far, averaging 55.4 points per game, and winning their first seven games by an average margin of 39.9 points per game.
In addition to this game being the eighth of the season for Gilmer; why the extra motivation to beat Mineola; a team that Traylor’s Buckeyes have outscored 202-20 in the past four meetings? Gilmer’s 26-game district winning streak is one. The fact that first-year Mineola head coach Steve Wells gave Traylor his first loss as a head coach when Wells’ Hooks team bettered Traylor’s Buckeyes 28-14 in 2000 might be one. Hard feelings may be another.
Mineola is the school that voted to deny Gilmer quarterback G.J. Kinne’s transfer request from Canton in April of this year. That vote forced a UIL hearing that ruled Kinne eligible, but left some bad feelings between the two schools. Ironically, two of Mineola’s top players this fall are senior transfers that Gilmer did not oppose when transfer requests were approved at a district meeting in August. Receiver Chris Tuck, a University of Kansas commitment, transferred from Dallas Hillcrest, and Fullback Ray Martin transferred from Arp.
Kinne would like nothing more than to pad his already impressive stats of 1,954 passing yards and 30 touchdowns against the team that tried to make him sit out his senior year. Traylor’s only comment regarding the transfer squabble was, “I’ll let you write something about that.”
Traylor did comment on Wells, who takes over a Yellow Jacket program that hasn’t had a season record above .500 since 1989.
“Coach Wells has been at Hooks and he’s used to winning up there, and he obviously saw something in Mineola or he wouldn’t have taken the job,” said Traylor, who evened his record against Wells in 2001 with a 41-35 win over Hooks.
“He’s trying to turn a program around. They’ve struggled at times, but they’re coming off a win, and we’re playing them at their place. The last time we played there, it was 14-0 at halftime. They gave us all we could handle. That was the state championship year.”
Wells cautioned that the Gilmer team he beat in 2000 was very different from this year’s Buckeyes’ team. “I think Jeff was probably going through a lot of the same stuff that I’m going through right now in my first year at Mineola ,” said Wells. “He’s done an awesome job of putting his system in place; sticking to what he believed in, and now he’s reaping the rewards for it.”
Mineola ’s 28-14 win last week against Sabine showcased the Yellow Jackets’ offensive weapons. Tuck caught a 77-yard touchdown, while Martin scored on a 69-yard run. Tailback Cory Jones also had a 58-yard touchdown run, as Mineola equaled last season’s win total with three games remaining.
“They have a really good tailback in Cory Jones; he’s a good athlete, he can go. The fullback is really good; Ray Martin, he can go. They’ve got a Division One wide receiver in Chris Tuck; and they’ve got a left tackle that is good in Jose Vargas,” Traylor replied after watching game tapes. Wells agreed with Traylor’s assessment. “Offensively we’ve got some weapons we can use,” Wells said, adding that his concerns lie on the other side of the football.
“Defensively is really where we are lacking,” said Wells. “We haven’t been able to stop anybody.” That is not a good problem to have when you face the Buckeyes, who have amassed 3,442 total yards on the season, despite averaging less than 18 minutes of possession time per game. “They deserve to be ranked number one or number two in the state because of all the weapons that they have,” stated Wells.
One of Gilmer’s weapons, Curtis Brown, is expected to miss his third game due to an ankle injury suffered against Atlanta; that has Traylor concerned. “We have yet to play our 22, and I’m worried about that,” said Traylor, who added, “The kids that have stepped in have been great. Zach Jones is starting in place of Curtis Brown; he’s getting to play a lot. Kezie Camp is getting to play a lot with Jake Ashley’s injury. Devane Clark is another sophomore that’s getting to play a lot because of Curtis’ injury. It will help us when Curtis comes back, because we’ll have other kids used to making plays.”
While the Buckeyes will benefit from these younger players gaining experience, Traylor said that now is the time for Gilmer to start paring the roster. “You’ll see playing time reduced for some players, and increased for others. Certain players will take on more of a role.”
While Gilmer’s offensive leaders are clear; the Black Flag Defense is still looking for players to step up and help inside linebackers Arsenial Richardson (91 tackles, 4 sacks, 4 forced fumbles, 3 interceptions) and Dominique Buchanan (63 tackles, 1 fumble recovery) anchor the Buckeyes’ defense. After giving up 77 points in the season’s first three games, Traylor and his staff shuffled the defensive deck in an attempt to become quicker and more athletic. Since the restructuring, Gilmer has only allowed 32 points over the last four games.
That stat is another reason Wells isn’t optimistic about his team’s chances against the Buckeyes. “I realize that the alignment of the stars would have to be perfect for things to go our way,” said Wells. “What I told my kids was; I don’t even want you to look at the scoreboard. I want you to play hard for 48 minutes. If you play as hard as you can for 48 minutes then I’m going to be happy.”
Traylor said a large Gilmer crowd will make him happy. “We need to have a good crowd. I like away games because our true fans are there, and they get there early and they stay late. Kids notice that stuff, and it’s a big deal to those kids.”
Did You Know?
Gilmer leads the all-time series against Mineola 30-14-2. The first time these two teams met was 1914, with Gilmer winning 18-0. The Buckeyes have won 11 straight games since the Yellow Jackets 7-0 victory in 1962. Gilmer’s last defensive shut-out came against Mineola in last season’s 51-0 win at Buckeye Stadium.
How to Get There
Go South on State Highway 155; 13 miles to Big Sandy. Turn Right (West) onto U.S. Highway 80; 24 miles to Mineola. Turn Right (North) on Farm to Market Road 564. Stadium is 0.6 miles on the Right.
Scout Team
Players of the Week
Offense: Adam Martin
Defense: Aaron Washington
Mirror Photo / Mary Laschinger Kirby
GILMER’S DOMINIQUE Buchanan heads toward the White Oak end zone on the first break for the Buckeyes. Under pressure, the Roughneck kicker shanked a punt which Buchanan returned to the White Oak 14 . Two plays later Gilmer scored its first touchdown. The fun continues Friday night, Oct. 27, for undefeated Gilmer with a road trip to Mineola. Kickoff is set for 7:30 p.m.
On the surface, Friday’s game between the Gilmer Buckeyes (7-0, 2-0) and the Mineola Yellow Jackets (2-5, 1-1) wouldn’t seem to be more important than any other district game. You certainly wouldn’t think that the Buckeyes, with the state’s top-scoring offense, would be especially motivated to play a Yellow Jackets’ team that hasn’t beaten the Buckeyes since 1962. If you thought that way, you would be wrong.
“For real football programs, the football season doesn’t even begin until week eight,” said Gilmer head coach Jeff Traylor. “You can do whatever you want to the first seven weeks; you win your last three ballgames, you had a good year. We’ve had a good seven, but it really doesn’t matter; we have talked about these three weeks all season. We have focused on the last three games of the year. This is the beginning of the season right now. This is really when football begins.”
Traylor, who sports an impressive 68-13 record as the Buckeyes’ head coach explained his theory. “Most programs right now are tired; and they’re ready to shut it down and go do something else. The good programs, somehow get better right now, because their kids start sensing an end. They’re giving away the trophy on Dec. 16 to somebody; that’s going to happen. It might as well be us; so we have to start thinking on those terms.”
The Buckeyes have been thinking on those terms ever since Dave Campbell’s Texas Football magazine named them the state’s number one team in Class 3A before the season started. Gilmer has lived up to the hype so far, averaging 55.4 points per game, and winning their first seven games by an average margin of 39.9 points per game.
In addition to this game being the eighth of the season for Gilmer; why the extra motivation to beat Mineola; a team that Traylor’s Buckeyes have outscored 202-20 in the past four meetings? Gilmer’s 26-game district winning streak is one. The fact that first-year Mineola head coach Steve Wells gave Traylor his first loss as a head coach when Wells’ Hooks team bettered Traylor’s Buckeyes 28-14 in 2000 might be one. Hard feelings may be another.
Mineola is the school that voted to deny Gilmer quarterback G.J. Kinne’s transfer request from Canton in April of this year. That vote forced a UIL hearing that ruled Kinne eligible, but left some bad feelings between the two schools. Ironically, two of Mineola’s top players this fall are senior transfers that Gilmer did not oppose when transfer requests were approved at a district meeting in August. Receiver Chris Tuck, a University of Kansas commitment, transferred from Dallas Hillcrest, and Fullback Ray Martin transferred from Arp.
Kinne would like nothing more than to pad his already impressive stats of 1,954 passing yards and 30 touchdowns against the team that tried to make him sit out his senior year. Traylor’s only comment regarding the transfer squabble was, “I’ll let you write something about that.”
Traylor did comment on Wells, who takes over a Yellow Jacket program that hasn’t had a season record above .500 since 1989.
“Coach Wells has been at Hooks and he’s used to winning up there, and he obviously saw something in Mineola or he wouldn’t have taken the job,” said Traylor, who evened his record against Wells in 2001 with a 41-35 win over Hooks.
“He’s trying to turn a program around. They’ve struggled at times, but they’re coming off a win, and we’re playing them at their place. The last time we played there, it was 14-0 at halftime. They gave us all we could handle. That was the state championship year.”
Wells cautioned that the Gilmer team he beat in 2000 was very different from this year’s Buckeyes’ team. “I think Jeff was probably going through a lot of the same stuff that I’m going through right now in my first year at Mineola ,” said Wells. “He’s done an awesome job of putting his system in place; sticking to what he believed in, and now he’s reaping the rewards for it.”
Mineola ’s 28-14 win last week against Sabine showcased the Yellow Jackets’ offensive weapons. Tuck caught a 77-yard touchdown, while Martin scored on a 69-yard run. Tailback Cory Jones also had a 58-yard touchdown run, as Mineola equaled last season’s win total with three games remaining.
“They have a really good tailback in Cory Jones; he’s a good athlete, he can go. The fullback is really good; Ray Martin, he can go. They’ve got a Division One wide receiver in Chris Tuck; and they’ve got a left tackle that is good in Jose Vargas,” Traylor replied after watching game tapes. Wells agreed with Traylor’s assessment. “Offensively we’ve got some weapons we can use,” Wells said, adding that his concerns lie on the other side of the football.
“Defensively is really where we are lacking,” said Wells. “We haven’t been able to stop anybody.” That is not a good problem to have when you face the Buckeyes, who have amassed 3,442 total yards on the season, despite averaging less than 18 minutes of possession time per game. “They deserve to be ranked number one or number two in the state because of all the weapons that they have,” stated Wells.
One of Gilmer’s weapons, Curtis Brown, is expected to miss his third game due to an ankle injury suffered against Atlanta; that has Traylor concerned. “We have yet to play our 22, and I’m worried about that,” said Traylor, who added, “The kids that have stepped in have been great. Zach Jones is starting in place of Curtis Brown; he’s getting to play a lot. Kezie Camp is getting to play a lot with Jake Ashley’s injury. Devane Clark is another sophomore that’s getting to play a lot because of Curtis’ injury. It will help us when Curtis comes back, because we’ll have other kids used to making plays.”
While the Buckeyes will benefit from these younger players gaining experience, Traylor said that now is the time for Gilmer to start paring the roster. “You’ll see playing time reduced for some players, and increased for others. Certain players will take on more of a role.”
While Gilmer’s offensive leaders are clear; the Black Flag Defense is still looking for players to step up and help inside linebackers Arsenial Richardson (91 tackles, 4 sacks, 4 forced fumbles, 3 interceptions) and Dominique Buchanan (63 tackles, 1 fumble recovery) anchor the Buckeyes’ defense. After giving up 77 points in the season’s first three games, Traylor and his staff shuffled the defensive deck in an attempt to become quicker and more athletic. Since the restructuring, Gilmer has only allowed 32 points over the last four games.
That stat is another reason Wells isn’t optimistic about his team’s chances against the Buckeyes. “I realize that the alignment of the stars would have to be perfect for things to go our way,” said Wells. “What I told my kids was; I don’t even want you to look at the scoreboard. I want you to play hard for 48 minutes. If you play as hard as you can for 48 minutes then I’m going to be happy.”
Traylor said a large Gilmer crowd will make him happy. “We need to have a good crowd. I like away games because our true fans are there, and they get there early and they stay late. Kids notice that stuff, and it’s a big deal to those kids.”
Did You Know?
Gilmer leads the all-time series against Mineola 30-14-2. The first time these two teams met was 1914, with Gilmer winning 18-0. The Buckeyes have won 11 straight games since the Yellow Jackets 7-0 victory in 1962. Gilmer’s last defensive shut-out came against Mineola in last season’s 51-0 win at Buckeye Stadium.
How to Get There
Go South on State Highway 155; 13 miles to Big Sandy. Turn Right (West) onto U.S. Highway 80; 24 miles to Mineola. Turn Right (North) on Farm to Market Road 564. Stadium is 0.6 miles on the Right.
Scout Team
Players of the Week
Offense: Adam Martin
Defense: Aaron Washington
Mirror Photo / Mary Laschinger Kirby
GILMER’S DOMINIQUE Buchanan heads toward the White Oak end zone on the first break for the Buckeyes. Under pressure, the Roughneck kicker shanked a punt which Buchanan returned to the White Oak 14 . Two plays later Gilmer scored its first touchdown. The fun continues Friday night, Oct. 27, for undefeated Gilmer with a road trip to Mineola. Kickoff is set for 7:30 p.m.
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