By JOE DODD
When the Gilmer Buckeyes take the field Friday night at Sabine’s James Bamburg Stadium for the start of District 15-3A play, they will face a Cardinals program that is an opposite of themselves.
The Cambridge Advanced Learner’s Dictionary describes opposite as meaning, “Something or someone that is completely different from another person or thing.” Gilmer went 10-1 last season; Sabine went 0-10 last season. Gilmer is 5-0 and ranked fourth in Class 3A; Sabine is 0-5. Gilmer has a 19-game regular season winning streak; Sabine has a 17-game losing streak. Sabine has scored a total of 73 points this season; Gilmer scored 71 in one game against Tatum.
These two programs are about as opposite as can be. But if David Feaster has his way, the Cardinals will make a u-turn and join the Buckeyes on the road to success. Feaster is Sabine’s new head coach; the Cardinals third in just four years. But Feaster has something the other two coaches didn’t have; experience turning around a losing program.
In 2004 Feaster took over an 0-10 Minden, Louisiana team and went 6-5 in back-to-back seasons, before going 13-1 last season, losing in the state semi-finals. Feaster’s Minden stint was preceeded by eight years at Many, Louisiana, where he went 72-24 and was a perennial playoff participant.
Gilmer head coach Jeff Traylor is impressed with Feaster. “He’s a very confident person,” said Traylor. “He knows what he’s getting into, and he expects to do well. He really thinks with the talent they’ve got over there, he can turn that thing around.”
That’s a big u-turn, considering the Cardinals have had only two winning seasons in the past 21 years, and Feaster inherits only three returning starters on offense and two on defense.
The lack of experience has shown in the Cardinals first five games, where they have been outscored by an average of 32 points per game. That doesn’t bode well for Sabine, since the Buckeyes average 50 points per game and an average margin of victory of 38 points.
Gilmer’s offense averages 516 yards per game behind sophomore quarterback Darian Godfrey, who has passed for 1,136 yards and 14 touchdowns, and senior running back Justin Johnson, who has 693 yards and eight touchdowns on only 55 carries. Johnson has also caught 9 passes for 125 yards and four touchdowns. Buckeyes’ receivers Lamar Harris, Houston Tuminello and Devane Clark have combined for 874 yards and nine touchdowns on 52 receptions.
Despite those gaudy numbers, Traylor was not happy with his team’s three turnovers in their last game. “We won’t go very far in the playoffs if we don’t take care of the football,” Traylor said.
The playoffs have been Traylor and the Buckeyes’ focus since their early exit in round one last year. “We’re 37 days away from our first playoff game,” reminded Traylor. “We have not talked about any of these games all year. Our program is to the point where we’ll be tested in 37 days, and we’re gunning for that day.”
Traylor makes no apologies for looking ahead. “You’re always preparing yourself. You make adjustments with the opponent, but your measuring stick is not Sabine, or White Oak, or Spring Hill. Your measuring stick is you; how good you’re doing.”
Traylor knows what he wants from the Buckeyes in this week’s game. “I want to see us get better this week in practice, and I want to see it executed in the game Friday night. The scoreboard is no indication; we might score 60, but we might play bad and that’s no good. We want to play well; we want to execute, we want to be crisp, we want to be sharp.”
That being said, Traylor is not underestimating the 62-point underdog Cardinals. “I don’t think we’ve ever beaten a team by 62 points. USC was favored by 41 over Stanford, and they got beat,” stated Traylor, refrencing the Stanford Cardinal 24-23 upset of top-ranked USC on Saturday.
Although possible, it is unlikely that this Cardinals team will upset the Buckeyes, especially with the Buckeyes’ defense allowing only 60 points in five games while holding opponents to an average of 223 total yards per game. The Black Flag Defense has also forced 14 turnovers.
Sabine will try to facilitate the upset with an improved spread offense that has scored almost as many points in five games as the Cardinals did all of last season. “Josh Herod is a good quarterback. He’s a 3-year starter,” stated Traylor. “They have a good receiver that came to our [summer] camp. His name is Taylor Grey; he’s a good little player. He can play.”
On defense, the cardinals operate from a 4-2 scheme, led by one of their senior linemen. “Defensively their nose guard Isiah Colbert is good; he’s a returning starter,” said Traylor.
Feaster knows he has a long way to go to be on the same road as the Buckeyes, but he told the Kilgore News Herald that Sabine is going in the right direction. “Our goals for this year are to establish competitive freshmen, junior varsity, and varsity programs, and to break the playoff drought.”
The Buckeyes goal is focused; get to the playoffs and atone for last year’s loss to Liberty-Eylau. We’ll all know in 37 days if the Buckeyes achieve that goal.
Did you know?
The Buckeyes have a 29-game district winning streak, and have registered six consecutive undefeated district championships since their last district loss in 2000.
Gilmer lost their first game against Sabine 28-0 in 1940, but have won 9 straight by an average score of 40-7 since that first meeting.
Directions to Sabine’s James Bamburg Stadium
From Gilmer take US Highway 271 south through Gladewater. Turn left (east) on State Highway 135 across from the Gladewater Airport. Go approximately 6.3 miles. Turn right on FM 1252. The high school and stadium will be on the right.
When the Gilmer Buckeyes take the field Friday night at Sabine’s James Bamburg Stadium for the start of District 15-3A play, they will face a Cardinals program that is an opposite of themselves.
The Cambridge Advanced Learner’s Dictionary describes opposite as meaning, “Something or someone that is completely different from another person or thing.” Gilmer went 10-1 last season; Sabine went 0-10 last season. Gilmer is 5-0 and ranked fourth in Class 3A; Sabine is 0-5. Gilmer has a 19-game regular season winning streak; Sabine has a 17-game losing streak. Sabine has scored a total of 73 points this season; Gilmer scored 71 in one game against Tatum.
These two programs are about as opposite as can be. But if David Feaster has his way, the Cardinals will make a u-turn and join the Buckeyes on the road to success. Feaster is Sabine’s new head coach; the Cardinals third in just four years. But Feaster has something the other two coaches didn’t have; experience turning around a losing program.
In 2004 Feaster took over an 0-10 Minden, Louisiana team and went 6-5 in back-to-back seasons, before going 13-1 last season, losing in the state semi-finals. Feaster’s Minden stint was preceeded by eight years at Many, Louisiana, where he went 72-24 and was a perennial playoff participant.
Gilmer head coach Jeff Traylor is impressed with Feaster. “He’s a very confident person,” said Traylor. “He knows what he’s getting into, and he expects to do well. He really thinks with the talent they’ve got over there, he can turn that thing around.”
That’s a big u-turn, considering the Cardinals have had only two winning seasons in the past 21 years, and Feaster inherits only three returning starters on offense and two on defense.
The lack of experience has shown in the Cardinals first five games, where they have been outscored by an average of 32 points per game. That doesn’t bode well for Sabine, since the Buckeyes average 50 points per game and an average margin of victory of 38 points.
Gilmer’s offense averages 516 yards per game behind sophomore quarterback Darian Godfrey, who has passed for 1,136 yards and 14 touchdowns, and senior running back Justin Johnson, who has 693 yards and eight touchdowns on only 55 carries. Johnson has also caught 9 passes for 125 yards and four touchdowns. Buckeyes’ receivers Lamar Harris, Houston Tuminello and Devane Clark have combined for 874 yards and nine touchdowns on 52 receptions.
Despite those gaudy numbers, Traylor was not happy with his team’s three turnovers in their last game. “We won’t go very far in the playoffs if we don’t take care of the football,” Traylor said.
The playoffs have been Traylor and the Buckeyes’ focus since their early exit in round one last year. “We’re 37 days away from our first playoff game,” reminded Traylor. “We have not talked about any of these games all year. Our program is to the point where we’ll be tested in 37 days, and we’re gunning for that day.”
Traylor makes no apologies for looking ahead. “You’re always preparing yourself. You make adjustments with the opponent, but your measuring stick is not Sabine, or White Oak, or Spring Hill. Your measuring stick is you; how good you’re doing.”
Traylor knows what he wants from the Buckeyes in this week’s game. “I want to see us get better this week in practice, and I want to see it executed in the game Friday night. The scoreboard is no indication; we might score 60, but we might play bad and that’s no good. We want to play well; we want to execute, we want to be crisp, we want to be sharp.”
That being said, Traylor is not underestimating the 62-point underdog Cardinals. “I don’t think we’ve ever beaten a team by 62 points. USC was favored by 41 over Stanford, and they got beat,” stated Traylor, refrencing the Stanford Cardinal 24-23 upset of top-ranked USC on Saturday.
Although possible, it is unlikely that this Cardinals team will upset the Buckeyes, especially with the Buckeyes’ defense allowing only 60 points in five games while holding opponents to an average of 223 total yards per game. The Black Flag Defense has also forced 14 turnovers.
Sabine will try to facilitate the upset with an improved spread offense that has scored almost as many points in five games as the Cardinals did all of last season. “Josh Herod is a good quarterback. He’s a 3-year starter,” stated Traylor. “They have a good receiver that came to our [summer] camp. His name is Taylor Grey; he’s a good little player. He can play.”
On defense, the cardinals operate from a 4-2 scheme, led by one of their senior linemen. “Defensively their nose guard Isiah Colbert is good; he’s a returning starter,” said Traylor.
Feaster knows he has a long way to go to be on the same road as the Buckeyes, but he told the Kilgore News Herald that Sabine is going in the right direction. “Our goals for this year are to establish competitive freshmen, junior varsity, and varsity programs, and to break the playoff drought.”
The Buckeyes goal is focused; get to the playoffs and atone for last year’s loss to Liberty-Eylau. We’ll all know in 37 days if the Buckeyes achieve that goal.
Did you know?
The Buckeyes have a 29-game district winning streak, and have registered six consecutive undefeated district championships since their last district loss in 2000.
Gilmer lost their first game against Sabine 28-0 in 1940, but have won 9 straight by an average score of 40-7 since that first meeting.
Directions to Sabine’s James Bamburg Stadium
From Gilmer take US Highway 271 south through Gladewater. Turn left (east) on State Highway 135 across from the Gladewater Airport. Go approximately 6.3 miles. Turn right on FM 1252. The high school and stadium will be on the right.
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