Gilmer Buckeyes

Gilmer faces another 'big-time prospect' in Roosevelt's McNeil Former Eagles soaring for Roosevelt PrepCountry.com Class 3A Playoff Preview Show for Week 3 Pregame Interview with Coach Jeff Traylor Week 12 - Roosevelt vs Royse City Week 9: Dallas Madison at Dallas Roosevelt Week 3 - Molina vs. Roosevelt Week 1 - Roosevelt vs. Lincoln Video of Roosevelt-Royse City on Nov. 23 Video of Roosevelt-SOC on Sept. 29 Video of Roosevelt-Molina on Sept. 21 By JOE DODD When the Gilmer Buckeyes defeated the defending state champion Liberty-Eylau Leopards in the first round of the playoffs, Gilmer head coach Jeff Traylor was convinced that his team had just faced the most athletic and talented football team in Class 3A. He is rethinking that evaluation now as his team prepares to meet the Dallas Roosevelt Mustangs Saturday at 6:30 pm in Mesquite’s Memorial Stadium in the Class 3A Division I Region II Final. “The difference is,” explained Traylor. “These guys have three threats, where L-E...

By JOE DODD Overcoming what head coach Jeff Traylor called, “The toughest playing conditions I have ever played or coached in,” the Gilmer Buckeyes defeated the Mabank Panthers 35-28 Saturday at Stephen F. Austin’s Homer Bryce Stadium to stay alive in the Class 3A Division I area round. With temperatures in the low 40s, driving rain and a brisk north wind, the Buckeyes also overcame a furious comeback attempt by the Panthers in the game’s final two minutes to advance to the quarterfinal round of the playoffs for the third time in the last five years. “It was just so cold, so miserable, windy and rainy, and Mabank really played great. They really competed hard. We got it done. That’s the name of the game to move on. I’m very proud of my kids right now,” exclaimed Traylor after the game. The Buckeyes improved their record to 12-0 while the Panthers ended their season at 6-6. “We weren’t really sharp, but it was about what we expected coming after Liberty-Eylau,” explained Traylor, who ad...

From the Tyler Morning Telegraph: Gilmer Holds Off Mabank Comeback Attempt From the Longview News-Journal: Johnson sparks Gilmer victory

By JOE DODD Coming off what Gilmer Buckeyes’ head coach Jeff Traylor called, “the best win we’ve ever had in our program,” the 11-0 Gilmer Buckeyes will take on the 6-5 Mabank Panthers at 2 p.m. Saturday at Stephen F. Austin’s Homer Bryce Stadium in Nacogdoches in the area round of the Class 3A Division I playoffs. Gilmer’s 41-26 win over defending state champion Liberty-Eylau had been the focus for Traylor and the Buckeyes since losing to the Leopards in last year’s first round. Now that revenge has been served, can the Buckeyes shift their attention to the underdog Panthers? “It seems like we’ve focused on L-E all year,” said senior offensive lineman David Snow. “But really it was beyond L-E, it was [a] state [championship] because it seemed like we got cheated out of it last year.” Senior running back Justin Johnson agreed with Snow. “We’ve got a lot more good teams down the road and we’re going to prepare for them. We’re not going to take any time off; we’re going to finish the dea...

By JOE DODD The Liberty-Eylau Leopards started the game by running through a sign that read, “November 17, 2006... they never saw us coming.” The Gilmer Buckeyes ended the game by running through the Liberty-Eylau Leopards, notching a 41-26 win and avenging last year's shocking loss. “It was the most satisfying victory we've ever had,” insisted Gilmer head coach Jeff Traylor, who kept his record of never losing back-to back games to the same opponent intact. Gilmer's Justin (Bus) Johnson, who entered the game with only 88 carries on the season, ran the football 35 times for 266 yards and 5 touchdowns as the Buckeyes finished the game with a dominating 20-0 fourth quarter to send the defending State Champions home Friday night at Longview's Lobo Stadium before an estimated 8,000 fans. “I didn't know I was going to get 35 [carries], but I knew we were going to pound the ball,” said Johnson, whose previous high was 16 carries against Tatum. “I'm not tired at all; I...

Buckeyes facing playmaking QB This Area game is set to kick off at 2 p.m. Saturday in Nacogdoches. Physical address of the stadium on the SFA campus (scene of the Buckeyes' 49-47 Class 3A Division II championship win over Jasper in 2004): http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&q=N.+University+Dr+at+E.+College+-+Nacogdoches,+Texas+75961&om=1 The Buckeyes are the home team, but will be wearing white. The Panthers will be wearing green.

From the Tyler Morning Telegraph: Johnson, Buckeyes Avenge Loss To Defending Champs From the Longview News-Journal: Buckeyes battle past Leopards Red-hot 'Dogs hammer Mexia, 55-7 Carthage needs to get past Liberty Hill this Friday night at Mesquite's Hanby Stadium in the Area round, which will be no small order. Should the 'Dogs do so, I fully expect Gilmer and Carthage to meet in an all-East Texas (just as Gilmer-Jasper was in 2004 in Division II), Class 3A Division I title game four weeks from today.

By JOE DODD Deja vu according to the Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary means “a feeling that one has seen or heard something before.” Last year the Gilmer Buckeyes finished the regular season 10-0 and were a favorite to win a state championship. This year the Gilmer Buckeyes finished the regular season 10-0 and are a favorite to win a state championship. Deja vu can also mean “something overly or unpleasantly familiar.” For the Buckeyes, that would be the Liberty-Eylau Leopards of Texarkana, who stunned Gilmer 39-36 in the playoff’s first round last year at Longview’s Lobo Stadium, on their road to the Class 3A division I state championship. Friday night at 7:30 the Buckeyes and Leopards will meet again at Lobo Stadium, with the visiting Buckeyes wearing white and the home team Leopards wearing maroon; just like last year. “We started counting down the days we got to play Liberty-Eylau again the day after,” confessed Gilmer Buckeyes’ head coach Jeff Traylor. That focus was necessary ac...

By JOE DODD Gilmer Buckeyes’ head coach Jeff Traylor has wanted his undefeated team to face some adversity this season. Friday night at Buckeye Stadium Traylor got his wish, as the Gladewater Bears became the first team to lead the Buckeyes this season when Bears’ quarterback Dalton Waters raced untouched 42 yards for a touchdown, giving Gladewater a 7-0 lead with 7:56 to play in the first quarter. That adversity lasted exactly 94 seconds before Buckeyes’ QB Darian Godfrey tied the score with a 1-yard run, starting a 33-point onslaught by Gilmer that propelled the Buckeyes to a 53-17 win. The win was the Buckeyes 6th straight over the Bears, and marked Gilmer’s 7th consecutive undefeated season in district play; a span of 34 straight district wins. The victory also marked the 25th home win in a row, as well as pushed the Buckeyes’ regular season winning streak to 24 games. “I’m glad that’s over,” replied Traylor when asked about the pressure of keeping the winning streaks alive. “It wa...

Gilmer (10-0) will play Texarkana Liberty-Eylau (5-5) in a bi-district game between the Class 3A Division I representatives of Districts 15- and 16-3A respectively. It is scheduled for Lobo Stadium in Longview on Friday night, Nov. 16, at 7:30 p.m. Tickets ($6 for adults; $4 for students) will go on sale at the Gilmer ISD Administration Building (located at 500 S. Trinity St.) Tuesday, Nov. 13 through Thursday, Nov. 15, from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. each day. The Buckeyes will be the visiting team and Gilmer fans will be seated on the visitors' (east) side of Lobo Stadium. There are no reserved seats. Gilmer fans are urged to wear ORANGE .

From the Longview News-Journal: Buckeyes roll to 34th straight district win From the Tyler Morning Telegraph: Gilmer Routs Bears To Finish Unbeaten

By JOE DODD The Gilmer Buckeyes have a lot on the line Friday night in their final regular season game against the Gladewater Bears at Buckeye Stadium. No, there are no playoff berths up for grabs, as the Buckeyes (9-0, 4-0) are already assured of their seventh straight trip to the post season. There is no district championship on the line, as Gilmer wrapped up their seventh consecutive district title last week. But there are the streaks. Like the Buckeyes’ 33-game district winning streak, the 24-game home winning streak, and the 23-game regular season winning streak. “It means a lot because we want to teach the younger kids that pride and tradition is in your heart, and we want to keep that going,” senior receiver Lamar Harris said. While the streaks are a big motivator to the Buckeyes, head coach Jeff Traylor believes that will not be the focus of his team this Friday night. “This is my seniors’ last home game, and when they play their last home game, every kid that I’ve ever coached...

By JOE DODD The Gilmer Buckeyes captured their seventh consecutive district championship in impressive fashion Friday night, destroying the Spring Hill Panthers 65-7 on their home field. The win was the Buckeyes’ 33rd straight in district play and 23rd consecutive regular season victory. While the end result was impressive, the Buckeyes’ opening act was not, as the Panthers forced Gilmer to punt on their first possession for only the second time this season. Spring Hill’s first possession resulted in only 27 yards and no points, but did manage to eat up almost six minutes off the clock, before the Panthers punted the football back to the Buckeyes with 4:03 to play in the first quarter. That’s when the Buckeyes’ quick strike offense erupted on the first of four one-play touchdown drives in the game. Justin Johnson took the handoff at the Buckeyes’ 10-yard line and raced 90 yards up the middle for the score. Adan Olivares kicked the first of 8 straight extra points, giving Gilmer a 7-0 l...

From the Longview News-Journal: Buckeyes spank Panthers From the Tyler Morning Telegraph: Gilmer Erupts In 2nd Half, 65-7 Video highlights:

By JOE DODD It’s not Christmas yet, but Gilmer Buckeyes head coach Jeff Traylor has a wish list already made out. What do you get for the coach of class 3A’s top offense, averaging 531 yards of total offense and 53 points per game? What do you get for a defense ranked 5th in class 3A allowing only 9 points per game? What do you get for a team averaging a class 3A best 44 point margin of victory per game? How about a big ball game to prepare for the playoffs? “We have not been challenged this year very much and that concerns me because iron sharpens iron, and I don’t know if we are sharp right now,” Traylor said. “I’m excited about having a big game. I think this is a perfect tune-up for our playoff game.” The big game Traylor is excited about is Friday’s District 15-3A showdown between the 4th ranked Gilmer Buckeyes (8-0, 3-0) and the Spring Hill Panthers (6-2, 3-0) at Spring Hill’s Panther Stadium. Kick-off is set for 7:30 p.m. “It’s been a long time since we’ve had a big game. I will...