From the Longview News-Journal:
Buckeyes romp over Bears
Gilmer DB comes away with three turnovers
From the Tyler Morning Telegraph:
Gilmer Clinches Eighth District Championship
From The Gilmer Mirror
By JOE DODD
The Gilmer Buckeyes' Black Flag Defense shut down the offense of the visiting Gladewater Bears Friday night at Buckeye Stadium, giving Gilmer a share of their eighth consecutive district championship with a 43-8 win in the Buckeyes' final home game of the season. The win extended Gilmer's district winning streak to 38 games and home winning streak to 30 games.
“It feels great. It was really great to go out like that,” said senior Josh Thompson. “It was a little emotional. We seniors stepped up and realized this was the last time we would be playing here, and that just carried us through.”
“Defensively we were just dominant,” exclaimed Gilmer head coach Jeff Traylor. “It was just a really great team effort. Our defensive staff did a good job.”
Gilmer's defense held Gladewater to 184 total yards and eight points; well off the Bears' season average of over 300 yards and 30 points per game. The Buckeyes' also forced five turnovers.
“We tried to stress turnovers this week in practice,” said Gilmer safety Braylon Webb who had two interceptions and a fumble recovery against the Bears.
The Buckeyes' offense needed the help, as Gilmer was forced to punt an unusually high four times on the night. “Our defense dominated. Our offense kind of struggled, but did enough to score,” Traylor said.
The offense's struggles were evident early as the Buckeyes first possession was a quick 3-and-out. That marked the first time in five games that Gilmer didn't score a touchdown on their opening drive.
The Buckeyes' defense forced the Bears into their own three-and-out on their first possession, giving the football back to the Gilmer offense at the Bears' own 43-yard line.
After an offensive penalty and an incomplete pass, the Buckeyes' Kedon Franklin took a reverse handoff from Marlon Granville and followed his blockers down the left sidelines on a 43-yard touchdown run with 8:38 to play in the first quarter. Hunter Harrison's 2-point conversion pass attempt was well defended by the Bears, leaving Gilmer with a 6-0 lead.
The Buckeyes' defense kept the Bears in check again, forcing another 3-and-out punt that returned possession to Gilmer at their own 30-yard line.
This time the Buckeyes took their time, covering the 70 yards in nine plays, taking up almost four minutes off the clock before Stump Godfrey hit Franklin on a quick pass in the flats. Franklin made a defender miss, then scooted into the end zone for his second touchdown. Adan Olivares' extra point kick was wide right, so the Buckeyes led 12-0 with 2:46 remaining in the opening quarter.
Things went from bad to worse for Gladewater on the Bears' next possession as D.J. Stanley recovered a Corey Davis fumble at the Bears' 40-yard line.
Three consecutive incomplete passes forced the Buckeyes to punt again. Freshman Luke Turner got off a perfect punt that rolled to the Gladewater 1-yard line. After only eight yards in three plays, the Bears were forced to punt the football back to the Buckeyes, who took over with great field position at the Gladewater 46-yard line.
Gilmer could not take advantage of the field position, eventually turning the ball over on downs at the Bears' 25-yard line. Five plays later, with the Bears facing their own fourth down attempt, Gladewater quarterback Zavean Miller had the football stripped from him and Webb recovered the loose ball at the Gilmer 47-yard line.
The Buckeyes' offense came back to life on the ensuing series with a big 39-yard pass play from Godfrey to Prentiss Bell down to the Bears' 10-yard line. Godfrey would score two plays later on a 2-yard run. Godfrey then ran in the 2-point conversion for a 20-0 lead with 4:00 left in the first half.
Gladewater's offense finally started to move the ball on the Bears' final possession of the first half, before the 9-play drive lost momentum and turned the ball over on downs at the Gilmer 32-yard line with 48 seconds to go in the half.
Two big pass completions from Godfrey to Webb and Tristan Holt took the football down to the Bears' 18-yard line, where Olivares nailed a 35-yard field goal for a 23-0 Gilmer lead as time expired in the first half.
“The field goal was big right before halftime,” Traylor said. “It was a big momentum shift.”
That momentum continued at the start of the second half when the Buckeyes' defense pushed the Bears backward on their first possession, forcing another 3-and-out punt that gave Gilmer's offense good field position at their own 42-yard line.
The Buckeyes proceeded on an 11-play drive that consumed 3:40 off the clock and ended with a bullet 6-yard touchdown pass from Godfrey to Bell with 6:03 to go in the third quarter. Olivares' kick was good for a 30-0 Gilmer lead.
Gladewater's next two possessions ended on Webb interceptions, sandwiched around the Buckeyes' only turnover of the game.
Gilmer's offense responded to their fumble on the next possession with a 61-yard, 12-play drive that ate up 4:03 of the clock. The highlight of the drive was a fourth down fake punt executed by the Buckeyes' Paul Chesnut, who took the snap and scrambled 13 yards for the first down. Eight plays later Granville scored on a 5-yard run with 8:45 to play in the game. Olivares' extra point kick was blocked to leave the score 36-0.
Two plays later, Gilmer's Gus Osborne recovered another Bears' fumble returning the football to the Buckeyes at the Gladewater 21-yard line.
It took the Buckeyes four plays to score when freshman quarterback Luke Turner threw a perfect pass to Xavier Easley for an 8-yard touchdown. Olivares' kick was good and gave the Buckeyes a 43-0 lead with 6:16 remaining in the game.
Gladewater avoided the shutout with 1:22 left to play when Cameron Price broke free from the grasp of Gilmer defenders and sprinted down the visitor's sideline 49 yards for a touchdown. Jamarick Armstrong added a two-point conversion run for the final 43-8 score.
Gladewater head coach Scott Callaway said that turnovers were the difference in the game. “Gilmer's got a good football team. You can't have three turnovers in the first half like that and expect to beat a good football team. They did what they had to do on both sides of the ball. They made the plays when they had to,” said Callaway.
Traylor pointed to the defensive effort of linebacker Vance Green, who had eight tackles in the game. “Vance was everywhere,” said Traylor. “Vance played his best game of the year.”
Green's job was made much easier by the play of the Buckeyes' defensive line. “We were so dominant on the defensive line. Our defensive line just dominated the point of attack,” said Traylor, who pointed specifically to one position. “Our defensive ends really played well. Marlon Granville, Luke Turner, Hayden Holmes and J.T. Beecham; those kids did a really good job.”
“It's been this way all year,” Traylor said. “They've been very consistent all year. I said it before the season ever started that they were going to be the strength of our team, and they still are. And I think they will be throughout the playoffs.”
Mirror Photo / Mary Laschinger Kirby
GILMER’S J.T. BEECHAM breaks one tackle as he picks up a first down in the third quarter. The Buckeyes went on to win 43-8 to clinch at least a share of the district title for the eighth consecutive year.
Mirror Photo / Mary Laschinger Kirby
ADAN OLIVARES kicks a 35-year field goal with Hunter Harrison holding as the first half ends, padding Gilmer’s lead over Gladewater to 23-0.
Galleries:
Buckeyes vs Gladewater
Buckeyes Vs Gladewater Bears
Buckeyes romp over Bears
Gilmer DB comes away with three turnovers
From the Tyler Morning Telegraph:
Gilmer Clinches Eighth District Championship
From The Gilmer Mirror
Buckeyes stop Gladewater for share of district title
By JOE DODD
The Gilmer Buckeyes' Black Flag Defense shut down the offense of the visiting Gladewater Bears Friday night at Buckeye Stadium, giving Gilmer a share of their eighth consecutive district championship with a 43-8 win in the Buckeyes' final home game of the season. The win extended Gilmer's district winning streak to 38 games and home winning streak to 30 games.
“It feels great. It was really great to go out like that,” said senior Josh Thompson. “It was a little emotional. We seniors stepped up and realized this was the last time we would be playing here, and that just carried us through.”
“Defensively we were just dominant,” exclaimed Gilmer head coach Jeff Traylor. “It was just a really great team effort. Our defensive staff did a good job.”
Gilmer's defense held Gladewater to 184 total yards and eight points; well off the Bears' season average of over 300 yards and 30 points per game. The Buckeyes' also forced five turnovers.
“We tried to stress turnovers this week in practice,” said Gilmer safety Braylon Webb who had two interceptions and a fumble recovery against the Bears.
The Buckeyes' offense needed the help, as Gilmer was forced to punt an unusually high four times on the night. “Our defense dominated. Our offense kind of struggled, but did enough to score,” Traylor said.
The offense's struggles were evident early as the Buckeyes first possession was a quick 3-and-out. That marked the first time in five games that Gilmer didn't score a touchdown on their opening drive.
The Buckeyes' defense forced the Bears into their own three-and-out on their first possession, giving the football back to the Gilmer offense at the Bears' own 43-yard line.
After an offensive penalty and an incomplete pass, the Buckeyes' Kedon Franklin took a reverse handoff from Marlon Granville and followed his blockers down the left sidelines on a 43-yard touchdown run with 8:38 to play in the first quarter. Hunter Harrison's 2-point conversion pass attempt was well defended by the Bears, leaving Gilmer with a 6-0 lead.
The Buckeyes' defense kept the Bears in check again, forcing another 3-and-out punt that returned possession to Gilmer at their own 30-yard line.
This time the Buckeyes took their time, covering the 70 yards in nine plays, taking up almost four minutes off the clock before Stump Godfrey hit Franklin on a quick pass in the flats. Franklin made a defender miss, then scooted into the end zone for his second touchdown. Adan Olivares' extra point kick was wide right, so the Buckeyes led 12-0 with 2:46 remaining in the opening quarter.
Things went from bad to worse for Gladewater on the Bears' next possession as D.J. Stanley recovered a Corey Davis fumble at the Bears' 40-yard line.
Three consecutive incomplete passes forced the Buckeyes to punt again. Freshman Luke Turner got off a perfect punt that rolled to the Gladewater 1-yard line. After only eight yards in three plays, the Bears were forced to punt the football back to the Buckeyes, who took over with great field position at the Gladewater 46-yard line.
Gilmer could not take advantage of the field position, eventually turning the ball over on downs at the Bears' 25-yard line. Five plays later, with the Bears facing their own fourth down attempt, Gladewater quarterback Zavean Miller had the football stripped from him and Webb recovered the loose ball at the Gilmer 47-yard line.
The Buckeyes' offense came back to life on the ensuing series with a big 39-yard pass play from Godfrey to Prentiss Bell down to the Bears' 10-yard line. Godfrey would score two plays later on a 2-yard run. Godfrey then ran in the 2-point conversion for a 20-0 lead with 4:00 left in the first half.
Gladewater's offense finally started to move the ball on the Bears' final possession of the first half, before the 9-play drive lost momentum and turned the ball over on downs at the Gilmer 32-yard line with 48 seconds to go in the half.
Two big pass completions from Godfrey to Webb and Tristan Holt took the football down to the Bears' 18-yard line, where Olivares nailed a 35-yard field goal for a 23-0 Gilmer lead as time expired in the first half.
“The field goal was big right before halftime,” Traylor said. “It was a big momentum shift.”
That momentum continued at the start of the second half when the Buckeyes' defense pushed the Bears backward on their first possession, forcing another 3-and-out punt that gave Gilmer's offense good field position at their own 42-yard line.
The Buckeyes proceeded on an 11-play drive that consumed 3:40 off the clock and ended with a bullet 6-yard touchdown pass from Godfrey to Bell with 6:03 to go in the third quarter. Olivares' kick was good for a 30-0 Gilmer lead.
Gladewater's next two possessions ended on Webb interceptions, sandwiched around the Buckeyes' only turnover of the game.
Gilmer's offense responded to their fumble on the next possession with a 61-yard, 12-play drive that ate up 4:03 of the clock. The highlight of the drive was a fourth down fake punt executed by the Buckeyes' Paul Chesnut, who took the snap and scrambled 13 yards for the first down. Eight plays later Granville scored on a 5-yard run with 8:45 to play in the game. Olivares' extra point kick was blocked to leave the score 36-0.
Two plays later, Gilmer's Gus Osborne recovered another Bears' fumble returning the football to the Buckeyes at the Gladewater 21-yard line.
It took the Buckeyes four plays to score when freshman quarterback Luke Turner threw a perfect pass to Xavier Easley for an 8-yard touchdown. Olivares' kick was good and gave the Buckeyes a 43-0 lead with 6:16 remaining in the game.
Gladewater avoided the shutout with 1:22 left to play when Cameron Price broke free from the grasp of Gilmer defenders and sprinted down the visitor's sideline 49 yards for a touchdown. Jamarick Armstrong added a two-point conversion run for the final 43-8 score.
Gladewater head coach Scott Callaway said that turnovers were the difference in the game. “Gilmer's got a good football team. You can't have three turnovers in the first half like that and expect to beat a good football team. They did what they had to do on both sides of the ball. They made the plays when they had to,” said Callaway.
Traylor pointed to the defensive effort of linebacker Vance Green, who had eight tackles in the game. “Vance was everywhere,” said Traylor. “Vance played his best game of the year.”
Green's job was made much easier by the play of the Buckeyes' defensive line. “We were so dominant on the defensive line. Our defensive line just dominated the point of attack,” said Traylor, who pointed specifically to one position. “Our defensive ends really played well. Marlon Granville, Luke Turner, Hayden Holmes and J.T. Beecham; those kids did a really good job.”
“It's been this way all year,” Traylor said. “They've been very consistent all year. I said it before the season ever started that they were going to be the strength of our team, and they still are. And I think they will be throughout the playoffs.”
Mirror Photo / Mary Laschinger Kirby
GILMER’S J.T. BEECHAM breaks one tackle as he picks up a first down in the third quarter. The Buckeyes went on to win 43-8 to clinch at least a share of the district title for the eighth consecutive year.
Mirror Photo / Mary Laschinger Kirby
ADAN OLIVARES kicks a 35-year field goal with Hunter Harrison holding as the first half ends, padding Gilmer’s lead over Gladewater to 23-0.
Galleries:
Buckeyes vs Gladewater
Buckeyes Vs Gladewater Bears
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