Gilmer 48, Tatum 14

From the Longview News-Journal:

Gilmer rambles to 48-14 win over Tatum

From the Tyler Morning Telegraph:

Godfrey Ignites Buckeyes To Rout

Video:
Jeremy Jackson's 33-yard TD run
Darian "Stump" Godfrey's 21-yard pass to Prentiss Bell
Jeremy Jackson's 82-yard TD run
Adan Olivares kicks the extra point followed by the Buckeye Band playing the GHS Fight Song
Darian "Stump" Godfrey's 19-yard TD pass to Braylon Webb followed by Adan Olivares' PAT
Marlon Granville's 9-yard TD run followed by Adan Olivares' PAT


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From The Gilmer Mirror:

Buckeyes knock off Tatum for 39th straight district win

By JOE DODD

The Gilmer Buckeyes used their winning formula of stifling defense and spread-the-wealth offense to soar past the Tatum Eagles 48-14 Friday night at Eagle Stadium in Tatum. The win was the 39th consecutive for the Buckeyes in district play, and came at the site of Gilmer's last district loss in 2000.

The Buckeyes' Black Flag Defense held the Eagles to only 197 total yards, and didn't allow a score until the fourth quarter when the game was out of reach. Gilmer's offense scored 20 first quarter points and rolled up 596 total yards, as five different Buckeyes scored touchdowns on the night.

The Eagles started the game with a 10-play, 42-yard drive that consumed 5:02 off the clock, but failed to put any points on the board when the Eagles turned the ball over on downs at the Gilmer 30-yard line.

“Our game plan, just like any one else who plays Gilmer, was to keep their offense off the field and we did a really good job the first drive,” said Tatum head coach Andy Evans, who fell to 0-4 against the Buckeyes.

“That was their game plan; to keep the ball away from us,” stated Gilmer head coach Jeff Traylor. “They accomplished that for one drive, and other than that, really that was about it.”

Quarterback Stump Godfrey said the prolonged wait didn't hurt the Buckeyes. “It was unusual. Coach Traylor told us we were going to have to stay patient, and we did,” said Godfrey, who improved his record to 23-2 as Gilmer's starting quarterback.

The Buckeyes' offense wasn't patient getting into the end zone, as Jeremy Jackson scored just 55 seconds later on a 32-yard run to cap a 5-play, 70-yard drive with 6:03 remaining in the first quarter. Adan Olivares' extra point kick was ruled wide right for a 6-0 lead.

Tatum's second possession covered only five yards in four plays, before the Eagles were forced to punt.

The Buckeyes took over at their own 18-yard line, and wasted no time at all, as Jackson took the handoff and ran to the right sideline, then cut back across the grain to the left, broke a tackle and then raced down the Tatum sideline, thanks to a block by Godfrey, for an 82-yard touchdown. Olivares' first of six consecutive extra point kicks was good for a 13-0 lead with 3:34 left in the first quarter.

“The sideline was taken, so I just thought to cut it back and I saw green grass and I saw Stump had my lead block so I thought I could score if I could break one tackle,” said Jackson, who finished with 147 yards rushing and two touchdowns on only eight carries.

Things just got worse for the Eagles on the ensuing kickoff as Tatum's Matt Brown fumbled the football and Gilmer's Mikey Wilson recovered the lose ball at the Eagles' 34-yard line. The Eagles were then penalized 15 yards for having 12 defenders on the next play, giving the Buckeyes the ball at the Tatum 19-yard line.

The Eagles needed more defenders on the next play, as Godfrey fired a quick pass to Braylon Webb, who broke a tackle and then drug four Tatum players into the end zone for a 20-0 Gilmer lead with 3:03 to play in the opening quarter.

“That is what happens against them,” said Evans as he recounted Gilmer's three touchdowns in exactly three minutes. “And then you change what you do calling plays.”

Whatever changes Tatum made in the play calling didn't seem to affect the Gilmer defense, as the Buckeyes held the Eagles to another three-and-out on the next series. Carlos Rodriguez's punt gave the ball back to Gilmer at their own 26-yard line.

After a 10-yard penalty against the Buckeyes on the first play pushed them back to the 16-yard line, Gilmer proceeded on a 9-play 74-yard drive that took only 1:50 off the clock before Marlon Granville punched it in from nine yards out, giving the Buckeyes a 27-0 lead with 10:40 remaining in the second quarter.

Tatum showed signs of life when Stedmon Coleman returned the kickoff 37 yards to the Gilmer 35-yard line, but three plays later the Buckeyes' Paul Chesnut intercepted a Desmond Fite pass at the 12-yard line and returned it to the Tatum 26-yard line.

This time the Buckeyes couldn't take advantage of the Tatum miscue, as Gilmer punted just four plays later, giving the Eagles the football at their own 29-yard line.

The Buckeye defense came up big again, holding Tatum to only three yards in seven plays, stopping the Eagles on another fourth down conversion attempt to return the football to the offense at the Gilmer 26-yard line.

Once again, the Buckeyes' offense stalled after managing just 26 yards in eight plays. Luke Turner's second punt of the game gave Tatum the ball at their own 20-yard line with 1:03 to play in the first half.

The Eagles were able to get to their own 46-yard line as time expired in the opening half.

Gilmer's Braylon Webb made quick work of any Tatum hopes for a second-half comeback when he returned the kickoff to the 50-yard line and then scored a touchdown on the first play of the half. Webb took a screen pass from Godfrey and stiff-armed a would be tackler, then split two defenders at the 20-yard line before going in for the score, just 20 seconds into the half.

Another three-and-out by Tatum gave Gilmer the football at the Eagles' 35-yard line following a 35-yard punt return by the Buckeyes' Tristan Holt. Six plays later, Godfrey hit Hunter Harrison for a touchdown from five yards out to push Gilmer's lead to 41-0 with 7:35 to go in the third quarter.

The Eagles' next series lasted over five minutes, but manged just 14 yards before Tatum punted to the Buckeyes' 32-yard line, and a 15-yard personal foul pushed Gilmer back to their own 17-yard line.

Two plays later the Buckeyes fumbled the ball away at their own 14-yard line for their only turnover of the game. It was a costly mistake, as the Eagles scored three plays later on a 10-yard run by B.J. Allen, cutting Gilmer's lead to 41-7 with 11:54 to play in the game.

The Buckeyes responded with a 7-play, 77-yard drive that ended with excitement when Gilmer's J.T. Beecham fumbled the ball into the end zone and the Buckeyes' Daniel McLaren recovered the ball for Gilmer's final touchdown with 7:12 remaining in the game.

Tatum would wrap up the scoring with a 33-yard touchdown run by Allen with 4:09 left on the clock, before the Buckeyes let the time run out deep into Eagles' territory.

“They played with a lot of class,” said Evans. “Gilmer's got a great football team. They're very good on defense. They executed very well offensively tonight which is what they traditionally do. They're so well coached.”

“We played pretty good. They held the ball a little bit more than we wanted them to, but we played well,” said Traylor, who deferred the praise to his team. “Offensive line played real well, especially Beau Blair. Our wide receivers blocked real well, especially on our long runs. Our defense as a unit had 13 tackles for a loss.”

Traylor finished by summing up the last game of the regular season. “We won and we're healthy, so were happy about that.”


Mirror Photo / Mary Laschinger Kirby
GILMER S JEREMY JACKSON is off to the races on an 82-yard touchdown run.


Mirror Photo / Mary Laschinger Kirby
DANIEL MCLAREN cradles the ball for another Buckeye touchdown after teammate J.T. Beecham was stripped of the ball during the fourth quarter against Tatum.


Mirror Photo / Mary Laschinger Kirby
BLACK FLAG DEFENDERS Tristan Holt (3), Braylon Webb (6) and Vance Green (8) close in on the Eagle running back as Gilmer shut down the potent Tatum attack until late stages of the game. Gilmer closed out the regular season with a 48-14 win over the young Eagle squadron.

Galleries:

Buckeyes vs Tatum Eagles