By JOE DODD
The Gilmer Buckeyes’ varsity blanked the Pittsburg Pirates 39-0 in the championship game of the 9th annual Buckeyes’ 7-on-7 tournament to win the title for the first time in three years.
“It was really a good day for us, although we struggled all day,” said Gilmer head coach Jeff Traylor, who saw his team dominate their first game; lose their second game; then win in overtime of their third game to make it out of pool play.
Gilmer started the day with an impressive 61-18 thrashing of Class 4A Pine Tree. Buckeyes’ quarterback Darian “Stump” Godfrey threw touchdown passes on Gilmer’s first six possessions before giving way to backup Luke Turner, who threw touchdown passes on the Buckeyes’ final two possessions.
Godfrey connected with Turner on the first score, before consecutive touchdown passes to Tristan Holt and Paul Chesnut were sandwiched around a scoring strike to Ben Griffith. Turner’s touchdown passes went to Gus Osborne and Tevin Godfrey.
The Buckeyes’ other score came on a Mikey Wilson interception of a Pirate pass that was returned for a touchdown.
“Our defense carried us the whole day,” praised Traylor, who added, “I was very proud of Stump because we lost a lot of receivers from last year’s team and he worked the ball around to a lot of new faces.”
Gilmer’s only loss of the day came in the second game when Pittsburg squeaked past the Buckeyes, 19-15, despite Godfrey and Holt connecting on two touchdowns.
The Buckeyes barely made it out of pool play, trailing the Van Vandals by 13 points with just over five minutes to play, before a thrilling 33-32 win in overtime. Godfrey completed touchdown passes to Braylon Webb and Jeremy Jackson before touchdown passes to Tevin Godfrey and Griffith sent the game into overtime.
The Vandals scored on their first possession, but the extra point pass fell incomplete. Gilmer’s chances came down to a fourth down pass that a diving Daniel McLaren caught for a touchdown to tie the score. Jackson caught the extra point pass from Godfrey to win the game and send the Buckeyes into the semifinals.
“We could have quit in the Van game,” said Traylor. “But we made a great drive at the end to win it, and then played real well in the playoffs.”
Gilmer faced 2-time defending tournament champion Sulphur Springs in the semifinal. The Buckeyes got revenge for the Wildcats knocking them out of their own tournament the last two years with a 25-13 victory over the defending Class 4A State Champions.
Godfrey connected with Turner for the Buckeyes’ lone touchdown of the first half, trailing the Wildcats 13-6. Godfrey hooked up twice with Holt and once with McLaren in the second half to secure the win.
In the championship game, Gilmer made up for their only loss of the day with a dominating effort against Pittsburg. Godfrey connected with Kedon Franklin, Turner, Tevin Godfrey, and McLaren for touchdowns, while Griffith and Wilson both returned interceptions for touchdowns.
Gilmer’s junior varsity won their division, going 5-0 and defeating Van 34-30 in the championship game. The Buckeyes’ 9th grade team went 1-2. The Buckeyes’ Cole Lawhorn won the 9-10 grade obstacle course in the lineman’s challenge, while Colton Hill won the 9-10 grade quarterback sack challenge and the overall title.
Mirror Photos / Mary Laschinger Kirby
WINNING THE 7-on-7 Tournament at Buckeye Stadium Saturday, the Gilmer Buckeyes send, from bottom to top, Tristan Holt, Jeremy Jackson, Jacob Jenkins, Tevin Godfrey and Kedon Franklin into action with Darian “Stump” Godfrey and Landon ”Gus” Osborne in the backfield. Gilmer defeated Pine Tree, 61-18, lost to Pittsburg, 19-15, with three interceptions, and went into overtime to defeat Van, 33-32. In the semifinals, Gilmer defeated Sulphur Springs, 24-14, while Pittsburg won, 34-30, over Daingerfield. In the finals Gilmer blanked Pittsburg on the rematch, 39-0. The Gilmer JV beat the Van JV, 34-31, to win that title. In the photo below, five former Buckeyes now playing for Big 12 programs get together for a reunion. They are, from left, David Snow and Curtis Brown of the Texas Longhorns; Daniel Jenkins of the Missouri Tigers; and Justin Johnson and Lamar Harris of the Oklahoma Sooners.
The Gilmer Buckeyes’ varsity blanked the Pittsburg Pirates 39-0 in the championship game of the 9th annual Buckeyes’ 7-on-7 tournament to win the title for the first time in three years.
“It was really a good day for us, although we struggled all day,” said Gilmer head coach Jeff Traylor, who saw his team dominate their first game; lose their second game; then win in overtime of their third game to make it out of pool play.
Gilmer started the day with an impressive 61-18 thrashing of Class 4A Pine Tree. Buckeyes’ quarterback Darian “Stump” Godfrey threw touchdown passes on Gilmer’s first six possessions before giving way to backup Luke Turner, who threw touchdown passes on the Buckeyes’ final two possessions.
Godfrey connected with Turner on the first score, before consecutive touchdown passes to Tristan Holt and Paul Chesnut were sandwiched around a scoring strike to Ben Griffith. Turner’s touchdown passes went to Gus Osborne and Tevin Godfrey.
The Buckeyes’ other score came on a Mikey Wilson interception of a Pirate pass that was returned for a touchdown.
“Our defense carried us the whole day,” praised Traylor, who added, “I was very proud of Stump because we lost a lot of receivers from last year’s team and he worked the ball around to a lot of new faces.”
Gilmer’s only loss of the day came in the second game when Pittsburg squeaked past the Buckeyes, 19-15, despite Godfrey and Holt connecting on two touchdowns.
The Buckeyes barely made it out of pool play, trailing the Van Vandals by 13 points with just over five minutes to play, before a thrilling 33-32 win in overtime. Godfrey completed touchdown passes to Braylon Webb and Jeremy Jackson before touchdown passes to Tevin Godfrey and Griffith sent the game into overtime.
The Vandals scored on their first possession, but the extra point pass fell incomplete. Gilmer’s chances came down to a fourth down pass that a diving Daniel McLaren caught for a touchdown to tie the score. Jackson caught the extra point pass from Godfrey to win the game and send the Buckeyes into the semifinals.
“We could have quit in the Van game,” said Traylor. “But we made a great drive at the end to win it, and then played real well in the playoffs.”
Gilmer faced 2-time defending tournament champion Sulphur Springs in the semifinal. The Buckeyes got revenge for the Wildcats knocking them out of their own tournament the last two years with a 25-13 victory over the defending Class 4A State Champions.
Godfrey connected with Turner for the Buckeyes’ lone touchdown of the first half, trailing the Wildcats 13-6. Godfrey hooked up twice with Holt and once with McLaren in the second half to secure the win.
In the championship game, Gilmer made up for their only loss of the day with a dominating effort against Pittsburg. Godfrey connected with Kedon Franklin, Turner, Tevin Godfrey, and McLaren for touchdowns, while Griffith and Wilson both returned interceptions for touchdowns.
Gilmer’s junior varsity won their division, going 5-0 and defeating Van 34-30 in the championship game. The Buckeyes’ 9th grade team went 1-2. The Buckeyes’ Cole Lawhorn won the 9-10 grade obstacle course in the lineman’s challenge, while Colton Hill won the 9-10 grade quarterback sack challenge and the overall title.
Mirror Photos / Mary Laschinger Kirby
WINNING THE 7-on-7 Tournament at Buckeye Stadium Saturday, the Gilmer Buckeyes send, from bottom to top, Tristan Holt, Jeremy Jackson, Jacob Jenkins, Tevin Godfrey and Kedon Franklin into action with Darian “Stump” Godfrey and Landon ”Gus” Osborne in the backfield. Gilmer defeated Pine Tree, 61-18, lost to Pittsburg, 19-15, with three interceptions, and went into overtime to defeat Van, 33-32. In the semifinals, Gilmer defeated Sulphur Springs, 24-14, while Pittsburg won, 34-30, over Daingerfield. In the finals Gilmer blanked Pittsburg on the rematch, 39-0. The Gilmer JV beat the Van JV, 34-31, to win that title. In the photo below, five former Buckeyes now playing for Big 12 programs get together for a reunion. They are, from left, David Snow and Curtis Brown of the Texas Longhorns; Daniel Jenkins of the Missouri Tigers; and Justin Johnson and Lamar Harris of the Oklahoma Sooners.
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