From the Longview News-Journal:
Top-ranked Buckeyes crush Kilgore
From the Tyler Morning Telegraph:
Gilmer Buckeyes Trample Kilgore
From the Kilgore News Herald:
Bulldogs tripped up by speedy Gilmer
From the Nacogdoches Daily Sentinel:
Gilmer 70, Kilgore 27 — Let me come right out and say this. I know Gilmer is No. 1 in Class 3A, but Kilgore should never get beat by this much, especially to a 3A squad.
Darian Godfrey was 21-of-24 for 360 yards and three touchdowns, while also rushing for two touchdowns, to lead the Buckeyes to the big win.
From the Jacksonville Daily Progress:
District 14-4A At A Glance — Week 3
From MaxPreps:
Box Score: Kilgore @ Gilmer
From KLTV's Red Zone (4:30 in):
Gilmer
First Downs 26
Rushing 30-238
Passing 22/26/1
Passing Yards 354
Total Offense 56-592
Total Turnovers 1
Penalties 8-80
Punts 1-13
Time of Possession 20:01
Score by Quarter 20/27/21/2
Kilgore
First Downs 10
Rushing 26-75
Passing 11/28/2
Passing Yards 192
Total Offense 54-267
Total Turnovers 3
Penalties 9-72
Punts 5-179
Time of Possession 27:59
Score by Quarter 7/0/7/13
Statistics compiled by JOE DODD
Buckeyes dominate Kilgore in 70-27 win
By JOE DODD
The Gilmer Buckeyes came home to Buckeye Stadium for the first time this season and thrilled a standing-room-only Homecoming crowd of 5,000 with a stunning 70-27 victory over the Kilgore Bulldogs.
“One of the best performances all around that we’ve ever had,” summed up Gilmer head coach Jeff Traylor after watching his Buckeyes score touchdowns on their first 10 possessions on their way to scoring more points against the Bulldogs than any other team in Bulldogs’ head coach Mike Vallery’s 15 years at the school.
The Buckeyes offense neared perfection with 384 yards passing and 250 yards rushing for a total of 634 yards in the game; the third best production in Buckeyes’ history.
“It was just one of those nights where whatever offensive play that we called just seemed to work,” marveled Traylor, who saw his team’s home winning streak improve to 31 games. “The kids got on fire and momentum got rolling and it just kind of snowballed.”
The snowball started out as an avalanche as the Buckeyes took the opening kickoff and scored three plays later when Stump Godfrey hit Tristan Holt on a screen pass that Holt took 70 yards for a touchdown just 33 seconds into the game. Holt was penalized for excessive celebration and the Buckeyes’ Adan Olivares was forced to kick the extra point from 35 yards out. He missed wide left and the Buckeyes had a 6-0 lead.
The Bulldogs answered right back with a 7-play drive that took 3:31 off the clock, scoring on a 5-yard touchdown run from LaDarius Anthony. Ryan Bustin’s extra-point kick was good for a 7-6 Kilgore lead with 7:56 to play in the first quarter.
That would be the last points the Bulldogs would score until the Buckeyes began substituting freely late in the third quarter after building an incredible 61-7 lead.
“Our defense is the strength of our team. Any time you score that many points your defense is going to be really good,” praised Traylor, who cited the Black Flag Defense for two interceptions and holding the Bulldogs to only 210 total yards on the night.
Gilmer’s next scoring drive took all of 6 plays and 1:24 off the clock as Godfrey ran the ball in from five yards out. Olivares’ extra-point kick was good, and the Buckeyes took the lead for good, with 6:32 to go in the first quarter.
Gilmer’s defense then forced the Bulldogs into four consecutive three-and-out possessions, giving the Buckeyes’ offense great field position on their next three scoring drives.
Godfrey scored with another touchdown run, this time from six yards out with 1:43 left in the opening quarter. Olivares’ extra point made the score 20-7.
On Gilmer’s next possession, Godfrey connected with Holt again, this time on a 62-yard bomb that Holt juggled and then caught, leaving a sprawling Bulldog defender in his wake and increasing the Buckeyes’ lead to 26-7 after a high snap on the extra-point attempt.
Godfrey then scored his third and final rushing touchdown of the game on the next series with a 2-yard quarterback keeper, thanks to an interception by Ben Griffith, who returned from an injury suffered in the season’s first game.
“I did treatment every day for two and a half weeks. I had to be back for this one,” said Griffith, who returned the interception 34 yards to the Bulldogs’ 21-yard line. “I thought I was going to score for a little while, but I got tired and he caught me from behind.”
Holt scored his third touchdown of the night with a 3-yard run with 6:19 remaining in the second quarter, giving Gilmer a 40-7 advantage. “We played our worst game on offense last year,” said Holt about last year’s loss to the Bulldogs. “Coach Traylor emphasized offense this week, so we came out and did our thing.” Holt finished with 163 all-purpose yards for Gilmer.
The Buckeyes’ longest possession of the game provided their next score, as Gilmer switched between passing and running on every play of a 79-yard, 9-play drive that took 3:15 off the second-quarter clock. Luke Turner hauled in Godfrey’s 5-yard touchdown pass for a 47-7 halftime lead.
Gilmer’s defense, which allowed Kilgore only 95 total yards in the first half, let the Bulldogs know that the second half would be just as tough, forcing another three-and-out series to start the second half.
The Buckeyes’ offense picked up where it had left off, going 80 yards in nine plays and scoring on a 7-yard touchdown pass from Godfrey to Daniel McLaren with 6:58 to go in the third quarter. Olivares’ extra point made the score 54-7.
The Black Flag Defense forced the second turnover by the Bulldogs on their next possession, when Harvey Horton intercepted a Kaleb Brisendine pass and returned it 41 yards to the Kilgore 16-yard line.
Two plays later, Tevin Godfrey scored a touchdown on a 10-yard run to give the Buckeyes a 61-7 advantage after Olivares’ extra point with 5:30 left in the third quarter.
The Bulldogs finally got back on the scoreboard on their next possession when Anthony finished a 5-play, 55-yard drive with a 5-yard touchdown run with 3:32 remaining in the third quarter.
Gilmer responded with their final touchdown drive of the game, covering 57 yards in six plays with Jeremy Jackson running the ball in from eight yards out. Carlos Sanchez kicked the extra point for a 68-14 lead with only 37 seconds left in the third quarter.
Kilgore came right back with another 5-yard touchdown run by Anthony with 10:12 to play in the game, bringing the score to 68-21. Anthony finished with three touchdowns and 62 yards on 23 carries.
Gilmer sophomore Luke Turner took over quarterback duties in the fourth quarter and had his first and only pass of the game picked off at the Buckeyes 47-yard line.
Six plays later, the Bulldogs’ Brisendine and Matthew Dickey hooked up for a 20-yard touchdown pass to cut the score to 68-27, but the Buckeyes blocked the extra-point attempt and Marqualon Tate returned the football 90 yards for the 2-point safety, making the final score 70-27.
“I was totally shocked, I had no idea,” Traylor replied when asked about scoring the most points against Kilgore since 1989. “We could probably play them 100 times and that would never happen again.”
“We were just so embarrassed about our performance offensively last year,” Traylor continued. “Last year we played about as bad as we could over there in Kilgore and tonight Kilgore probably played about as bad as they could have.”
“It felt great,” replied Godfrey when asked about atoning for his 4-turnover debacle last year against the Bulldogs. “It was unbelievable; a great feeling. I can’t explain the way I feel.”
The senior quarterback finished the game with a career-best 25 completions on 28 attempts for a career best 384 yards. He also scored three touchdowns on four rushing attempts.
“I felt it. It just came to me. It was great; and when you feel that, that’s when you’ve got to just let it loose and lead your team to a victory,” said Godfrey.
“That was the best I’ve ever seen Stump throw the ball,” exclaimed Traylor.
Running back Vance Green, who rushed for 110 yards on only nine carries, said the Buckeyes had looked forward to this rematch for a whole year. “It was a revenge game. We practiced hard the whole week through the rain, and we came out and were ready to play,” Green said.
Gilmer linebacker Mikey Wilson said revenge was just one factor for the Buckeyes. “We had never been beaten twice in a row by the same team and we had the home win streak, so that was a big part of it there,” Wilson stated.
Mirror Photo / Mary Laschinger Kirby
BEN GRIFFITH (19) has just picked off a Kilgore pass. Tristan Holt (3) looks for someone to block. Griffith returned the interception 34 yards to set up a Gilmer touchdown.
Mirror Photos / Mary Laschinger Kirby
HAULING IN A PASS from Stump Godfrey, Gilmer’s Vance Green looks upfield for his blocking during first quarter action Friday. A long gain by Green set up Godfrey’s first touchdown run (below photo) and put Gilmer ahead to stay. Gilmer won, 70-27.
Mirror Photo / Mary Laschinger Kirby
AS DAKOTA CANNON (33) prepares to lower the boom into Kilgore’s Ladarius Anthony (22), Gilmer’s Eric Miller (45) hangs on for the ride as the duo brought down the Bulldogs’ leading rusher. The Black Flag Defense shut down Kilgore until the fourth quarter as the Buckeyes cleared the bench.
Godfrey named Built Ford Tough player of week
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