By JOE DODD
It’s not every day that two teams ranked number one in the state of Texas meet on the football field. But it will happen Friday night at Buckeye Stadium when the 4-0 Gilmer Buckeyes, ranked number one in Class 3A, will host the 4-0 Daingerfield Tigers, ranked number one in Class 2A.
While this will be the first time the two teams will meet with such lofty rankings, it will be the 54th meeting between the two powerhouse programs that boast a total of nine state championship game appearances between them.
The Tigers enjoy a 30-23 advantage in the series, but the Buckeyes boast a current 4-game winning streak. Gilmer head coach Jeff Traylor has met the Tigers 10 times in his first 9 seasons, going 7-3. That makes the Tigers the only team to beat a Traylor-coached team more than once.
“It has to be a rivalry. I don’t know who else would be our rival if it wasn’t them,” replied Traylor when asked to describe the series.
Tigers coach Barry Bowman agreed. “Sure it’s a rivalry. I think both teams have mutual respect for each other. We enjoy playing Gilmer.”
That rivalry, and the fact that the Tigers ended the Celina Bobcat’s 10-year home winning streak last season when the Bobcats were ranked number two in Class 3A, makes this meeting even more intriguing considering that the Buckeyes are riding a 31-game home winning streak that dates back to 2002.
“That home winning streak is all that we’ve been thinking about; just keep winning,” said Gilmer senior Ben Griffith.
That home winning streak should help motivate the Buckeyes, who stunned the Tigers in Daingerfield last season with a dominating 49-18 victory just two weeks after the Tigers made national headlines by stopping Celina’s winning streak.
“I think they have enough respect for Daingerfield,” said Traylor. “They’re number one in the state, they won a state championship. They’ll have plenty of incentive to play.”
Buckeyes’ senior linebacker Mikey Wilson, who leads the team with 40 tackles, said that Gilmer has forgotten about last year’s blowout of the Tigers. “The past is the past; we don’t bring it up,” said Wilson. “We’re going to come to practice every day and work hard. The winning streak is something that the seniors are going to pass down, so we’re going to give it all we got.”
But Wilson knows that the Tigers haven’t forgotten last year’s game. “What Kilgore did to us last year, it made us mad so we came this year prepared and ready to play. I’m sure Daingerfield feels the same way.”
The Buckeyes used their memory of last year’s loss to Kilgore as inspiration for last week’s 70-27 stomping of the Bulldogs. But Gilmer senior Tristan Holt doesn’t think the Buckeyes will have a letdown after the big win. “It could be, but I don’t think it will be because we’ve got good coaches and they’ll make us practice hard like we lost this game.”
Traylor agreed with his seniors. “They are very mature. I believe they will be excited about playing the number one team in the state; the defending state champions. They know Daingerfield is always good.”
Since losing to the Buckeyes last season, the Tigers have reeled off 15 straight wins, currently the fifth longest winning streak in the state.
Bowman thinks the loss to the Buckeyes was the reason for his team’s impressive run. “Last year I think the game against Gilmer served as a wake-up call for us,” said Bowman. “We had gone to Celina and we had ended that 10-year home winning streak that they had. It kind of knocked us back down to earth a little bit and I think that served us well going into district play and the playoffs.”
One advantage the Buckeyes had over the Tigers last year was big game experience. But Daingerfield’s run to their fourth state championship last season leveled the playing field.
“They’ve got two huge regular season wins and six playoff wins, so they definitely have big game experience,” said Traylor.
Bowman and Traylor agree that Tigers’ junior quarterback Tyler Boyd benefited the most from that experience.
“He’s got 20 games under his belt now, so that makes a lot of difference,” said Bowman.
“Tyler Boyd is what makes them go; he’s the real deal,” confirmed Traylor. “His passing has improved so much. You can tell he’s really played in a bunch of big games. He’s calm under pressure and he can run around and make plays.”
After passing and running for 3,246 yards and 39 touchdowns as a sophomore, Boyd has picked up where he left off, totaling 979 yards and 12 touchdowns in the first four games of the season.
Traylor warns that Boyd isn’t the only weapon in the Tigers’ arsenal. “They’ve got three kids that can make bad plays good plays,” said Traylor. “Tyler Boyd, Koko Smith and Chris Jones. You always want to have one of those kinds, and when you have three on one side of the ball, that’s a very special thing.”
Smith, a senior running back, racked up 1,487 yards and 18 touchdowns on the ground, earning first team all-state honors last year.
Jones might be the most talented athlete of the group, having committed to play for the University of Texas before his senior season began. As a junior, Jones set a school record with 1,046 receiving yards and scored 12 touchdowns. He also picked up 340 yards and six touchdowns on the ground.
“Chris Jones is as close to looking like Curtis Brown that I’ve ever seen,” said Traylor, who coached Brown before sending him on to Texas. ”I’ve never said that about another kid. That’s how good Chris Jones is. He is unbelievable. He’s worth the price of admission just to watch him play.”
Daingerfield’s Bowman is quick to point out that Traylor returns a talented group of players as well. “I think from top to bottom; offensively, defensively and special teams; I think this is the best team he’s had,” Bowman said. “I’m more impressed with this team overall from top to bottom; than I have been with any others, and he’s had some really good ones.”
Traylor agreed with Bowman. “I think both teams are a lot better,” Traylor said.
Gilmer senior quarterback Stump Godfrey summed it up best. “It’s going to be electric. The stands are going to be packed.”
GAME NOTES
Gilmer is averaging 55.75 ppg through 4 games
Gilmer needs 219 rushing yards to reach 1,000 for the season
Gilmer’s 229 offensive plays consist of 115 passing attempts (50.2 percent) and 114 rushing attempts (49.8 percent)
Gilmer averages 296 yards per game passing (60 percent) and 195 yards per game rushing (40 percent)
Gilmer’s 634 total yards against Kilgore last week was the 3rd most in school history
Gilmer’s Stump Godfrey needs 88 rushing yards to pass Derek McKenzie as Gilmer’s career leader in rushing yards by a quarterback
Gilmer’s Stump Godfrey needs 5 rushing touchdowns to pass Justin Johnson as Gilmer’s career leader
Bounty Hunter of the Week: Tamil Harris
Special Teams Player of the Week: Braylon Webb
Scout Team Players of the Week:
Jordan Traylor, Offense; Bryce Rawls, Defense
September 25- Daingerfield
Mascot: Tigers
Colors: Blue & White
District: 17-2A
Enrollment: 376
2008 Record: 15-1, Class 2A Div. II State Champions
2009 Record: 4-0, Ranked #1 in Class 2A
Last meeting: 2008, Gilmer won 49-18
Series Record: Daingerfield leads 30-23
Head Coach: Barry Bowman (2nd season, 19-1, 34-16 overall)
Other Head Coaching experience: Bullard 3 yrs 15-15
Returning Starters: 6 Offense/7 Defense
BUCKEYE TICKET LINE:
841-7777
LUNCH WITH THE COACH:
Noon Wednesdays, Buckeyes Booster Club meets at Gilmer Country Club
LIVE WEBCAST:
www.GilmerBuckeyes.com
MaxPreps Gilmer vs. Daingerfield Game Matchup
Mirror Photo / Mary Laschinger Kirby
GILMER’S LUKE TURNER is hauled down by Kilgore’s C.J. Gary here last Friday night. Other Buckeyes pictured include Barry Kennedy (56), Dustin Hardin (55) and Caleb Denton (52). Turner and the Buckeyes head into their final tuneup before District 17-3A play begins against the Daingerfield Tigers. Kickoff is set for 7:30 p.m. Friday night at Buckeye Stadium. Both teams are unbeaten and ranked No. 1 in the state in their respective classifications. The Buckeyes have a bye week after this game with the next contest on the road at Bullard on Friday, Oct. 9.
Mirror Photo / Mary Laschinger Kirby
COACH JEFF TRAYLOR was honored after the game Friday night for having achieved 100 career wins, all at Gilmer, in the span of just more than nine seasons. At left offering congratulations is Gilmer ISD Supt. Rick Albritton. The victory over Kilgore was actually his 101st, the century mark having been accomplished on the road against Liberty-Eylau on Sept. 11.
BEN GRIFFITH (top photo) and STUMP GODFREY (above) are interviewed by KLTV in the buildup to Friday night's game here against Daingerfield.
MIKEY WILSON (top photo) and STUMP GODFREY (above) are interviewed by KYTX while preparing for the game against Daingerfield. See link to video below.
From KYTX CBS 19:
No. 1 Gilmer faces No. 1 Daingerfield
It’s not every day that two teams ranked number one in the state of Texas meet on the football field. But it will happen Friday night at Buckeye Stadium when the 4-0 Gilmer Buckeyes, ranked number one in Class 3A, will host the 4-0 Daingerfield Tigers, ranked number one in Class 2A.
While this will be the first time the two teams will meet with such lofty rankings, it will be the 54th meeting between the two powerhouse programs that boast a total of nine state championship game appearances between them.
The Tigers enjoy a 30-23 advantage in the series, but the Buckeyes boast a current 4-game winning streak. Gilmer head coach Jeff Traylor has met the Tigers 10 times in his first 9 seasons, going 7-3. That makes the Tigers the only team to beat a Traylor-coached team more than once.
“It has to be a rivalry. I don’t know who else would be our rival if it wasn’t them,” replied Traylor when asked to describe the series.
Tigers coach Barry Bowman agreed. “Sure it’s a rivalry. I think both teams have mutual respect for each other. We enjoy playing Gilmer.”
That rivalry, and the fact that the Tigers ended the Celina Bobcat’s 10-year home winning streak last season when the Bobcats were ranked number two in Class 3A, makes this meeting even more intriguing considering that the Buckeyes are riding a 31-game home winning streak that dates back to 2002.
“That home winning streak is all that we’ve been thinking about; just keep winning,” said Gilmer senior Ben Griffith.
That home winning streak should help motivate the Buckeyes, who stunned the Tigers in Daingerfield last season with a dominating 49-18 victory just two weeks after the Tigers made national headlines by stopping Celina’s winning streak.
“I think they have enough respect for Daingerfield,” said Traylor. “They’re number one in the state, they won a state championship. They’ll have plenty of incentive to play.”
Buckeyes’ senior linebacker Mikey Wilson, who leads the team with 40 tackles, said that Gilmer has forgotten about last year’s blowout of the Tigers. “The past is the past; we don’t bring it up,” said Wilson. “We’re going to come to practice every day and work hard. The winning streak is something that the seniors are going to pass down, so we’re going to give it all we got.”
But Wilson knows that the Tigers haven’t forgotten last year’s game. “What Kilgore did to us last year, it made us mad so we came this year prepared and ready to play. I’m sure Daingerfield feels the same way.”
The Buckeyes used their memory of last year’s loss to Kilgore as inspiration for last week’s 70-27 stomping of the Bulldogs. But Gilmer senior Tristan Holt doesn’t think the Buckeyes will have a letdown after the big win. “It could be, but I don’t think it will be because we’ve got good coaches and they’ll make us practice hard like we lost this game.”
Traylor agreed with his seniors. “They are very mature. I believe they will be excited about playing the number one team in the state; the defending state champions. They know Daingerfield is always good.”
Since losing to the Buckeyes last season, the Tigers have reeled off 15 straight wins, currently the fifth longest winning streak in the state.
Bowman thinks the loss to the Buckeyes was the reason for his team’s impressive run. “Last year I think the game against Gilmer served as a wake-up call for us,” said Bowman. “We had gone to Celina and we had ended that 10-year home winning streak that they had. It kind of knocked us back down to earth a little bit and I think that served us well going into district play and the playoffs.”
One advantage the Buckeyes had over the Tigers last year was big game experience. But Daingerfield’s run to their fourth state championship last season leveled the playing field.
“They’ve got two huge regular season wins and six playoff wins, so they definitely have big game experience,” said Traylor.
Bowman and Traylor agree that Tigers’ junior quarterback Tyler Boyd benefited the most from that experience.
“He’s got 20 games under his belt now, so that makes a lot of difference,” said Bowman.
“Tyler Boyd is what makes them go; he’s the real deal,” confirmed Traylor. “His passing has improved so much. You can tell he’s really played in a bunch of big games. He’s calm under pressure and he can run around and make plays.”
After passing and running for 3,246 yards and 39 touchdowns as a sophomore, Boyd has picked up where he left off, totaling 979 yards and 12 touchdowns in the first four games of the season.
Traylor warns that Boyd isn’t the only weapon in the Tigers’ arsenal. “They’ve got three kids that can make bad plays good plays,” said Traylor. “Tyler Boyd, Koko Smith and Chris Jones. You always want to have one of those kinds, and when you have three on one side of the ball, that’s a very special thing.”
Smith, a senior running back, racked up 1,487 yards and 18 touchdowns on the ground, earning first team all-state honors last year.
Jones might be the most talented athlete of the group, having committed to play for the University of Texas before his senior season began. As a junior, Jones set a school record with 1,046 receiving yards and scored 12 touchdowns. He also picked up 340 yards and six touchdowns on the ground.
“Chris Jones is as close to looking like Curtis Brown that I’ve ever seen,” said Traylor, who coached Brown before sending him on to Texas. ”I’ve never said that about another kid. That’s how good Chris Jones is. He is unbelievable. He’s worth the price of admission just to watch him play.”
Daingerfield’s Bowman is quick to point out that Traylor returns a talented group of players as well. “I think from top to bottom; offensively, defensively and special teams; I think this is the best team he’s had,” Bowman said. “I’m more impressed with this team overall from top to bottom; than I have been with any others, and he’s had some really good ones.”
Traylor agreed with Bowman. “I think both teams are a lot better,” Traylor said.
Gilmer senior quarterback Stump Godfrey summed it up best. “It’s going to be electric. The stands are going to be packed.”
GAME NOTES
Gilmer is averaging 55.75 ppg through 4 games
Gilmer needs 219 rushing yards to reach 1,000 for the season
Gilmer’s 229 offensive plays consist of 115 passing attempts (50.2 percent) and 114 rushing attempts (49.8 percent)
Gilmer averages 296 yards per game passing (60 percent) and 195 yards per game rushing (40 percent)
Gilmer’s 634 total yards against Kilgore last week was the 3rd most in school history
Gilmer’s Stump Godfrey needs 88 rushing yards to pass Derek McKenzie as Gilmer’s career leader in rushing yards by a quarterback
Gilmer’s Stump Godfrey needs 5 rushing touchdowns to pass Justin Johnson as Gilmer’s career leader
Bounty Hunter of the Week: Tamil Harris
Special Teams Player of the Week: Braylon Webb
Scout Team Players of the Week:
Jordan Traylor, Offense; Bryce Rawls, Defense
September 25- Daingerfield
Mascot: Tigers
Colors: Blue & White
District: 17-2A
Enrollment: 376
2008 Record: 15-1, Class 2A Div. II State Champions
2009 Record: 4-0, Ranked #1 in Class 2A
Last meeting: 2008, Gilmer won 49-18
Series Record: Daingerfield leads 30-23
Head Coach: Barry Bowman (2nd season, 19-1, 34-16 overall)
Other Head Coaching experience: Bullard 3 yrs 15-15
Returning Starters: 6 Offense/7 Defense
BUCKEYE TICKET LINE:
841-7777
LUNCH WITH THE COACH:
Noon Wednesdays, Buckeyes Booster Club meets at Gilmer Country Club
LIVE WEBCAST:
www.GilmerBuckeyes.com
MaxPreps Gilmer vs. Daingerfield Game Matchup
Mirror Photo / Mary Laschinger Kirby
GILMER’S LUKE TURNER is hauled down by Kilgore’s C.J. Gary here last Friday night. Other Buckeyes pictured include Barry Kennedy (56), Dustin Hardin (55) and Caleb Denton (52). Turner and the Buckeyes head into their final tuneup before District 17-3A play begins against the Daingerfield Tigers. Kickoff is set for 7:30 p.m. Friday night at Buckeye Stadium. Both teams are unbeaten and ranked No. 1 in the state in their respective classifications. The Buckeyes have a bye week after this game with the next contest on the road at Bullard on Friday, Oct. 9.
Mirror Photo / Mary Laschinger Kirby
COACH JEFF TRAYLOR was honored after the game Friday night for having achieved 100 career wins, all at Gilmer, in the span of just more than nine seasons. At left offering congratulations is Gilmer ISD Supt. Rick Albritton. The victory over Kilgore was actually his 101st, the century mark having been accomplished on the road against Liberty-Eylau on Sept. 11.
BEN GRIFFITH (top photo) and STUMP GODFREY (above) are interviewed by KLTV in the buildup to Friday night's game here against Daingerfield.
MIKEY WILSON (top photo) and STUMP GODFREY (above) are interviewed by KYTX while preparing for the game against Daingerfield. See link to video below.
From KYTX CBS 19:
No. 1 Gilmer faces No. 1 Daingerfield
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