Gilmer Buckeyes

By MARY L. KIRBY “The road to championships are paved with peaks and valleys,” former Dallas Cowboy Hall of Fame receiver Michael Irvin told the audience at the Texas Farm Bureau Insurance Gilmer Buckeyes Ring Ceremony presented by Brookshire’s at the Gilmer Civic Center Saturday. “It is a football family that wins a championship.” “Teams can handle peaks, but the valleys are handled differently,” said the owner of a National Champsionship ring from the University of Miami and three Super Bowl rings. “Football teams fail in the valley; a football family bonds in the valley,” Irvin pointed out to the full house. “You got to be a football family.” Irvin pointed out that he had many opportunites to talk to groups from pee wee to professional who had fallen short of their goal. Those individuals want to know what it takes to be a champion, to reach their goal. “But that is not the case this time,” Irvin said as he paced the Civic Center stage. “This is the first time that I get to stand an...

ETEX Telephone Coop Inc. plans on televising tonight’s Texas Farm Bureau Insurance Gilmer Buckeyes Ring Ceremony presented by Brookshire’s live to their E-vision customers. The ceremony will be held at the Gilmer Civic Center and is scheduled to start at 7 p.m. and can be seen on ETEX Channel 1. The ceremony will honor the 2009 Class 3A-DI State Champion Gilmer Buckeyes football team by presenting players and coaches their championship rings. A silent auction of football memorabilia will be held before the ceremony starting at 5:30 p.m. There will only be an extremely limited number of tickets for sale at the door, on a first-come, first-served basis. Tickets are $10 each. Mike Craig Ford-Mercury is the presenting sponsor of the ceremony’s keynote speaker, former Dallas Cowboys wide receiver and NFL Hall of Famer Michael Irvin. Former Gilmer Buckeyes and current Dallas Cowboys wide receiver Manuel “Manny” Johnson and former Longview Lobos and current Washington Redskins wide receiver ...

Pro Football Hall of Famer and former Dallas Cowboys wide receiver Michael Irvin will be the keynote speaker tonight at the Texas Farm Bureau Insurance Gilmer Buckeyes Ring Ceremony presented by Brookshire’s. The ceremony will be held at the Gilmer Civic Center, starting at 7 p.m. A silent auction of football memorabilia will start at 5:30 p.m. Irvin, a native of Ft. Lauderdale, Florida starred at St. Thomas Aquinas High School before going on to national prominence at the University of Miami. Irvin helped lead Miami to the 1987 National Championship and left the Hurricanes as the career leader with 143 receptions, 2,423 receiving yards and 26 touchdown receptions. Irvin declared for the 1988 NFL Draft after his junior season at Miami and was selected by the Dallas Cowboys with the 11th pick in the first round. He was the last first-round pick made by the Cowboys under Dallas’ long-time head coach Tom Landry. Irvin became the first rookie receiver to start a game in 20 years and respon...

Ford Motor Company and Mike Craig Ford are partnering to help raise money in support of Gilmer High School as part of Ford’s Drive One 4 UR School program. Gilmer community members have the opportunity to participate and help raise up to $6,000 for Gilmer High School by test driving a Ford vehicle at the school. This one-day event will take place on March 20 (today) from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Ford Motor Company and Mike Craig Ford will donate $20 to Gilmer High for every person from a unique household who test drives a Ford vehicle. Participants will be raising money for Gilmer Athletic Boosters. In 2009, the Mike Craig Ford Drive One 4 UR School events raised 12,000.00 for Upshur County High Schools. Each test drive will last approximately 5 minutes. Participants must be 18 or older and have a valid driver’s license. Limit one test drive per household. A large group of student volunteers will be on hand to help school supporters test drive a variety of Ford vehicles, including the Taurus, ...

The Texas Farm Bureau Insurance Gilmer Buckeyes Ring Ceremony presented by Brookshires tickets will go on sale Monday, March 15 at First National Bank, Gilmer National Bank and the Gilmer High School Field House. Tickets cost $5 and will be available on a first come, first served basis. Tickets will cost $10 at the door. The ceremony will be held on Saturday, March 27 at the Gilmer Civic Center. A silent auction of Buckeyes memorabilia will start at 5:30 p.m. and the ceremony will begin at 7 p.m. The Civic Center seats 1,100 people, but only about 600 tickets will be available for sale to the general public due to tickets reserved for players, coaches, their families, and sponsors. The ceremony will be televised live by Etex and may be simulcast to an overflow outdoor tent if ticket demand warrants. Former Dallas Cowboys wide receiver and Hall of Fame member Michael Irvin will be the keynote speaker at the ceremony. Former Buckeyes’ star and current Dallas Cowboys’ wide receiver Man...

PLANO — Six outstanding student-athletes have been honored as Built Ford Tough Texas High School Football Players of the Year. In Class 3A, it’s Gilmer Buckeye Quarterback Darian Godrey. Those honored in other classes include: • Class 5A: Jeremy Johnson, QB, John Tyler High School, • Class 4A: Scotty Young, QB, Ryan High School, Denton • Class 2A: Nate Jeffery, RB, Caddo Mills High School, • Class 1A: Traylon Shead, RB, Cayuga High School, • Private: Johnny Catalano, QB, Trinity Christian Academy, Addison Following is the capsule summary about Godfrey as a Player of the Year winner: 3A: Darian Godfrey, Senior Quarterback, Gilmer High School: What do the Buckeyes do now? With Darian Godfrey starting at quarterback for the last three years, Gilmer went 41-3, becoming a dominant power in 3A. When you look at the 6-1, 190-pounder’s numbers, you know that Coach Jeff Traylor has his work cut out for him. In leading Gilmer to a 15-0 record and the 2009 state title victory over Abilene Wylie (...