Gilmer Buckeyes

By MARY L. KIRBY Six Buckeyes signed National Letters of Intent to play for universities Wednesday, Feb. 6, during National Signing Day. Two of the players, Justin Johnson and David Snow, were already in attendance at their respective schools, the University of Oklahoma in Norman and the University of Texas at Austin. Gathering with their family members in Buckeye Field House were Lamar Harris, Daniel Jenkins, Ross Stevens and Houston Tuminello. All but Stevens were signing with NCAA Division I Football Subdivision Schools, meaning that they may be going to post-season bowl games like their former teammates Tay Bowser, Curtis Brown and Manuel Johnson did this past winter. With the six, the number of players who have signed scholarships since Jeff Traylor became the Athletic Director is 45. Many of the early players signed with community colleges as Ross Stevens did Wednesday. Then, with the state championship run in 2004 and the signing of Manuel Johnson and some of his teammates, more...

By JOE DODD Six members of the Gilmer Buckeyes' football team have been named to All-State teams recently. “It reflects well on the program,” stated Gilmer head coach Jeff Traylor. “I'm excited for our community and those kids.” Senior receiver Houston Tuminello was selected to the first team of both the Texas Sports Writers Association and the Associated Press teams. Tuminello set a team record with 15 touchdown receptions this past season, while catching 73 passes for 1,018 yards. Running back Justin Johnson received the biggest post-season honor for the Buckeyes when he was named the Co-Offensive Player of the Year in Class 3A by the TSWA. Johnson led Gilmer with 2,171 yards rushing and 25 touchdowns on only 203 carries. The senior was named to the TSWA first team, and the AP second team. Two of the offensive linemen who cleared the path for Johnson were also selected to the TSWA team. Senior guard David Snow, who recorded 120 pancake blocks while grading out at 82 percent, ...

LOGOS of the six schools of District 17-3A. By JOE DODD The University Interscholastic League's bi-annual realignment produced its usual surprises when it was released yesterday morning in Austin. The big surprise for the Gilmer Buckeyes was a move from Region II to Region III as a member of District 17-3A. Joining Gilmer in District 17-3A will be Bullard, Gladewater, Spring Hill, Tatum and Chapel Hill. The six schools combined for an impressive 50-23 record during the 2007 football season. Four of the six teams made the playoffs last season, including Gilmer and Tatum who were state finalists; Gilmer in 3A and Tatum in 2A. “Somebody very good is not going to make the playoffs in our district,” said Gilmer head coach Jeff Traylor, who will bring a 34-game district winning streak into the season. “It's going to be tough,” admitted Traylor. The last district game that the Buckeyes lost was in 2000 to Tatum, who joins Gilmer in the same district for the first time since 2001. “We ...

By JOE DODD Thirty-four members of the 2007 Gilmer Buckeyes were recently selected to the District 15-3A All-District football team, as postseason honors began to pour in for the Class 3A Division I state finalists. “I remember when I was a kid; it was very important to make all-district,” said Gilmer head coach Jeff Traylor. “I know how hard they work to get these honors.” The Buckeyes swept all six superlative honors on the team that was selected by the district coaches. Senior running back Justin Johnson was named the district’s Most Valuable Player. Senior offensive lineman David Snow was selected the offensive MVP. Senior linebackers Ross Stevens and Brennan Thompson shared defensive MVP honors. Sophomore quarterback Darian Godfrey captured Offensive Newcomer honors, while sophomore safeties Paul Chesnut and Braylon Webb shared Defensive Newcomer honors. Traylor and the Buckeyes’ coaching staff was named the coaching staff of the year. Johnson finished the season with 2,171 yards ...

Located about 125 miles east of Dallas, tiny Gilmer (pop. 5,143) could be the quintessential small Texas town. Football rules — and with good reason. The Buckeyes have averaged more than 10 victories per season over the past decade. Johnson, Snow play in Army All-American Bowl By JOE DODD Gilmer Buckeyes' senior football players Justin Johnson and David Snow will play together for the final time today in the Army All-American Bowl at San Antonio's Alamodome. The game kicks off at noon and will be nationally televised on NBC. “They started playing together as freshman on the 2004 state championship team and they get to finish up in the Army All-American Bowl,” said Gilmer head coach Jeff Traylor. “I can't think of a better career than that. They started with a state championship game; they ended with a state championship game; and now they get to finish it with a game broadcast on NBC. It sounds like a lot of fun to me.” With Snow (6-4, 300) blocking, Johnson (6-2, 215) rus...

Congratulations to the Gilmer Buckeyes for all the thrills and excitement you’ve given us this season. It was truly awesome! We know it must be disappointing to have come up short in Waco on Saturday against the Liberty Hill Panthers (to whom we also extend kudos), but remember that you accomplished what only a handful of football teams in Texas did. And that is to still be playing, not only in December, but in the middle of December. A school is the heart and soul of any small community such as ours. The spirit our Gilmer Independent School District expresses for us, not only in football, but in numerous other activities on campus and in the community, keeps us all young at heart and inspired in our souls. And this is true of the other school districts of our area as well. Many of us in this community are also graduates of your school. We, too, were raised as Buckeyes. Very few of us ever experienced the “glory days” you have. We are in awe. The memories you have created for us, to pu...

By JOE DODD For the first three-and-a-half minutes of Saturday's Class 3A Division I State Championship game it appeared that the Gilmer Buckeyes were on their way to their second title in four years. For the final 44-and-a-half minutes the Liberty Hill Panthers showed why they have won 24 games in a row including their second straight state championship game with a 38-13 win over the Buckeyes. Gilmer's Justin Johnson took the opening kickoff 82 yards for a touchdown to give the Buckeyes a 7-0 lead with only 14 seconds off the clock. Then the Gilmer defense held the Panthers to 25 yards on 5 plays, forcing Liberty Hill to punt for only the 15th time all season. From that point on it was all Panthers, as Liberty Hill's defense held the Buckeyes' offense to a season-low 135 total yards while the Panthers offense rolled up 354 yards and 6 touchdowns rushing. “They just outplayed us,” admitted senior receiver Lamar Harris who scored the Buckeyes only offensive touchdown on ...

From the Austin American-Statesman: Liberty Hill rubs it in Photo Gallery From the Tyler Morning Telegraph: Liberty Hill Halts Gilmer's Bid For Another State Title From the Longview News-Journal: Buckeyes suffer disappointing 38-13 loss to Liberty Hill From the Associated Press: Liberty Hill rolls past Gilmer, 38-13, for 2nd straight 3A title Buckeyes Turned Away In State Finals ALTO WINS AGAIN! Tatum and Gilmer come up short Liberty Hill H.S. wins State 3A Championship

By JOE DODD The offenses of the Gilmer Buckeyes and Liberty Hill Panthers featured in Saturday’s Class 3A Division I championship game could not be more different, despite the two teams’ almost mirror-image production. No matter which team receives the opening kickoff slated for 4 p.m. at Baylor University’s Floyd Casey Stadium, fans will be treated to one of the state’s premier offensive machines. Gilmer’s spread offense is averaging a state best 49.2 points per game, while racking up 497.5 total yards per game. Liberty Hills’ wing-t offense is averaging 46.5 points and 477.9 yards per game. “It’s going to be a great matchup of two different styles of offense,” predicted Liberty Hill head coach Jerry Vance, whose team is riding a 23-game winning streak and attempting to defend last season’s state title. Gilmer head coach Jeff Traylor agreed. “In the state of Texas, you couldn’t have one drawn it up any better. It’s an incredible matchup.” Traylor’s spread offense averages almost 302 y...

By JOE DODD After watching his defense turn back Abilene Wylie for the second time in less than two minutes despite being deep inside Gilmer territory, Buckeyes’ head coach Jeff Traylor was left with a choice when his offense was given the football at their own 36-yard line with the score tied 21-21. “I had a decision because I had 34 seconds and 3 timeouts; whether to just go to overtime or not,” explained Traylor. “And true to who we are, we decided we were going to go try to score with 34 seconds left and the kids responded.” Senior wide receiver Lamar Harris rewarded his coach’s faith with a spectacular 34-yard touchdown on an underneath pass route with 9 seconds on the clock to give the Buckeyes a dramatic 28-21 win over the Bulldogs, and a berth in the Class 3A Division I state championship game. “We knew they were going to drop back, and we just guessed right,” conceded Traylor. “We talked to our receivers about down-field blocks and sure enough, down-field blocks is what got it...

Gilmer Buckeyes vs. Liberty Hill Panthers Saturday, December 15, 4 p.m. Floyd Casey Stadium, Waco This will be for the state championship in Class 3A Division I The Buckeyes are the visiting team and will wear white. Floyd Casey Stadium Pleasanton's season comes crashing to a halt Blog from Alamodome Liberty Hill back in title game Statesman - Liberty Hill Panthers Navasota's postseason run ended by Liberty Hill Liberty Hill machine rolls Robinson in bi-district, 42-14 Doug Allman - Hidden Gem Faces Off the Field: Liberty Hill's Marlowe Poitier, John Miller Liberty Hill handles Gatesville Liberty Hill looking to dominate 3A Some of the assumptions in this preseason article proved invalid as Liberty Hill went into Division I rather than II, once the playoff picture became clear. Liberty Hill Varsity Liberty Hill offense in action Gilmer Statistics: Opponents Rushing: 428 att - 1927 yds | 137.6 yds/g (4.5 yds/car) Passing: 124 - 248 - 1358 yds | 97.0 yds/g Total: 676 - 3285 y...

From the Tyler Morning Telegraph: Gilmer Wins Thriller From the Longview News-Journal: Late game-winner sends Buckeyes to title game From the Abilene Reporter-News: TD in final seconds ousts Bulldogs Audio Archive

By JOE DODD When the Gilmer Buckeyes (13-0) and Abilene Wylie Bulldogs (11-2) kick off at 6 p.m. at Birdville ISD Stadium in North Richland Hills, it will be the first-ever meeting between two of the best programs in Class 3A. Since 2000, the Buckeyes and Bulldogs have combined for 168 wins, 5 semifinal appearances, and 2 state championships. “I think it’s a huge marquee match-up to get two schools that have a state championship at their school to meet each other in the state semifinals,” said Abilene Wylie head coach Hugh Sandifer, who is 188-74-1 in 22 seasons as the Bulldogs head coach. Gilmer head coach Jeff Traylor, who is 84-14 in eight seasons at Gilmer, is thrilled to have his program compared to Abilene Wylie. “We’ve been good for seven,” admitted Traylor. “They’ve been good for 14 years in a row. That’s the difference; they’ve been doing it longer.” Traylor is referring to the Bulldogs’ Class 3A-best streak of 14 consecutive playoff appearances. “They are one of the best prog...

By JOE DODD The Gilmer Buckeyes managed to overcome a disastrous second quarter and a Herculean effort by Dallas Roosevelt quarterback Vincent McNeil Jr. to capture a hard-fought 42-36 Class 3A Region I final win over the Mustangs before an estimated crowd of 13,000 people at Mesquite’s Memorial Stadium Saturday night. McNeil led the Mustangs to a 29-point second quarter, thanks to three Buckeyes’ miscues that helped Roosevelt rack up 194 yards of total offense in the second quarter alone. “He’s the best player I’ve ever coached against,” praised Gilmer head coach Jeff Traylor. “I know I said that about LaMichael James [Liberty-Eylau’s running back], but now LaMichael James is second.” McNeil accounted for 432 total yards in the game, throwing two touchdown passes and running for another score. Luckily for the Buckeyes it took McNeil a quarter to get warmed up. The Mustangs’ first possession lasted 5:03, but only managed 28 yards in 8 plays before Roosevelt was forced to punt to the Bu...

Next game Gilmer Buckeyes (13-0) vs. Abilene Wylie Bulldogs (11-2), Birdville Athletic Complex, North Richland Hills, 6 p.m., Saturday, Dec. 8 Gilmer will be the home team in this Class 3A Division I semifinal and will wear black. Gilmer On Track For Another Title Gilmer Shoots For Berth In State Championship For me, no game lights up this week's schedule brighter than Wylie and Gilmer. View Larger Map Rusty's take on the drive in: (scroll down for parking) Senior leadership Wylie elders make key plays in win Wylie's consistency starts with the staff Abilene Wylie Team Page Wylie All-Sports Booster Club WylieSports.com Wylie Bulldogs vs Wimberley Texans Wylie vs. Clyde Wylie Bulldogs' Regular Season Highlights Wylie vs Decatur 2007 Bi-District