The Gilmer Buckeyes won it all in Class 3A Division I Saturday night at Ford Stadium on the SMU campus in convincing fashion with a 43-26 victory over the Abilene Wylie Bulldogs.

In doing so, the senior-laden team completed a perfect 15-0 season during and even before which they were always the No. 1-ranked Class 3A football team in Texas in the Associated Press Poll and every other one of any significance.

In fact, Dave Campbell’s Texas Football correctly predicted both that Gilmer would win state in Division I and that its opponent in the final would be Wylie.

It is probably even more difficult to win a title when you have a bullseye on your back like that. But the Buckeyes took it all in stride and set about on a businesslike march to the championship most expected would be theirs in the end.

Head Coach Jeff Traylor and his staff once again proved they could never be outcoached. Gilmer’s players once again proved they were extremely “coachable” and, above all, disciplined.

This team was behind at the half only twice all season. In retrospect, the Cuero Gobblers came the closest to being able to “tug on Superman’s cape,” in the words of the old song.

But Stump wasn’t wearing a cape and no one got close enough to tug on it even if he had been when he dashed 68 yards to the winning touchdown in that game, one of the most electrifying plays in the history of Gilmer football.

The theme for this year’s team was Code Red, inspired by the late Matt Camp’s positive attitude as he battled cancer. “Think it, say it, do it” was how the Buckeyes broadcaster described his philosophy. That was the Code part of it. The Red part came from the colors of the two teams Gilmer had lost to in 2008, the Bulldogs of Kilgore and Carthage.

The Buckeyes more than avenged their loss to Kilgore with a 70-27 win on Homecoming. But the rematch with Carthage was not meant to be, as Gilmer went into Division I and Carthage into Division II.

While some may still wish some sort of sick vicarious vengeance on the Carthage Bulldogs, we think most will join us in hoping they bring the other Class 3A state championship back to East Texas with a win over the Graham Steers Saturday night at Ford Stadium.

East Texas may be hidden out here behind the “Pine Curtain,” but it is more and more evident that some of the best high school football in the nation is played in this region year in and year out, often at our own Buckeye Stadium.